#FinishLine (GearShark #5)

by Cambria Hebert

  Hopper’s hair was doing that curling thing it did at the back of his neck. Standing there by a giant waterfall, he looked like a model out of a catalogue with his perfectly tailored blue suit, crisp white shirt, and sneakers so white they almost looked fake.

  The picture of perfection, a priceless work of art. My heart beat so fast, as if it were trying to tell my feet to hurry the hell up and get to his side. I listened to the heartfelt demand. Why wouldn’t I? It seemed like days upon days since I’d seen him last.

  I sped up. A few chuckles floated with the sound of the rushing water. I paid no attention to anyone, not even the freaking bomb scenery.

  Hopper’s lips curved, flashing his white teeth. He stretched out his hand.

  This was why a guy needed to wear sneakers. He needed to have the appropriate footwear ready to go when it was time to rush toward the rest of his life. I couldn’t get to him fast enough.

  Thank you, Adidas.

  The second my skin slid over his, excitement crackled in the air around us, reminding me so much of the night he showed up on the other side of my fence. We were electrified even then.

  Maybe more so now.

  Forgetting all of Joey’s rules and wedding ceremony etiquette, I launched myself at him, refusing to give up his hand.

  Deep laughter rumbled in his chest as his body moved. He knew I was coming; he’d been ready. Folding me against his chest, I rested my chin on his shoulder and, for the first time, took in the massive size and sheer cool factor of the giant curved wall.

  “This jacket makes me want to pet you.” His whispered words were proved by the way his free hand stroked over my back.

  My eyes slid closed, forgetting all about the location and just feeling him. “Later.” I promised.

  The justice of the peace cleared his throat. Lorhaven grabbed me by the back of my neck, pulling me back. “Dude, you look desperate,” he muttered.

  Keeping my eyes on Hopp, I answered, “I am.”

  Someone sighed. I have no idea who. It was a girl. So it must have been one of the moms. Or maybe Joey, though I didn’t peg her as the sighing type.

  “I take it you are the one giving his hand in marriage?” the man officiating asked my brother.

  “That’d be me.” He agreed, then fell back at my side.

  I glanced at Joey. She smiled, giving me a little wink.

  “And who gives this man?” he asked the crowd, gesturing to Hopper.

  “We do.” Several voices rang out at once. I glanced around at Hopper’s parents, Gamble, and Joey, who all spoke up for him.

  Hopper’s eyes softened. My heart swelled for these people who put that look of love in his eyes.

  “Shall we begin?”

  “Just get to the end,” Hopper told the officiator.

  Drew snickered, and I glanced around, behind me and Jace. They gave me a thumbs-up, and I grinned.

  Everyone was here. I had a family now. A big one, filled with people who knew exactly who I was. And they loved me anyway.

  My chest nearly burst with gratefulness.

  Taking my other hand, Hopper commanded all my attention, and then the ceremony began. It was short because we were both impatient, and the officiator seemed to understand.

  Or hell, maybe all Vegas weddings were some form of a quickie. We just got the hella nice version.

  It didn’t even matter.

  We didn’t write our own vows; we didn’t need to. I already knew what was in Hopp’s heart, and he knew what was in mine.

  Even the ring part went fast because we were already wearing them. Not even my overbearing sister could get us to pry them off for the ceremony. Fuck that. I would live and die with this ring on my hand. It was now a permanent part of me, no less important than the air in my lungs.

  Instead of slipping the rings onto our fingers, we kissed them. Finally, we got to the end. By that time, I was nearly bouncing out of my shoes.

  “…by the state of Nevada, it is my joy and privilege to pronounce you partners in life… You may now kiss—”

  He didn’t wait. He didn’t care we had an audience. Or maybe he was like me and forgot we had one at all.

  Hopper palmed the back of my neck, pulling me close as his other arm anchored around my waist. The kiss was soft, gentle. Our lips brushed together like a summer breeze over the petals of a flower. Needing more, my tongue slipped over his. The tips of his fingers tightened on the back of my neck.

