by Zoe York
He loved her. It was more than she’d ever let herself really hope for. And it was everything she wanted. Her chest was full, so full, and she wanted to show him how she felt, too.
His hand smoothed over the top of her head and she twisted into the touch. Her fingers were shaking as she unzipped him, but the heat of his body was what she wanted, needed, and as soon as she took him in her mouth, the rest just clicked into place.
Because he was thick and hard, and all hers. She took her time worshiping him, alternating between sucking him deep into her mouth and backing off, teasing him with little licks and the head and down his shaft. And the whole time, he watched her, his thighs flexing beneath the soft denim. She stroked her hands up and down his heavy, solid muscles, pushing his legs wider for her. And as he started to groan and grunt, she needed him all the way naked. It wasn’t enough.
She tugged those jeans down his legs, then stood in front of him and peeled off her shirt, her pj bottoms, her panties…
“I love you, too,” she whispered as she climbed onto his lap and straddled him. “I missed you and I love you.”
He kissed her as she sank onto his erection, welcoming him into her body. He filled her up, all the way to her heart, and she rose up, just a bit, so she could sink down and feel that stretch again. He was hers. She was claiming him, forever and ever, because he loved her just the way she was, and she loved him with her entire being.
She cried out his name as he palmed her ass, pulling her tight so he could pulse inside her, and he kissed her neck, rough and wet. “Say it again,” he growled.
“Dean…”
“No. Tell me you love me.”
“I love you.” She smiled and gasped as he surged into her again, causing her to say it twice more, the last one more of a cry than actual words.
And when she shattered into a million pieces of pure, blissed-out wonder, he held the shell of her until they all fell back into place, and then he was the one to say it in, in a whisper against her skin.
Chapter Twenty-Six
LIANA’S last concert of the summer was in San Diego, at an outdoor amphitheatre. Fighter jets flew overhead as they waited for her turn to do her sound check, and Dean took no small pleasure in holding her in his lap and correctly identifying each aircraft she pointed at. It was a cool city for a service member to visit, for sure. They were going to stay in the area for a few days, so he’d rented a car and while she was busy, he took off for the afternoon to tour the USS Midway, permanently docked in the harbour.
He took a picture from the flight deck and emailed it to Sean. He hadn’t heard from his brother in a few days. Miss you, kid, he added to the photo.
A reply came in as he was getting out of his cab at the amphitheatre.
Yeah, you look real sad. How’s your woman?
That was the easiest question in the world to answer. She’s great. We’re both looking forward to heading home. Can’t wait to introduce her to everyone. She’ll probably be there when you get back.
Dean pictured Sean on his laptop, maybe on his cot or bunk, his boots kicked off and his uniform shirt balled up behind his head like a second pillow. Thank God for the technology that allowed them to fire messages back and forth like this. It didn’t take long for his brother’s reply to pop up. Sounds good. I’m thinking of hitting Ibiza for my leave in a few months. Maybe I’ll find a girl there. Good to have goals, right?
Dean chuckled to himself, then took his time re-reading the message before firing off one last reply. Definitely. Stay safe. I love you.
He found Liana in her dressing room. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch, her eyes closed, and she was listening to a white noise track on her phone. He leaned against the door and watched her for a few minutes, until she opened her eyes and gave him a smile.
“You ready for tonight?”
She nodded, her face soft. “I want to say that I’m going to miss it, but that would be a fib of magnificent proportions.”
He laughed. “You’ll still perform.”
“Exactly. I look forward to a long run of small stages and crowds that don’t expect me.”
“Hey, Zander emailed me while I was at the Midway. He’s lined up a bunch of work for the fall. Security installs, a big Christmas event, and if I can find a reason to go to Nashville, he thinks we can start sub-contracting more bodyguard work.”
“Oh, well it turns out I’ve got friends in Nashville,” she winked. “And a nice house that I don’t spend enough time in.”
“Hey, that is convenient.” He grinned.
A knock at her dressing room door interrupted them, and he got out of the way so she could pull her wardrobe for the show that night.
