by Ali Parker
“You think he’d be happy that we’re together again?” I stroked my fingers through his soft hair.
He nodded against my shoulder but pulled another face. “He definitely wouldn’t be happy that we’re naked together without a ring on a certain finger of yours, but other than that...”
“Yeah, I think so too.” I smiled and pushed on Noah’s shoulder so he’d roll onto his back. “As for being naked together, I think he knew it was inevitable.”
“He did.” Noah grimaced. “But he made me promise to marry you first.”
“Could you stop talking about marriage?” I complained, a smile touching my lips. I wrapped my fingers around his shaft and brushed my thumb over his tip.
Noah groaned. “I’m not doing it intentionally. It just keeps coming up.”
“Because you keep bringing it up.” I started gently stroking up and down, looking into those hazel eyes as I did. “Talking about things that keep coming up, I think we need to do something about this.”
I gripped him harder, and he moaned, his lids heavy as he tried to keep his eyes on mine. “God, that feels so good.”
“Promise you won’t bring up marriage again for at least, I don’t know, a year.”
He gasped when I pumped up and down way too slowly. I was torturing even myself like this. “Fine. A year. Yep. You got it.”
“Good.” The juxtaposition between velvet and steel was incredible. It didn’t matter how many times I’d touched him before. It remained something to marvel at.
I kept stroking and touching and eventually closed my mouth over his tip. Noah groaned loudly when I did, his hands threading into my hair.
“Fuck, Mags. I don’t know how long I—” His sentence was cut off by a deep moan, and the next thing I knew, my mouth was covering his, and his cock was lined up with my entrance. “I want to come with you, inside you.”
“I want that too.” I shifted on top of him to reach for his pants. I knew he’d have his wallet there and, within it, a condom.
After finding what I was looking for, I ripped the package with my teeth and sheathed him before I lifted my hips. I paused before I sank down on him, bringing my hands to his face and looking into his eyes. “I love you, Noah.”
“I love you too, Mags.” He held my gaze as I gently lowered myself onto him, biting my lip as I felt him stretch and pull in all the right places.
Noah’s eyes didn’t leave mine until they finally rolled back in his head and white-hot bliss spread through my body. I screamed his name as I convulsed around him, trying my best to watch him as he came apart too.
When both of us had collapsed and we were lying together with our limbs tangled, Noah’s grip tightened on my waist. “So, about that portfolio of yours. When can I see it?”
“Oh, no.” I laughed. “There’s no way I’m taking your money now, Mr. Sims.”
He chuckled, rolling us over so he was lying on top of me. “We’ll see about that. But you should know that I love you, Maggie Hampton. I want to be there when all your dreams come true.”
“I love you, too.” I smiled and cupped his cheek in one of my hands. “You’re still an asshole, Noah, but you’re my asshole, and I love you for it.”
Chapter 39
Noah
There were children everywhere. The excited chatter of their voices filled the air, and their shouts of laughter met my ears from every direction.
I slung my arm over the back of Maggie’s chair and grinned. “I think it’s safe to say that Della’s party this year is a raging success.”
Jordan nodded. “Yeah, thanks to Maggie and the grandmas.”
Maggie chuckled. “Trust me. The grandmas made this possible. I had nothing to do with it.”
She motioned at the bunting hanging from my ceilings and the balloons floating from each surface. Decorations were everywhere. My house kind of looked like a glittery unicorn had vomited all over it, and for some inexplicable fucking reason, I loved it.
“You baked the cake,” I said. “And Lydia helped decorate it.”
“Della’s her best friend now. She insisted.” Maggie’s lips lifted in a soft smile as she looked over to where the two girls sat in front of the fireplace with their heads bent together. “Although the unicorn we iced on it looks a bit more like a rhinoceros.”
“Close enough,” Gayle said, sliding into the open seat on the other side of Maggie at the only table in my house not filled with children. “Besides, what really matters is the taste, and it tastes amazing.”
“I can confirm that,” I said.
Maggie’s eyes slid to me, widening in horror. “How can you confirm that? Please tell me you haven’t had a piece before we even blew out the candles.”
“Relax.” I rubbed my palm over her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “I tasted the batter left in the bowl after you guys went to sleep last night. The cake is intact and safe in the big refrigerator in the garage. No one’s getting to it before it’s time.”
“You sure about that?” Jordan smirked and cocked his head, only to have Angie playfully smack him upside it.
“We’re all sure about that,” she said, turning in her seat beside him to face him directly. “It’s your own daughter’s cake. No way would you desecrate it before the pictures have been taken and she has the first piece of it.”
He shrugged but then nodded his agreement a few seconds later. “Okay, okay. You got me. I didn’t even know where he’d hidden it, but you’re right. I would never ruin it for her.”
Angie gave him a smug smile and returned to the conversation she’d been having with our mother. I kept my hand on Maggie’s shoulder but surveyed the scene in front of me with nothing less than abject wonder.
A few months ago, my house had almost always been as quiet as a mausoleum. It was only during Della’s visits that there was ever any life in it.
I’d been so used to the quiet that I hadn’t been able to imagine it any other way, but that had changed drastically in the last two months. It was never quiet around here now, and I loved every second of it.