  Just when it was starting to get good, Hopp pulled back, smiling.

  Everyone began clapping, and I remembered where we were.

  Our family converged on us, moving in like a single unit. Congratulations and jokes went around, until I glanced up and saw the officiator standing nearby with a piece of paper and a pen in his hand.

  “We have something to do,” I told Hopp, gesturing toward the man with my chin.

  Breaking free of the group, we went and signed the marriage license. It was the last time I would have to sign Ambrose. From then on, I was Arrow Hamilton.

  After posing for a few pictures, Joey led us into one of the restaurants at Aria. It was called Lemongrass. Gamble apparently rented a private dining room just big enough for our party of ten.

  We ate Thai food that was really fucking good. I ate all of mine and half of Hopp’s. Drew complained there were no fries, and Trent promised to order him some later at their hotel. I remembered being sort of jealous of them when I realized they were together and watching them interact. I didn’t think I’d ever have what they did. Yet here I was.

  I watched them for a few minutes, until Trent cast a knowing glance in my direction.

  “I always thought it would be your wedding I’d be sitting at someday,” I told him.

  Drew groaned. “Dude, we hear this lecture from our sisters like on a weekly basis.”

  “No lecture.” I laughed. “Just saying.”

  Trent nodded. “Forrester and I have it pretty good right now. Sometimes it’s hard to mess with something that’s already perfect.”

  Since I was already watching them both so close, I noted how Drew’s hand slid beneath the table toward Trent. I knew what they were doing under there because Hopp and I were doing the same.

  “Unless it’s to make it even better,” Hopper quipped. His hand slid a little farther up my thigh, brushing against my balls.

  “You guys definitely are an example of that. We’re happy for you.” Trent agreed. Then a sly look crossed his face. “And I’m happy you won’t be hitting on my person anymore.”

  “What!” Hopper’s fork hit his plate.

  I groaned. “Jesus. It was one time.”

  Hopper’s nails dug into my thigh. I gave him a look. “It was barely anything. More like me trying to figure out if he was gay.”

  “When was this?”

  I leaned close to him. “Before you. Long before.”

  The back of his hand brushed lightly over my dick. “I figured as much.” His attention on only me was too short, though. He glanced up at Trent and Drew.

  “I think you can stop giving me shit now, Trent. It’s pretty clear I’m not gonna hurt him.”

  Trent chuckled. “Couldn’t resist.”

  I gazed at Hopp, wondering what he meant. Hopper shrugged one shoulder. “He offered to break my neck if I hurt you.”

  “Keep doing shit like that, Trent, and I just might end up liking you after all,” Lorhaven drawled. Clearly, he’d been silently eavesdropping on our conversation.

  I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or pissed at the threat. Pissed was sort of more the way my mood was swinging. “You threatened him?” I jabbed my fork in Trent’s direction.

  Drew sat forward, looping his arm across Trent’s shoulders. “Hey now,” he warned. His voice was friendly, but there was an underlying steel note. “This guy is off-limits.”

  “So is mine,” I growled.

  “Truce!” Trent announced, holding up his champagne glass. “Here’s to a future full of family.
” He toasted.

  Everyone made sounds of agreement and sipped the alcohol. I glanced at him one last time before letting it go.

  He winked at me.

  I smiled. It was impossible to stay mad at someone like Trent.

  My mom and Gamble were looking kind of cozy across the table, but I didn’t think much of it. How could I when my husband’s hand kept rubbing over my inner thigh?

  Dinner lasted a few hours; no one was in a huge hurry to leave. The champagne was flowing, the food was fantastic, and the company was world class.

  Toward the end of the night, the servers brought in a cake. It wasn’t huge, but it was three tiers. The entire thing was covered with white icing so smooth I swear I could probably see my reflection if I really tried. The bottom layer had a giant silver arrow wrapping around the layer. The middle layer had a black infinity sign in the center. And on the very top layer, the two symbols were combined to look like a 3D image of our tattoos that came right off the top of the cake.

