All of these changes wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t met Rowan.
It’s still hard to fathom that I almost lost him.
The sniper’s bullet went straight through the window into Kyle’s right shoulder. The explosion of pain caused him to grip the trigger and shoot Rowan.
Fortunately, the bullet only grazed his left bicep.
As soon as the sniper squeezed the trigger, the S.W.A.T. Team stormed in and took Kyle into custody. He confessed to everything and will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Everett had a severe concussion and spent the night in the hospital for observation. He has since made a full recovery.
The media had a field day with the story and that was how Rowan was introduced to my family. My mother and sister hugged and thanked him for saving my life. My father didn’t agree with their sentiments and said it was my fault for almost dying. I shouldn’t have gotten mixed up with this “low-life trash” and that this wouldn’t have happened if I was a boy. I immediately kicked him out of my life for good that day. The last time I saw my father was six months later at my sister’s wedding. He tried to be cordial, but I wouldn’t give him the time of day. One month after the wedding, my mother filed for divorce.
Despite my strained relationship with my father, my sister’s wedding was a joyous occasion. She looked angelic in her wedding gown and I’ve never seen her eyes filled with so much love for another man than they were for Gavin.
Once the charges on Rowan were dropped, he took us on an extended vacation to Cape Cod. We stayed there for a week before he drove us to Boston for me to meet his mom and some of his friends. He enlightened me by playing tourist in the city and now Boston is one of my favorite places to visit.
When we came back home, we started to go see a psychologist together to talk about what we went through with Kyle. We went as a couple and individually. I know talking with someone helped me come to terms with my father and that I don’t need him in my life.
As the days moved to months, the nightmares from that day started to lessen, but the Broken Eagles Motorcycle Repair Shop didn’t feel the same to us anymore. Rowan turned in his resignation before we left for Massachusetts. Wes understood and even remodeled the shop so that any reminder of Kyle for him and the remaining guys were erased.
Rowan immediately threw himself into starting his own firm and as soon as the official paperwork was filed, Dawson/Pryor and Associates was born. It has been a labor of love these past eight months, but we are starting to see the fruits of our labor and even had to hire two new employees due to our growing clientele.
I moved in with Rowan permanently the night of the shooting and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Some people who don’t believe in the boom think we’re crazy and won’t last, but I know I’ve found my forever partner, lover, best friend…
And now husband.
He surprised me with a weekend trip to Savannah, where we were having dinner at an upscale restaurant near the beach. The waiter brought out our dinner and we admired how masterful the chef was with his placement of the food.
“This is a work of art,” I marveled at its beauty, almost not wanting to eat it.
“Is it Instagram worthy?” he asked with a twinkle in his eyes. I laughed at his comment and got out my phone to take a picture of it. When I opened Instagram to make a post about it, I noticed I had numerous likes on a photo. I clicked on my profile to see a new photo of a large solitaire diamond ring nestled in a black box, the hands holding the box were recognizable. The caption of the photo read:
“Instagram, I’ve hacked into Valerie’s account because I wanted to tell the whole world that I plan on making this Angel mine forever. Let’s see how long it takes her to find this photo. If she doesn’t see it within a week, I will leave her clues. Do you think she’ll say yes?”
I said yes before Rowan could even get down on bended knee.
Our wedding was small, with only our mothers, siblings and friends at a beautiful winery in Nashville. The atmosphere was intimate and filled with love. It was perfect for us.
Now here we are on our honeymoon, another surprise from Rowan. He noticed my love for Santorini from my photos on Instagram, so he booked us a villa right on the water. We’ll stay here for one week and then bounce all over Europe for another two weeks.
“My angel looks deep in thought,” I hear him say behind me. I turn around to see that my new husband is gloriously naked in the pool. I purposely scan his body slowly, wanting him to see that I very much love what I see.
“You consume my thoughts. Every single second of the day.” I lean up and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him with all the love and passion I have for him. I moan when his tongue enters my mouth and as our kiss deepens, I feel the straps of my bikini top come undone.
“Whoops! It looks like you’ve lost your top. Better hold on to me so I can cover you up.” He smiles mischievously at me as he presses me closer to his chest and places his hands underneath my hamstrings, forcing me to wrap my legs around his waist. He sinks us lower into the pool so no one can see my naked breasts. I sigh in contentment when he pushes my bikini bottoms aside and enters me quickly. The man knows that he can just look at me and I’ll always be ready to have him inside me.
He starts rocking us back and forth, the feeling of him with the friction of the water heightening my senses and I know it won’t take me long to come. I gasp in pleasure as he bites my earlobe and resumes burning me with his kisses. Soon his fingers start playing with my clit and within seconds I’m screaming out my release, with his following right behind.
I keep my legs wrapped around him as we float around in the pool. I say a silent prayer of thanks to God for blessing me with such an amazing partner in this journey of life as I’ve found my better half, the person who completes me.
Forever.
Also by Jessica Marin
Let Me In Series
Heartbreak Warfare
Perfectly Lonely
Edge of Desire
Coming Soon - Summer 2019
Bear Creek Rodeo Series
The Irish Cowboy
The Celtic Cowboy
Acknowledgments
What an exciting journey this has been! I was shocked when Aurora Rose Reynolds invited me to write in her Happily Ever Alpha World. I’ve been a fan for a very long time of the Until Series and I truly hope you feel that Rowan and Valerie’s story fit right in.
I want to thank Aurora and her husband for giving me this opportunity. Thank you for thinking I was even worthy of such a huge honor.
Thank you to all of the readers and bloggers who take the time out of your day to read my work and support me. Your positive feedback and love mean the world to me.
Thank you to my family, especially my husband and children. Without their support, I wouldn’t be able to continue living my dream.
It truly takes a village to make a book come to fruition and I couldn’t have done it without the following people: Najla Qamber, Emma Mack, Shelly Utley, Tracey Vuolo and Brittany Holland.
Thank you to my Misfits for your continued love, support and promotion of all things Jessica Marin.
Please make sure you follow me on all of my social media pages and sign up for my newsletter at authorjessicamarin.com to be up to date with upcoming releases and book signings.
I look forward to our next adventure together!
Peace and love,
Jessica
About the Author
Jessica Marin began her love affair with books at a young age from the encouragement of her Grandma Shirley. She has always dreamed of being an author and finally made her dreams of writing happily ever after stories a reality. She currently resides in Tennessee with her husband, children and fur babies. When she’s not hanging out with her family, she loves watching a good movie, going dancing with the ladies, sniffing essential oils, daydreaming of warm beaches, and world peace.
Jessica would love for you to join her on
all of her available social media outlets.
Until Valerie: Happily Ever Alpha World Page 11
