by BJ Harvey
“Vincent. I met with him at his office yesterday afternoon.”
“Why on earth would you do that?” I ask, staring at him in disbelief. This is the man who stood at my back after having enough of my parents talking down to me—and him—and who supported me in my decision to leave the dinner and their house and never look back.
“I wanted to make sure he knew just how spectacular his daughter was.”
I scoff and start pacing back and forth beside the bed. “And why did you ever think he’d care about that, given I no longer—and will never again—work for the family firm?”
“Because he needed to know just how wonderful, and talented, and absolutely amazing his youngest daughter is, and how she owns whatever she puts her mind to, having just completed another degree, this time doing what she has always wanted to do.”
I don’t realize that I’ve stopped pacing until I find myself standing next to Jax, looking down at him.
“You stood there, in front of the coldest man I’ve probably ever met, and said that?”
“I did, and I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat if I thought it would change anything.”
“But why?” I whisper, my heart beating impossibly fast.
He doesn’t say anything. Instead, his arms shoot out, whip off my towel and pull me down so I’m lying on top of him.
“I wanted his blessing, not that he gave it to me,” he says softly.
I frown. “Why on earth would you need his blessing?”
“Because I want you to be my wife.”
My breath hitches, my heart jumping into my throat. Of all the things I thought he might say, that was not even in the top one hundred.
Not even fucking close.
“Say what?”
Jax
“Are you proposing to me while I’m naked and lying on top of you?” she asks.
“Just continuing in the same way we began,” I say with a grin.
“And how you plan to keep going?”
“You bet your ass.”
“What would you do if I said no while naked and lying on top of you?”
My heart jumps into my throat. “You’re saying no?”
She shakes her head. “I’m asking what you’d do if I did say no.”
“I’d switch to plan B.”
“Which is?” she asks, lifting a brow.
I smirk. “Using my masculine wiles to persuade you to change your mind.”
“Masculine wiles?”
I shrug. “It sounded good in my head.”
She dips her chin and brushes her lips against mine before whispering, “So does being called Mrs. Jaxon Cook.”
I freeze, unable to move. Then her words sink in. Holy fuck, she said yes.
“Yes?” I ask, wanting to make absolutely sure.
“How about fuck yes,” she says, her huge smile blinding me with its brightness. I wrap my hand around her neck and I crush her lips to mine, holding her in place as I pillage and plunder her mouth, not ever wanting to let her go and knowing now that I’ll never have to.
An hour later, we lie in bed, Ronnie still naked on top of me. I’ve worked out her hangover in thoroughly enjoyable ways.
“Wait there,” I say, gently moving her off me and getting up. I find my discarded jeans at the corner of the room and rummage through the pockets, wrapping my hand around the black velvet box I put there last night before arriving at the airport.
Returning to the bed, I don’t miss the way her eyes roam over my naked body, her appreciation written all over her expression.
I kneel down and lean my arms on the mattress, crocking a finger and calling her in close. When she moves forward, I reach for her hand.
“I want to do this right,” I say.
She looks me up and down. “The man I love is kneeling on the floor, naked in front of me. That’s the very definition of right,” she says with a smirk.
My lips twitch as I flick the box open and hold it up in front of her. Ronnie’s eyes glisten with unshed tears as she looks down at the gold diamond-cluster engagement ring.
“Veronica Nelson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She nods furiously and I bring her hand to my mouth, pressing my lips to her knuckles. After pulling the ring out, I slowly slide it onto her finger, a surge of satisfaction and achievement coursing through me.
Pressing my chest into the side of the bed, I lift my hands up, and run my fingers through her hair, sweeping it away from her face. Her eyes are bright and sparkling as her soft gaze meets mine. She bites her lip, drawing my attention to it.
“What are you thinking, beautiful?” I ask.
“I’m thinking that life is short.”
I nod, my mouth quirking. “It definitely is.”
“And I’ve already wasted so much of it trying to be what my parents wanted me to be and sacrificing my own happiness for others.”
