by Jess Bryant
She’d noticed his discomfort quickly and made it her mission to put him at ease. She’d talked incessantly, about anything and everything. She’d told him old stories about growing up with her brother Lance and newer stories about going out to dinner with Lance and his superstar musician boyfriend and being bombarded by Trent’s fans. When she ran out of stories to make him laugh, she set about trying to seduce him.
The little brat had run her fingers through his again and again. She’d slid her palm to his thigh and danced patterns from his knee up and up, dangerously close to the bulge she’d created. She’d whispered dirty things in his ear, suggestions about joining the mile high club and what she wanted him to do to her when they got home. She’d told him all of the places she fantasized about having him undress her and make love to her.
She’d just about teased him into an orgasm but the little minx had taken his mind off the flight so much so that he’d been all but making out with her when the plane bumped to the ground and began screeching to a stop. He’d broken the kiss on a surprised gasp and she’d grinned at him. She’d been so damn proud of herself that he’d been forced to kiss her again and then he’d told her to grab her bag and get her cute little ass off the plane before he dragged her to the bathroom to take her up on her lewd offers.
Lulu giggled and kissed him quickly, “I take it you’re driving me home then?”
“Your car isn’t here?” He took her bag from her after she pulled it from the overhead bin and then grabbed his own as well.
“Nah, I didn’t want to pay for parking for a whole week so I had Krys drop me off.”
He snorted, “And you’d planned to be drunk, if I remember correctly.”
“I decided being drunk on you was better.” She winked and he chuckled again as he smacked her ass and followed her down the aisle and off the plane.
Once they were back on Texas soil he felt a little better. They broke from the mob of people getting off the plane and ran into a few of the others that had been on the same flight. Further up the terminal he could see Amber glance back at them but then keep going which was a relief. She’d finally seemed to understand Lulu was the one he wanted and given up on him. Dean and Nikki hung back though and the four of them made their way out of the terminal together, making small talk about the flight and commenting on silly things like the weather, which was still hot since it was Texas and all.
They exited the secure area with Dean holding the door for them and had barely made it five steps when Lulu came to a sudden stop. Since she was still holding his hand, Connor was forced to stop as well. He turned to her in time to see her eyes go wide and then he followed her gaze and instantly recognized why she looked so shocked.
Standing just inside the doors were two men that he would have recognized anywhere.
Lance Nichols held a piece of paper with Lulu’s name written on it in scribbled black ink. The dark haired man was grinning but his eyes narrowed as they moved from his sister to Connor and then to their joined hands. He wasn’t grinning anymore when he looked back at Connor.
The blond man at his side didn’t falter at all though. He waved in their direction and then leaned over and said something in Lance’s ear. Lance looked up at him, his gaze softening and then nodded. He looked more resigned than angry when he turned back towards Lulu and Connor. Lance even managed a small smile for his sister again as he waved the paper, pretending she hadn’t already seen them and wasn’t stalling.
“We’ll uh… catch up with you later.” Dean nudged Connor’s shoulder, giving him a knowing look before tossing his arm around Nikki’s shoulder and guiding her out the side door along with a mass of others that were pretending not to notice that Trent Thorne was in the terminal.
“Lu?” Connor pulled her against his side, forcing her to look up at him. “You okay?”
“I didn’t know he was going to be waiting for me.” She nibbled at her lips, “For us.”
Connor softened when he saw the worry in her eyes, “Hey. It’s fine. We have to face him sooner or later. We might as well get it over with, right? Let him see we’re here and we’re together and nothing is going to change that. Right?”
“Right.”
“Besides, it’s unlikely he’ll try to shoot me in public.” He tried for humor but Lulu only groaned.
“Don’t even joke about that.”
“We’ll be fine.” He kissed her forehead lightly and squeezed her hand, “Come on. At the very least I figure you can introduce me properly to Trent Thorne.”
That earned him a smile at least and she shot him a look, “Don’t embarrass me by going all fanboy.”
“No promises.” He joked.
“Okay, fine. Come on then. No point in keeping them waiting.” Lulu seemed to take a deep breath and then turned to face her brother, raising her voice, “Oh my God! Lance! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
She all but dragged Connor after her as she crossed the big space. But she didn’t let go of his hand and that was enough for him. For now, that was all he needed. Lulu holding his hand, keeping him with her, keeping him grounded. She marched forward to face her brother, who clearly didn’t approve of them, and she did it with him at her side.
Because that was how they were going to handle everything from now on. They’d already decided. This was on their terms. They were together and nobody was going to change that. Nobody was going to keep her away from him. Not anymore. He’d just have to win Lance over, even if it took him the next sixty years or so.
“It wouldn’t have been a surprise if I told you.” Lance opened his arms and Lulu released Connor to go into them.
He stopped and waited as Lulu hugged her brother. They were close. They always had been. Just like he and Kady were close. He hoped that given some time that Lance would accept him just like he’d learned to accept Nick in Kady’s life. Now he and his brother in law were partners and friends as well as family. Maybe Nick could help him convert Lance to his side down at the station. Then they’d all be one big happy family.
The thought made him smile.
“Con?”
