“I’m pretty sure you’ve already done that, hot shot.”
“Nah.” The smirk that I’ve come to both love and hate explodes on his face. “I think that you still have a lot to give.”
“Like what?” I’m hanging on his every word and allowing this moment to seep into every square surface of me. This is what pure and utter happiness feels like. These are the emotions that I have been so damn desperate to find.
“I want to be the first person to get to call you my wife.” My lungs seize and for a moment, my heart stops beating in my chest. “I want to be the first person to have a baby with you. And I sure as hell want to be the first to grow old with you.”
“Oh yeah?” I can hardly get the words out. My heart is beating too fast right now to waste oxygen on words. “Now why would you want to do that? Why would you want to marry me anyways?”
“Because.” As he leans forward, brushing his lips against mine, my heart explodes for the man. “Tying the knot with you would give me a forever ticket to the movie of your life. And that’s one that I don’t ever fucking want to miss.”
“If that was your way of proposing to me, Liam Worth, then consider my answer, a hell yes.”
The End.
Epilogue
Abby
“Abby.” At the sound of my name, I glance up, watching as Luke moves quickly towards me, a magazine article clutched in his hand. “You’ve got to see this.”
I dust the flour off of my hands, which only makes a cloud of white form in the air. My apron is already covered, and my black leggings now appear gray. I don’t mind, though. In fact, being in this state actually makes me really happy.
As he hands me the article, an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia washes over me. I don’t remember much about the place that I’m now staring down at, but looking at it in this photo, in its newfound glory, does cause a strange sensation to erupt inside of me.
I flip through the pages, studying each picture with intense curiosity. I haven’t laid eyes on that place in almost two years, ever since the day that Liam and I went back to Chicago to empty out my loft and remove the few personal items that I still had in my downstairs bakery. It sold rather quickly, to a young couple just starting out, who were anxious to start their own business. I assume that the excitement that I had seen bubbling in their eyes as they purchased what used to be my bakery, was the exact way that I had looked when I first acquired it. But I no longer had a sentimental attachment to the place. In fact, walking around inside of it didn’t even spark the slightest bit of memory in me. Now though, as I stare down at the pictures of it in its glory, an unfamiliar emotion takes over me, and an intense happiness bubbles up from the pit of my stomach.
“How did you find this?”
“Derek sent it to me.” Luke shrugs his shoulders, as if making a point to show this to me hasn’t completely made my day. “He thought you’d be interested in seeing it.”
Luke doesn’t stick around to watch me study the article in front of me, which is a good thing, because I stare at it for hours, reading and rereading every single word, and studying the pictures in front of me with intense curiosity.
I don’t remember what my bakery looked like in it’s prime, in the middle of the morning on a busy day, but now, I actually get the opportunity. I see people lined up in front of the bakery counter, I study the pictures of the delicious looking pastries flanking the cases on each side of the register, and I see the picture of the beaming owner, who looks as though she enjoys every bit of what she does.
I sold the bakery to them fully stocked, meaning that I sold every baking gadget, every kitchen tool, every table setting. Each picture that I study, showcases the things that used to be mine. I don’t remember if this is what my bakery used to look like exactly, but it doesn’t really matter. Just seeing it in its current state and thriving makes me really freaking happy, and, it gives me hope for the future. For my future, whatever that may hold.
“I figured I’d find you in here.” The sound of his voice causes my attention to shift, and my heart to beat a little bit faster in my chest. It’s the same feeling, every single time, but even though it rocks me to my core, it never gets old.
I push the article to the side, and let my eyes travel over to where he stands in the doorway. My breath catches as my eyes feast on his half naked body in front of me. Sweat glides down his body, traveling over the thick ripple of muscle that covers every inch of him. His eyes are dark, and fixed on mine, causing all my breath to leave my mouth in pants. Dammit all, I’m going to burn another cake and I know it. I’m not going to resist letting this man take me into his office right now, and bend me over his desk, which has become our daily ritual, after he finishes his workout.
“No.” A cocky grin explodes on his face, which only causes my knees to go weak. “We’re not doing that today, Abs. You need to stay right here in this kitchen and watch that cake. It smells amazing, by the way.”
“You’re picking my cake, over, my cake?” As my eyebrows wiggle, laughter erupts from the man that I absolutely adore. He crosses the kitchen to me in just a few strides, lifting me with just one arm and setting me on the flour filled island. White dust flies into the air, sticking to his slick skin, but he doesn’t even bat an eye. As his mouth finds mine and I fall into him, the cake in the oven is a distant memory for the both of us.
“We can’t do this right here.” I whisper into his mouth, unable to actually pull away long enough to say the words any louder. “Luke’s here.”
“Luke just left.” His wicked smile causes the familiar fire to ignite inside of me. “We’re all alone, in this big old gym, babes. Just you, me, and this island.”
“Well, then?” I run my hand down his slick body, until I feel his thick shaft in my hand. At my touch, he groans. As his head falls back and his eyes squeeze shut, a sense of power takes over me. It’s always the same, each and every time that we touch, and I swear to God, it will never get old to watch this enormous, tough man of mine become a whimpering mess over the feeling of my hands on him.
I don’t have to ask any more questions, nor do I have to wait any longer for Liam to give me exactly what I’m waiting for. There’s zero foreplay needed in this case, the feeling of his skin on mine is more than enough to get me ready for his thick length to slide inside of me. As he does, an intense peace falls over me, and everything seems right in the world. Yes, my cake burns to shit in the oven, and the smoke alarms blare before we’ve even finished. Not that he stops, though. He never stops, I’ve learned. When our bodies are together, nothing in the world could make us stop, before we’ve reached the place where heaven meets the earth. Of course, the second that it’s over, we both move frantically around the kitchen, pulling out the charcoal cake and fanning smoke alarms before they trigger the fire department.