I smooth my hands over her shoulders and down her back. “That’s something you’re not ever going to do again.”
“Never,” she whispers. “Not for a single second.” She looks down, her brows bunching together. “I want to do it today.”
I frown, not knowing where she’s going with this. “What’s that?”
When she meets my eyes again, they’re blazing with love and heat and absolute determination. The last time I saw such resolve in Ronnie was the night we walked out of dinner at her parents’ house.
She braces herself on one arm and leans into me. “I don’t want to wait a single day not being your wife. Let’s get married today. Here. In Vegas.”
My breath catches in my chest. “What?”
She lowers her mouth to mine so she’s all I can see, smell, and feel. Everything is Ronnie right now, and everything is perfect. “Marry me, Jaxon Cook. Professor. Ken. Marry me today.” Her grin is so big and bright she could light up the entire Strip with that smile. “I don’t care if it’s Liberace or Elvis, as long as I’m Mrs. Jaxon Cook by tonight.”
My heart flips. My cup is full to bursting.
“You’ve given me so much. You gave me hope, you gave me love, you gave me independence, and you gave me your respect. Your family feels like my family now. I want to be tied to you forever. I want to be with you forever. I want—”
“Fuck yes,” I say, reaching out and flipping her over onto her back, covering her with my body and crushing my mouth to hers.
When we finally part, I’m breathing heavy and fighting the urge to bury myself deep inside her for a third time today.
“God, you’re beautiful,” I rasp. Her eyes soften, her hand lifting to cup my jaw. She sweeps her thumb over my lips, her gentle smile my new favorite. I’m gonna work my ass off to have her look at me like this every day.
“I love you,” she says, and this time when we kiss, it’s a slow, languid one, full of feeling and gratitude. Thank God I followed her upstairs.
When I lift up and see her this time, she’s frowning.
“Not exactly the expression a man wants to see after kissing his fiancée,” I muse.
“We have a slight problem.”
I roll my hips down against hers. “Some more than others,” I say, earning a giggle and a playful slap against my chest.
“No, pervert. What I meant was, we’re here for Jamie and April. Getting married would kind of take away their thunder. Don’t you think?” When I don’t answer, she continues on. “We can come back and do it. Maybe after the wedding and—”
“Do you want to marry me today?”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts. We’ll talk to Jamie and April. We’ll make sure we have their blessing.”
Hope fills her eyes. “Really?”
“I don’t wanna wait. I wasted a year not chasing you. Now I’m claiming you as mine once and for all.” I dip my head to whisper against her lips, “By the end of the day, you will be Mrs. Jaxon Cook.”
Then sh
e kisses me like she owns me, and it’s absolutely fitting because she does, and has done since the day I first laid eyes on her.
And in a few hours, it’ll be official.
Mr. and Mrs. Jaxon Cook. It has a nice ring to it.
A thoroughly enjoyable shower later, we’re both dressed and, having called Jamie and April’s room half an hour ago, we’re on our way to meet them for breakfast.
We searched up how to get a Nevada marriage license online, and depending on how breakfast goes, we’ll head straight to the Clark County Marriage License Bureau afterward.
Ronnie and I are sitting side by side, our heads close, my hand holding hers, my lips pressed to her ring when April and Jamie arrive.
“Coffee. Stat,” April says, collapsing into the chair opposite us.
“Sure thing, lovely,” Jamie says, taking a seat beside her and waving to a nearby waitress.
With drinks ordered, I look over to find April studying me.
“When did you get in?” she asks.
“Last night. I met up with the guys, then waited in Cohen’s room for Ronnie to get back.”
My fiancée gasps beside me. I turn my head, my lips twitching as she whacks my arm with her left hand.
“Oh my God,” April shrieks. “What. Is. That?” Her eyes are glued to Ronnie’s engagement ring. She leans over the table and grabs Ronnie’s hand, jerking it free from my hold.