He was jerked out of his thoughts at the sound of Lulu’s voice. He focused and saw that she was staring at him. So were Lance and Trent. Lulu was holding her hand out to him again and he took it, lacing their fingers together and letting her pull him in closer to the group they’d all formed.
“Lance. Trent.” Lulu’s voice was calm and steady, soft but sure and she squeezed his hand before she spoke again, “I’d like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Connor Shaw.”
God. He felt those words like a direct hit of adrenaline pumped into his veins. She’d told him that she loved him. She’d told him that she wanted to be with him. She’d said she wanted to build a life with him. But this was the first time he’d heard her call him her boyfriend and he liked it. He liked it a lot.
Lance scoffed, “Lu, we know who Connor is.”
“No. You don’t.” She raised her chin defensively.
“Lu…” Lance started again but she shook her head and he fell quiet.
“You don’t know Connor.” Her voice was softer as she glanced back at him, “Neither did I. Not really. Not until recently.”
Connor’s heart thumped again and he squeezed her hand in response. The admission struck him somewhere deep that had been hurt more times than he could count. Instead of pain though, this time that empty space inside him filled with hope.
Lulu was acknowledging that she hadn’t seen him before. She was telling him, just as she was telling Lance. She was telling him again that she was truly in this with him now. She saw him now and she chose him.
She smiled softly as she turned back to her brother, “But you will get to know him, just like I have, because Connor is going to be part of my life, a big part of my life, for a really long time.”
“Forever.” He found his voice and though the word came out hoarse with emotion, he cleared it and tried again, “I’m going to be by her sid
e forever, if she lets me have any say about it.”
Lulu turned that soft, loving look on him again and smiled, “We’re together, just like we always should’ve been.”
Connor couldn’t help himself. Those words, that smile, the way she looked at him, he had to kiss her. Now. He pulled on her hand gently and she moved into his arms. He lowered his head and she was already right there waiting. He kissed her softly and she gave a small sigh of contentment that filled him with nothing but pure joy. He kept it sweet and innocent and just as he expected, their audience made themselves known quickly.
Lance cleared his throat. Loudly. And Trent snickered quietly.
Connor ended the kiss and untangled himself from Lulu. Her smile was half goofy and love drugged when she grinned up at him. He gave in to the urge and kissed the end of her nose as well before pulling her into his side and turning back to face the two men watching them.
He offered his hand to the one that wasn’t glaring at him, “We’ve never officially met. I’m Connor. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh, I know who you are.” Trent smirked at his boyfriend when he grumbled. “And it’s nice to meet you as well. Ignore my other half. He’s always grumpy when he has to share me with the outside world.”
“This isn’t about you.” Lance grunted, though the look he gave his boyfriend was pure adoration, “So long as you keep your hands to yourself.”
Trent only laughed as he took his hand back from Connor, “Oh come on, I only said he had a nice ass once. Yours is way nicer, baby.”
The placating sweetness of Trent’s words had Connor stifling a laugh of his own. Lulu wasn’t as thoughtful. She cracked up, earning another hard look from her brother. Trent grinned wide and innocent until Lance finally threw his hands up in the arm.
“You’re impossible. You’re all impossible.”
“Ah come on, you know you love us.” Lulu teased and Lance finally smiled again.
“I do.” He glanced towards Connor, “I love my sister, Shaw.”
“I love her too.”
“You hurt her. I hurt you.”
“Understood.” He nodded in agreement.
“You do anything but make her the happiest girl in the whole fucking world, and I’ll end you.”
“Lance.” Lulu whined, “Stop it.”
“No. It’s fine.” Connor assured her, “Lance and I are on the same page when it comes to you so we’re going to be fine.” He faced off against the older man, “I intend to do everything in my power to give Lulu the life she deserves. Her happiness is more important to me than anything. I love her. I’ve always loved her. And if you haven’t already figured that out, you will, because I’m going to prove it to her and to you if need be, every day for the rest of my life.”
Lance stared at him but didn’t budge. Connor stared back, knowing now wasn’t the time to blink. He’d pulled this same judgmental shit when Nick came back for Kady. He’d played the protective brother roll. He understood where Lance was coming from, especially considering Lance must be aware of all Derek had put her through. She’d deserved better and that better was Connor. He’d make sure of it.
“Wow.” Trent was the one that broke the silence, “That was… beautiful, man.”
Connor couldn’t be sure his cheeks didn’t tint a little bit pink, “Uh, thanks.”
“That was what you wanted to hear, wasn’t it babe?” Trent turned on his boyfriend, “You wanted to see them together. You wanted to hear his intentions towards your little sister, who I’ll remind you again isn’t a little girl anymore. She’s a grown woman and she’s made her choice and from where I’m standing, I think she’s made a damn good one.”
Lance snorted, “If you say he has a nice ass again, I might actually kill you both.”
Trent laughed and hugged his boyfriend to his chest. He whispered something to Lance again that made the other man smile. Connor gave the superstar an appreciative nod for backing him up. He’d take whatever he could get at this stage. It was more than he’d expected but he’d take it.