“You’ve really got to start baking earlier.” His laughter fills the air between us. “Otherwise, one of these days, we’re going to actually burn this place down.”
“You’ve always been the fire.” I wink at him, but as I do, his entire demeanor changes.
“I know, baby. You’ve always been the flame.”
Liam
I have no idea why I’m nervous. I shouldn’t be, this is the moment that I swear to God, feels like I’ve been waiting for my entire life. Even still, my stomach is in complete knots as I stare down at the white runner in the center of the grass.
She should already be at the other end, standing there, arm in arm with Luke and making her way towards me. I glance up at Bianca, who gives me a reassuring smile. “She’ll be here.” She mouths to me, trying to calm my nerves. “Where else would she be?”
I’ve been impatiently waiting for this day for two years, so the idea of waiting a moment longer sits like a rock in my gut. The very same day that Abby left the hospital after I spilled our story to her, I bought her a ring. I had every intention of putting it on her finger right then and there, and immediately changing her last name, b
ut Abby had other ideas.
Yes, we had a past, and yes, we had the kind of love that I am certain only happens once, if you’re lucky. But while I had my memories of her, and the way that we used to be, Abby still had none. So, before she agreed to marry me, I had to date her first. Date her again, that is. But for her, it was the first time.
In her defense, she had a lot of shit to sort out, and to be honest, I did as well. Even though Letty had changed our game plan, I had still made a promise to her and I still needed to keep it. It took a bit of adjustment, and learning from all of us, but somehow, I’ve managed to have all three women in my life without the sordid triangle that had seemed to always threaten to crush me.
Letty gave birth to Ariana, and as she took her first breath, she stole a piece of my heart. I’m not in her life in the manner that I had originally thought that I would be, but being Uncle Liam isn’t a bad gig, either. Letty and Abby have even begun to build a relationship together, finding that they had a lot more in common than just me. They aren’t the best of friends or anything, but each and every day I see them getting along better and better, and I’ve witnessed firsthand just how amazing of a mother Abby will be someday. She’s kind and tender, loving and gentle with Ari. She gets just as excited as I do to see her, and basically, that little girl has the both of us wrapped around her finger. Letty’s also been doing exceptionally well as a mother, and she’s stayed clean for Ari’s entire life. Again, baby steps. That’s all that we can do here, right?
After a full year of dating, I got down on one knee and asked Abby to be my wife. Seven years after the original moment that I was going to do it, finally, I had put a ring on her finger, and she gave me her word that she would forever be mine.
Since it only made sense for us to get married here, in this park, where I fell in love with her in the first place, we had to wait longer than I wanted to have our wedding.
Which is why I’m anxious as hell here and waiting for my bride to finally make her appearance. I’ve already waited eight years at this point. I don’t think that I have it in me to wait a moment longer.
“Where in the fuck are they?” I’m now growling, as Bianca shifts uncomfortably on her feet.
“Ah,” She takes a few steps back, and begins to scan the park. “Oh, I see him.” She nods towards the boardwalk, where Luke is now jogging towards us. “Oh, shit.” I watch as she swallows, her cheeks turning pale. “Why is he all alone?”
But just as I’m about to lose my shit, the music starts, making my attention shift away from my brother, who has now made it to my side, towards the aisle, where Abby now stands in front of me, arm and arm with…
The fuck?
“It was her idea, Liam.” Luke finds his place next to me. “This is what she wanted.”
As my eyes fix on the gorgeous woman who owns my heart, I can’t even find it in me to be angry that she is walking towards me, arm in arm with the one man who did nothing but try to destroy me. To destroy us.
Even still, the fact that Abby was able to find it in herself to forgive the man speaks volumes for her heart. The heart that I will vow to protect with every inch of me, until the day that I take my last breath.
I should be embarrassed at the tears now flowing from my eyes, as I stand here in front of half of the men that workout in my gym, but I can’t. My tears aren’t sad, anyways. They are the happiest tears that I have ever fucking cried.
“Please don’t be mad.” Abby whispers, as she and her father stop before me, and the pastor begins to address us.
“I love you, Abs.” I don’t even have it in me to be mad right now. I’m too fucking elated that this moment is finally happening. Michael Daron doesn’t get another thought from me, as he hands me his daughters’ arm and takes a seat, all alone. Since his wife is still currently lodged in jail for her attack on Abby, she couldn’t be here today. Not that she would have been invited anyways. But the fact that Abby found it in her to forgive this man, well, honestly, it just makes me love her more.
Our day goes off without a hitch, and as the sun shines down on us, and I lift her veil, pressing my lips to hers, I realize immediately how lucky I am.
And how every moment in my life has been worth it, since it led me to her, and to this moment, where we finally get our happily ever after.
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Also by Elizabeth Perry
Saints of Love Series
#1 Rule Play
#2 No Touch Zone
Sliding Home Series
#1 Bet on It
#2 Whatever it Takes
#3 Hard to Fall
#4 Want It All
Stand-Alone romance titles:
Getting the Goods
About the Author
Elizabeth Perry is a Cleveland, Ohio native who now resides in a small town surrounded by the lake in Michigan.
Her free time is taken up shuffling her children all over God’s green earth, which she complains about way more than she should, but wouldn’t change for the world.
She is a true romance addict and a firm believer that every story deserves a happy ending, no matter how hard it is to get there.
She runs on coffee, probably cusses too much, and has been known to tell way too many dirty jokes.
If she's not writing, she's reading, or spending time with her family or girlfriends, who luckily, tell just as many dirty jokes as she does.
Worth Repeating (Worth It All Book 1) Page 18