  The best part was the inside. It was chocolate with some kind of gooey chocolate frosting between each layer. I ate three pieces. And half of Hopp’s.

  With the plates cleared, my stomach jam-packed with champagne and chocolate, and my hand in my husband’s, all was right with the world.

  Gamble appeared beside me, clearing his throat. I stood from the table and offered my hand. “Thank you for coming. And thank you for dinner tonight. I didn’t expect anything like this,” I said instantly.

  “Get used to it,” he said, releasing my hand. “We’re family.”

  I wondered if I would ever get used to hearing that. In a way, I hoped I would, but in a way, I hoped I wouldn’t. The familiarity that came with accepting and even believing we were real family was desirable, yet so was the feeling of awe I got when I realized I was no longer alone.

  “I hope you and Hopper will be very happy.” He continued, reaching into his suit, pulling out a white envelope.

  “That’s really not necessary.” I shook my head adamantly when he extended it. “You being here is more than enough.”

  “Take it,” he ordered.

  I did what he said ‘cause he wasn’t a man you defied.

  “Thank you.”

  He chuckled. “You don’t even know what it is.”

  “It doesn’t matter what it is. I’m grateful for it.”

  His eyes flickered with real emotion, almost as if my words pierced his usually unruffled façade. “It’s a keycard to a room here in the Sky Suites.” His voice was gruff.

  “We have a room,” I pointed out.

  “This one is nicer.”

  I opened my mouth, but he held up his hand. “If you thank me one more time, I’m going to make you pay the dinner bill.”

  I grinned.

  Even though we were anxious as fuck to leave, it took about twenty-five years to say our good-byes to everyone and make it out the door.

  When we were finally alone and the doors to the dining room closed behind us, I held up the envelope with the keycard inside.

  “Now that’s a beautiful sight,” Hopper quipped, snatching it out of my hand.

  I laughed.

  “Today was a good fucking day.” His feet bumped against mine when he stepped ultra close.

  “Husband,” I murmured, fixing the collar on his shirt.

  “You know what’s even better than the wedding day?” His lips brushed the corner of my mouth.

  I made a sound.

  “The wedding night.”

  Deep down in my new wedding sneakers, anticipation curled my toes.

  Our wedding gift from Ron Gamble came in a nearly fifteen-hundred-square-foot package. When he told A this room was better than the one we had currently, he wasn’t lying.

  This place was pure luxury.

  We walked in, glanced around, then looked back at each other. Arrow whistled low. “Think the toilet is made of gold?”

  I laughed, circling my arms around his middle and pulling him into me. “We could be in a cardboard box for all I care. It doesn’t matter.”

  He nuzzled my cheek, then made a rude sound. “We both know you’d never let me hang out inside a cardboard box.”

  I cocked my head to the side. “You’re right.”

  Holding hands, we took a tour of the place, starting in the living room area with an entire wall of windows overlooking the strip. The night was lit up like the world’s largest carnival. There was something every place our eyes dared to wander. Tall buildings, wide buildings, attractions, and even huge fountains with light shows.

  There was a suede sectional, a lounge chair, and a huge flat-screen on the wall. The mini bar was stocked, and on top was a huge gift basket with a white bow, our names scrawled across the card.

  A nearby table had some sort of touchscreen system to control everything in the entire suite. The lights, curtains, TV, even the heating and cooling system. There was even a button to dial down to the kitchen and front desk.

  “C’mon,” I cajoled, tugging Arrow away from the electronics toward the wide-open door that led through a short hall and into the luxe bedroom.

  There were double the amount of floor-to-ceiling windows in here. I don’t even think I’d call them windows; they were the actual walls. The view of the strip was even more stunning in here.

  “Who needs a helicopter tour of Vegas when you can sleep in here?” Arrow muttered, glancing out across it all.

  “True that.” I agreed. My mouth curled up. Turning from the view, I moved closer to him.

  “You look like a cover model in your suit,” he murmured, rubbing his palm over my chest.

  “I am a cover model.” I wagged my eyebrows, teasing him.