“Okay, well if we’re done with the third degree, do you think we can all go home now?” Lulu fake whispered, “People are staring because you’re making a scene.”
“No. People are staring because my boyfriend is hotter than hell and too damn nice to tell them to leave him alone.” Lance fake whispered back.
“Your hot boyfriend is ready to go home.” Trent slid his arm around Lance’s back, “And he’s not at all upset that your sister seems to have made other arrangements.”
Connor didn’t miss the innuendo but he pretended he did, “I’ll get Lulu home.”
Lance sighed and finally nodded, “Fine. I know when to back off.”
“No you don’t. But you’re learning.” Lulu hugged her brother again. “Thank you for coming to check on me. I appreciate it.”
“I worry about you.”
“I know, but that’s not your job anymore.”
“It’ll always be my job. I’m your big brother.” Lance released her and offered his hand in Connor’s direction, “But I’m willing to share the job, so long as you are.”
Connor took his hand and gave it a firm shake. It was an olive branch. It was a step in the right direction. He gave another nod and then released Lance’s hand to pull Lulu back to his side, where she belonged.
“Deal.”
They weren’t exactly friends now. He knew that. But it was a start. Because someday, someday soon, he hoped that they were going to become more than friends. Someday soon they were going to be brothers. Someday soon he was going to ask Lulu to marry him and she was going to say yes and they were going to start a family together.
They were all going to be family.
Connor wrapped an arm around Lulu’s shoulders and pulled her close. She smiled up at him and he motioned for them to head out. They walked out into the sunshine of the bright Texas day, straight towards their future.
“Come on baby, let’s go home.”
Epilogue
It was absolute chaos. Mass chaos. Just the way it always was when the whole family got together. It was always loud and hectic, overwhelming and out of control. She’d done as much planning, organizing and scheduling as she could to guarantee this first family vacation was a success and amid all of the shouts of glee and bouts of laughter, she knew that she’d succeeded.
The sun was just starting to set creating a beautiful orange glow over the white sand beach and the blue-green ocean in the distance. The resort hadn’t changed much in the years since she had first visited. It was still beautiful and elegant with views that rivaled some of the best in the world. When her parents had mentioned wanting to get away to celebrate their fiftieth wedding anniversary she’d known exactly where they all should go.
Now her parents sat in the center of all the commotion, holding court over all their children and grandchildren. The looks of love they shared hadn’t changed a bit in those fifty years of marriage. If anything they only seemed to love each other more, whispering privately and holding hands every chance they got and that was the kind of love that Lulu had always yearned for, and could finally say she had.
Her mother had told them all over dinner how happy and how proud she was of her children for following their hearts and finding their own versions of happily ever after.
Lulu watched as across the patio her big brother nuzzled against his husband’s side. Lance and Trent were still the most solid couple she’d ever known. They balanced one another out, supported each other and loved unconditionally. Trent being an international superstar had come with difficulties but Lance had embraced the life that went along with the man he loved. He’d even gotten better at smiling for the cameras when they attended events, even if he still scowled at every man that dared gush over his husband in his presence. At the moment though, there was no scowl in sight. Lance cuddled contentedly at Trent’s side, their hands intertwined, as Trent talked animatedly with the little girl who thought he hung the m
oon.
Andi Sloan was madly in love with her Uncle Trent, which Lulu couldn’t blame the girl for a bit. Trent was a natural with children. So much so that she knew it was only a matter of time until the discussions he and Lance had been having for years ended and they started actual moves to adopt a child of their own.
Andi’s sister, Lissa, was equally enthralled with Trent’s twin brother, Trevor, so it all worked out. The Thorne twins had been a package deal when Trent married into the family so it hadn’t been a question that Trevor and his husband, Cruz, would join them on this family trip. The only downside to having two major league baseball playing superstars and a world famous singer in the family was that they came with security that had meant even more plans had to be made to guarantee their privacy.
Luckily, they also had Andi and Lissa’s daddy to help with that.
Nick Sloan was married to Connor’s sister, Kady, and also worked side by side at the Fate Sheriff’s Department with his brother in law. Between all the cops in the family and the security detail, they’d managed to reserve bungalows on the edge of the resort away from the major traffic areas as well as a private beach.
With safety taken care of, Nick had relaxed as much as he ever did. His head was still on a swivel even as he wrapped an arm around his beautiful blonde wife and whispered something in her ear that made her blush and giggle. Kady leaned into his arms as they watched their youngest daughter, Dawn, play with building blocks on a mat with her cousins.
Lulu watched the kids play as well. She felt content surrounded by her loving family. No matter how loud the kids got or how riotous the laughter of the men became, it was familiar. It was hers to enjoy and she knew how lucky she was to have such a big, extended, connected family that she could also call her friends.
She loved her family. She loved her life. And with every day that passed she only loved her husband more.
A soft warmth filled her chest as she watched Connor with their son. The toddler looked a lot like his daddy. He’d inherited those beautiful blue-green eyes and his dimpled smile had stolen her heart the moment she’d held him in her arms the first time. The only big difference in the two was that instead of getting Connor’s golden hair, their son had a thick, dark mop of brown curls… like her.