“Oh my God,” she says again. I wrap my arm around Ronnie’s shoulders and pull her into my side as she giggles. Jamie’s eyes crinkle as he watches April gushing over the ring.
He stands and walks around the table. I get up to meet him, shaking his offered hand before he pulls me in for a hug.
“You sealed the deal,” he murmurs in my ear.
I chuckle as we move apart. “Sure did. When you know, you know.”
My brother looks down at April and grins. “Mom was definitely right about that one.”
“Let’s not tell her that, though. We’ll never hear the end of it,” I say with a laugh.
We take our seats, joining the girls who are still smiling and giggling.
I place my arm around Ronnie and pull her back into me. When she tilts her head and looks up, I kiss her softly, my eyes locked with hers.
“This is so cool!” April says. “We’ll both be Mrs. Cook.”
Jamie and I just look at each other and shrug. “Ax will probably never speak to you again,” he muses. I laugh at that, remembering the last time Ax was dirty at me for just dating his aunt. Now I’m marrying her, the kid will probably disown me.
“If we weren’t getting married in four weeks, I’d say we should have a double wedding,” April continues. Jamie frowns at that suggestion, and I don’t blame him. I love my brother and his fiancée but my wedding day is not something I wanna share, and his reaction tells me he’s of the same thought.
“Lovely,” he says, turning to April. “I love you and I wanna make you happy, but our day will be about me, you and Ax.”
Her eyes soften and she nods, giving him a quick kiss on the lips before facing us. “Okay, sorry. No double wedding.”
Ronnie laughs. “Yeah, so about that. We actually have something to ask you both…”
“Yeah?” Jamie says, quirking a brow.
Ronnie looks at me and I nod. “We actually want to get married here. In Vegas. Today…” she says.
Both of their eyes go wide as saucers before Jamie drops his head back and bursts out laughing. April’s eyes fill with tears as she jumps out of her seat and draws Ronnie in for a huge bear hug.
“This is awesome!” she says as they move apart and grin at each other. “I’ve never been to a Vegas wedding.” She claps excitedly but stops and narrows her eyes. “Wait. You didn’t knock her up, did you? This isn’t a shotgun wedding?”
Now I bark out a laugh, shaking my head. “No. She’s not pregnant.”
“It’s an I-don’t-wanna-wait-any-longer-to-start-my-life-with-him wedding,” Ronnie says, looking over at me and giving me a soft smile that makes me wanna do dirty things to her.
“But this is your weekend, and we wouldn’t ever want to take that away from you.” I glance down at Ronnie. “We’re happy to come back after your wedding to do it at a later date.”
“Fuck that,” Jamie says. “We’re here already. If you guys want to be the crazy kids that you are and get married in Vegas, then that’s exactly what you’re gonna do.” He laughs and points his finger at me. “Besides, you’re the one having to deal with Mom when you get back, and that’s something that will be totally worth seeing because Mom will kill you.”
Oh shit. My eyes are bugging out of my head when Co, Ezra, Gilly, and Bryant approach the table. Gilly’s eyes latch on to Ronnie instantly and within seconds, the women in the group are standing and engaging in a three-way giggling hug.
“What’s Mom gonna kill Jax for?” Bryant says, taking the seat beside me and grabbing my coffee cup, taking a big swig.
“Jax is getting married,” Jamie says with a proud smirk.
Bryant turns to me, his eyes crinkling. “She said yes? Awesome,” he says. Bryant was the only one who knew I was going to propose because we went ring shopping after seeing Ronnie’s father. Wait, he thought she’d say no?!?
“Congrats, brother,” Cohen says, leaning over the table and shaking my hand. “Another Cook bites the dust.”
Ezra just locks eyes with me and grins, his approving nod saying everything.
“Where are Abi and Cade?” I ask, looking around the restaurant. Glancing over at Ronnie, I see her still engaged in a three-way huddle with April and Gilly.