  “Too bad GearShark didn’t put you in a suit,” Arrow muttered darkly.

  I laughed. He looked amazing standing there in the fitted velvet jacket. The color was bold, but not loud. It kept my eyes the entire night.

  “Is this jacket yours?” I asked, rubbing over the velvet for the hundredth time. “Or is it a rental?”

  Arrow made a rude sound. “You know Joey wouldn’t let us rent shit.”

  I nodded, approval lacing my tone. “Good. I like it. I want you to wear it again.”

  “Anything for you.” He promised.

  I whispered, “We just got married.”

  He whispered back, “And now we’re at the top of the world.”

  Taking a moment, my eyes swept around the view once more, then fastened back on Arrow. “I never thought something like a wedding would mean so much to me.”

  “Me either.”

  “I’m glad we did this, babe.” I folded his hand into mine.

  He replied with a kiss with his thick, capable tongue. His moan carried down the back of my throat, making my sack tingle.

  Nimbly, his fingers found the buttons on my dress shirt and slowly went to work, undoing them one by one. His hands felt like heaven when they glided beneath the fabric, over the warmth of my skin. He dragged his teeth down my chin and over my neck. Tilting my head back, I granted Arrow all the access he could want.

  It was sweet torture the way he played with my hardening nipples, sucking and kissing my neck as if it were his favorite game. Arrow would pinch and tease, I would groan, and then he would suck deeper.

  “My turn,” I demanded roughly, pulling him back.

  Instead of attacking him as the skin covering my body demanded, I backed up, my hands falling away.

  Arrow followed, but I shook my head.

  Stopping where he was, I continued on to drop on the end of the luxurious bed. The headboard was white leather, tufted, and reached all the way to the ceiling. Later, I was going to let him push me up against that leather and enter me from behind.

  The bedding was cream colored, the pillows decorative, but I didn’t care about them. My ass was sitting on top of a fur blanket, and all I could think about was stretching Arrow’s naked body over the softness while I entered him.

  Everything
was visible because of the massive amount of lights brightening up the strip outside. I liked the way it hit certain points around the room, kind of making everything glow.

  “Strip,” I ordered.

  Arrow lifted an eyebrow. “Bossy.”

  A note of wariness crept over me, and I worried I was going too far. “Is it okay?”

  A brilliant smile took over his features. “Everything you do is fine, Hopp. Whatever you want tonight, you will get it.”

  “I want you to be happy.” I confessed. Nothing else mattered.

  “We’re already there.”

  It moved me in ways I would never be able to understand. It also made me fucking horny. Tilting my head, I felt a needy glint come into my eyes. “Strip.”

  Inclining his chin, a wave of blond hair fell over one eye. Glancing up through it with molten heat in his gaze, he replied, “Your wish is my command.”

  My feet were soundless over the thick rug as I stepped away from the bed. Kicking off my Adidas, I turned my back to him, staring out at the glittering nightlife.

  We were high, so high up it seemed it was just us and the lights. Like an urban treehouse, but one that would exist in the future, with all the sleek, modern comforts you could imagine.

  Even though we were sort of in a fishbowl, with glass almost on all sides, I still felt completely alone with him. Completely secluded in our own little world.

  Starting with the royal-blue jacket he seemed to love so much, slowly I slid it down over my arms, revealing my back and shoulders as I moved. When it met my fingertips, I tossed it aside to a nearby chair. I could see his reflection in the glass, watching me as I moved.

  I felt the pulsing desire coming off him in waves. The predatory way he studied my every move made me feel bold. Made me feel desired.

  Pushing the hair back off my face, I undid the buttons on my shirt one at a time, just as I had his only moments ago. Peeling it off my body just like the jacket, it slipped off my limbs to pool at my bare feet.

  There was a new tattoo on my back, one I’d only had for a few months. It stretched over the back of one shoulder, a racing flag with my car number in the corner.

  I knew he liked it. Dude had a fetish with all my ink. So I rotated my shoulder in its socket, making it ripple.