On the rare occasion when I was home alone, I couldn’t believe that I’d ever been happy with it that way. It now bothered me to be here without anyone else. The quiet felt unnatural.
Maggie and I were still taking things slowly—by my definition of slowly, anyway. Which meant I hadn’t tried to get them to move in with me permanently or popped the question yet, but that was about it.
Since we weren’t exactly an ordinary couple, things that might seem like moving fast under normal circumstances qualified as taking it slow for us. To be fair, it had taken a month after she’d agreed to give me another chance before Maggie had stayed the night again, but she stayed most nights now. If she wasn’t here, I was over at their place.
Lydia was here almost all the time too, but that was because Della was. Mom and Jordan had started bringing her here after school every afternoon for the girls to spend time together. They were inseparable.
I still didn’t quite know how they all ended up at my place most days now instead of Mom’s or Gayle’s, but I thanked my lucky stars that things had played out this way. If I thought everyone would agree to it, I’d move them all in with me for good.
I had absolutely no doubt that they would all turn me right the hell down if I suggested it, though. So for now, I was basking in having my family, Maggie, and hers around all the time. I’d even managed to convince them to have Della’s birthday party here.
Lydia and I had become pretty good friends, too, but Maggie was still being careful with her. I got it, which was why I wasn’t rushing anything. In good time, I hoped to make both of them a part of my family officially, but we were a ways away from that happening. I’d promised her a year, and that meant I still had ten months left at least.
Slowly but surely though, I was proving my loyalty to Maggie, and she had started to trust me again. It had only been two months so far, but they’d been the best two months of my life, and I was do
ing everything in my power to make sure she could say the same thing.
Angie’s laughter drew my attention back to the conversation flowing around me, and I caught sight of a small smile on Jordan’s face when he looked at her. He wiped it off as soon as he saw me notice.
“So.” He cleared his throat. “How are things going with the two of you? It feels like I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to you at all this week.”
“We’ve all been busy,” Maggie said, lifting her plastic cup to take a sip of her juice. She winced as she swallowed. “Wow, that’s sweet.”
Gayle laughed, inclining her head toward the girls. “I think it’s because those two helped me mix that batch.”
“You let them help?” Mom burst out laughing and pushed her own cup away. “I think I’ll stick to water from now on.”
Gayle’s eyes shone with amusement. “That’s probably a good idea.”
“Next year, we’re doing fresh juice,” I grumbled, but everyone around the table shot me a look. “What?”
“Kids’ birthday parties are about sweetness and sugar, Noah,” Mom said in her best authoritarian-mom voice. “You get the kids all hopped up on it and send them home. No one expects freshly squeezed juices and kale.”
Gayle nodded, leaning forward as if she was about to share a secret. “They’ll all cry if you give them party packs with kale in it.”
Maggie’s shoulders shook under my arm as she laughed. “That’s very true. Don’t worry. Noah’s learning fast. Soon, he’ll stop making all these outlandish suggestions.”
“I didn’t suggest kale,” I objected. “I only said we should have fresh juice at the next one instead of the super sweet mixing stuff.”
“You were going to suggest kale instead of sweets next, bro.” Jordan smirked, making me shake my head at him. “Okay, fine. Maybe you weren’t going to suggest it, but it’s fun teasing you anyway.”
“You guys would know. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear they’ve declared it a national sport.” The truth was that I loved the teasing and the banter. For the last few years, I’d only had that with Mom and Jordan. Gayle, Angie, Maggie, and the girls were all in on it now too, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like I really had somewhere I belonged.
Sure, I’d always had a place to belong with Mom and Jordan, but it hadn’t come with the same peaceful feeling of rightness and wholeness. It had always felt like they were waiting on something, or more accurately, someone.
Mom had confessed to me that it had felt like that because they had been waiting for someone: Maggie. She’d said they obviously hadn’t known if she’d ever move back or if we’d ever find our way back together, but that she’d always held out hope.
Both her and Gayle claimed that they’d always known we’d end up together, and both felt like neither of us would settle and be at peace until we were.
Despite the fact that it wasn’t official yet, our families sure felt like they had already merged. Della and Lydia were best friends, Mom and Gayle were getting there and now played bingo together. As for Jordan, well, Angie was like a sister to Maggie, and the two of them had been making eyes at each other for about a month or so.
Neither wanted to admit it, but I was pretty sure something was brewing there. Everyone I loved was finally happy. I definitely knew I was—deliriously so, even.
Jordan caught my eye. “Teasing aside, what’s been going on with you two?”
“Maggie’s first line is officially set to roll out next month,” I said, feeling my heart swell with pride.
She leaned over to press a kiss against my shoulder and smiled at Jordan when she laid her head down on it. “Between your insufferable brother and my insufferable best friend, I didn’t get to have much of a say in the matter.”
Angie beamed at her, not the least bit offended by being called insufferable. “You’re welcome. Your line is going to rock, and you’re going to wonder why you ever tried to argue against it.”
“Team Noahela for the win.” I raised my fist for Angie to bump, and she did. After our showdown in the grocery store, the two of us had rebuilt our friendship.