“They didn’t answer their phone so take that as you will. I don’t wanna think about my sister doing anything other than breathing,” Jamie says with a wince.
“Oh, there was a lot of that. And groans. And screams,” Abi says, wrapping her arms around Bryant and my shoulders from behind. “There were also a few ‘Cades’ thrown in there,” she says, moaning her husband’s name.
Cade shakes his head and pulls Abi into his side, saving us from our sister’s teasing.
“Suddenly, I’m not so hungry,” Co grumbles.
“That makes two of us,” Jamie adds.
“Me too,” Bryant and I say in unison before we all glare at the pregnant one.
“Oh, come on. I’m married. I’m a mom. It’s not like you don’t know I have sex,” Abi says, jutting out a hip and putting her hand on it ominously.
“Yeah, but knowing it and hearing about it are two different things,” Jamie adds.
She grins. “I remember Co, Bry, and Jax walking in on us too.”
“Ugh, don’t remind me. That took years to forget,” Cohen says, shaking his head.
Cade helps Abi into a chair just as the girls return to the table. I quirk a brow at Ronnie, who is grinning from ear to ear. She holds out her hand and I take it, moving to stand beside her, my arm wrapped tightly around her waist.
“Jax has something to tell you,” she announces to the table.
“I do?” I ask.
“Yep, that’s exactly what you’ll be saying,” she retorts, earning quiet laughter from the group.
I look down at her, meeting her amused gaze. “So, we’re really doing this?” I ask, resting my forehead against hers.
“I will if you will,” she whispers, and that’s all the confirmation I need.
I straighten and look back out to our family, meeting the eyes of Abi, Cohen, Ezra, and Gilly, and finishing on Bryant. “You’re all invited to join Ronnie and I this afternoon when we get married by Elvis or Liberace or anyone,” I say with a grin.
They all start clapping, whooping, and hollering.
I turn towards Ronnie and run one hand down to her ass to pull her tight into me, my other hand cupping her cheek. “Are you ready to join this mayhem and become an official member of the Cook family?”
“Absolutely,” she says wi
th a huge, beaming smile.
I brush my lips against hers, grinning as I do. “Good. Then we’ve got a date for a marriage license.”
She pulls away and arches a brow, giving me that sass of hers I know so well. “What are we waiting for?”
Ronnie
When I was growing up, I wasn’t a girl who dreamed of my wedding day. I was always thinking about adventures, and things I could do that my parents would probably hate me for—yes, I was one of those kids.
But as I stand here in April and Jamie’s penthouse suite, looking at myself in the mirror, I wonder if I could have ever dreamed of anything better. First, there’s the awesome dress we found: white, bordering on obscenely short, sparkly, and totally Vegas. My only wish was to find a dress that would have Jax’s mouth dropping to the ground like that scene in The Mask when Jim Carrey sees Cameron Diaz for the first time. It’s the least I could do considering everything he’s done for me; everything he’s given me. Happiness, love, the freedom to be the me I always wanted to be, and unwavering support for anything I set my mind to. It’s something I appreciate all the more because apart from Gilly and April, I haven’t had much of that in my life until now.
Then there’s having both my best friend and sister at my back, not questioning my decision for a single second. Finally, there’s the fact I’m about to marry the most gorgeous man—inside and out—I’ve ever met.
I haven’t seen him since lunchtime, when we ordered room service and then I devoured him for dessert, telling him he had to lie there and take it like a good groom-to-be. It’s safe to say he stopped complaining soon afterwards. Jax tried to say a groom should have his wife before the wedding. I corrected him to say it’s supposed to be the groom not seeing his bride before the ceremony, then proceeded to show him exactly what I thought about that tradition—with my mouth.
I left him dozing in bed with a goofy grin and a slap on the ass. He just laughed and promised to be standing next to Elvis at the end of the aisle that night.
The only request I made was for the guys to dress Vegas style. I figure this is a go-hard-or-go-home situation, and I want my wedding to be like my marriage is going to be—fucking fantastic.