It was still shaky, but it was going well. I knew that she was also watching me carefully. Maggie’s line was the one thing that we agreed on, and we’d worked together to convince her to launch it.
Jordan frowned. “Team Noahela? Why the fuck would you go with that when you could have called yourselves Team Anger?”
Angie’s eyes flared wide open before she started giggling. “That’s brilliant. I can’t believe we didn’t think about that one.”
“I think we’ve had more than enough anger,” Maggie said. “Noahela is a cool team name, too. Besides, the team won, right? Isn’t that all that matters?”
“Yep.” I dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I never thought I’d be so excited about launching a fashion line.”
“People are already waiting on it,” Angie told Jordan in a voice that was an octave or so higher than normal since she was so excited. “I got permission from my boss to work on a campaign for Maggie outside of work, and the response I’ve gotten so far is incredible.”
“The best part of all is that a portion of the proceeds will be going to charity,” Maggie said, turning to look up at me with so much love in those gorgeous green eyes that my heart felt like it was going to explode. “Noah’s linked it to his foundation so that in the same way that his company donates money toward clean water and units of the filtration system to areas in need, we’ll be donating money toward clothing as well as a certain number of items from the line.”
Jordan lifted both eyebrows and nodded slowly. “I’m impressed. You guys have made a lot of progress since we last talked.”
“Yeah, well, as soon as Maggie agreed, Angie and I got moving.” I grinned. “You know me. I don’t wait for grass to grow under my feet. Balls to walls and all.”
Jordan rolled his eyes but smiled. “Sure, whatever you say, little brother. Speaking of which.” He motioned from me to Maggie and back again. “It seems like there’s only thing missing from your lives now.” He gave Maggie’s left hand a very obvious look, his smile morphing into a smirk. “When are you going balls to the wall on that?”
I shook my head, but before I could say anything, Maggie chimed in. “It will all be in good time, Jordan. Cool your jets. We’ve got time. Neither of us is going anywhere.”
Epilogue
Maggie
Wringing my hands, I laid my head down on Noah’s chest and tried to force air into my lungs. “Why did I agree to do this again?”
His strong hands came to my shoulders, massaging the tension out of them in sure strokes. “You’re giving a talk to commemorate your first year of being a designer before the show starts. Plus, you didn’t agree to it. You suggested it.”
“It’s expected for the designer to say a few words.” I sighed and banged my head against the wall that was his chest twice before looking up at him. “You know that. Also, someone pointed out that there will be design students attending and that I can inspire them.”
“I stand by that point.” Bending his knees so he could look me in the eye, I saw a blend of confidence, admiration, and love in those swirling blue-green depths. “You can do this, my love. You’ve had a hell of a first year. The company is doing better than anyone could have predicted, and it’s all because of you. All you need to do is go up on that stage and say a few words about it.”
“If I don’t want to?” I did want to, but my legs felt like jelly, and my hands were shaking. Public speaking really wasn’t my thing. I didn’t have stage fright, necessarily, but I could think of better ways to spend the afternoon.
Noah’s shoulders squared. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. We can ask for the music to start and the show to begin immediately without your speech. Or if you want, I can go up there and say something on your behalf. This is your call, baby.”
I looked into his eyes and allowed some of that cool
confidence to seep into my very being. Sucking in another deep breath, I let it out slowly. “No. You’re right. I can do this.”
Noah’s mom and mine were seated in the front row with Angie, Jordan, and the girls. He was going to join them there once I took the stage. If all else failed, I’d simply keep my eyes on them and ignore the rest of the audience.
One of the people who worked backstage came over to us, a clipboard in one hand and the other tapping at an earpiece. “I’ve found her.” She came to a standstill beside us. “Ms. Hampton, I’m sorry to interrupt, but you’re on in two minutes.”
“Thank you.” I hoped my smile wasn’t as tight and anxious as it felt. “I’ll be right there.”
Noah waited until she left us alone before he brushed a thumb across my cheek and lowered his mouth to mine. The kiss was slow and tender, exactly what I needed to calm my nerves before it was time to go.
“Break a leg, baby,” he said when we broke apart, dropping a final kiss on the tip of my nose before turning to go to his seat. Walking backward for a second, he faced me with a huge grin spreading on his lips. “Love you, Mags. You’re going to knock this speech out of the park.”
Before I could reply, he disappeared around the curtain. I took the few seconds I had before the stagehand came to get me to shake out my hands and will myself to calm down.
This past year had been incredible, and all I had to do was go out there and tell all those people about it. The lights were bright when I stepped onto the stage, but I could make out my family sitting in the front row.
Lydia blew me a kiss, Mom shot me a thumbs-up, Angie cheered wildly, and the Sims family did the same. The circle of light followed me to the podium, where I waited for the applause to die down before I wrapped my hand around the base of the waiting microphone.
“Exactly one year ago today, I released my first line.” A smile curved on my lips when I thought back to that day and who had made it possible. “When I moved back to Washington from New York, I never would have imagined that my career as a fashion designer was about to begin. I thought I was leaving that dream behind in the city that never sleeps.”