When she found him again, he was holding one of Jackie’s guitars as the lead guitarist was adjusting the other.
“Hey cowboy,” Liana said with a glint in her eye, and he glanced down at the instrument in his hands.
“You like this?” He went to strum it and Jackie cleared her throat.
Liana laughed. “Maybe we’ll get you a hat when we get back to Nashville. And boots.”
“I like my boots just as they are.”
“Yeah, but cowboy fantasy.”
They were going boot shopping, apparently.
Jackie shook her head wordlessly and took her guitar from him, probably afraid he was going to violate it or something.
* * *
— —
* * *
Liana played three encores that night. She’d done a WhisperSnip earlier that day and confirmed this was her last planned tour for…a while. Never say never.
“I’ll be back,” she promised the sold out San Diego crowd. She had an entire lifetime, after all, and it really felt like her career was just beginning.
And when the lights finally went dark, she went backstage and they had an epic after party.
The next day she slept in, and Dean woke her up just before noon with a skinny hazelnut latte and a slow, sweet kiss.
“Today’s the first day of the rest of your life,” he whispered. “What do you want to do?
* * *
— —
* * *
It took them almost a month to get back to Pine Harbour. California had been so much fun, they ended up renting a place for two weeks and just kicking back. And in those days of exploring and nights of making love, they talked about crazy things like kids and future travel plans and whether or not to take kids on adventures like hiking the Italian coast or sailing around the Caribbean.
“I didn’t get on my first airplane until I was nineteen,” Liana admitted on their last night in California, as they walked along the beach.
An unexpected melancholy washed over Dean. “I went to England with my mom when I was six. I don’t remember much about it, but there are pictures somewhere in my dad’s attic. That was the only real vacation as a kid, although the Colonel took us camping at least once every summer. But that was more boot camp prep than a holiday.”
“Hope’s going on location next summer and she wants to bring Ryan and the kids.”
“Zander told me. We’ll make sure they’re safe.”
“Maybe I’ll come along and be the nanny.”
He grinned. “The kids like you.”
“I like them.”
And that was where they left it, but when they tumbled into bed, he couldn’t shake the image of Liana holding a little girl or a little boy of her own. Of making that baby with her, and for the first time in his life, it didn’t scare him to his core.
The next morning she had a conference call, so he went shopping for some last minute souvenirs.
When he got back, she was sitting very still on the couch.
“What’s up?” he asked, careful not to assume something was wrong, but his heart hammered in his chest.
“Well…” she said slowly, blinking up at him. “I’ve been released from my contract. My lawyer says the agreement is pretty generous and there’s no limitation on what I do wi
th the songs that I’d put forward for the last record.”
He dropped to his knees in front of her. “That’s great.”
“And…” She laughed a little. “And Karen wants it. Exactly as it is. She has an idea for two more songs, so she wants me in the studio for that, but…it’s pretty much a go.” Her smile started in her eyes and transformed her entire face as she let the laughter take over and turn into the most amazing, celebratory cheer. “How awesome is that?”
Pretty fucking awesome. “Oh, angel. Good fucking job, you.” He cupped her face and kissed her sexy, talented mouth with everything he had.
She returned the embrace, peppering hungry, appreciative kisses on his mouth, along his jaw, down his neck.
“Whoa there, tiger,” he said with a laugh, tugging her into his lap. He laid another soul-stealing kiss right on her lips to reward her a little, then pinned her hands in her lap. “I’d love to celebrate naked, but we’re getting on a plane in four hours and we haven’t packed yet.”
“Drat.”
He laughed as she peeled herself off him and sprinted to the bedroom.
* * *
— —
* * *
Liana had stepped into the recording booth more than a hundred times, at least, but this time it felt different.
This time she didn’t have any fears about what would happen to the song once they cut it. If she’d face backlash or repercussions. She wouldn’t, because behind the producer stood Karen, and she had a big ass grin on her face.
Watch out, Nashville. The women have a plan.
Liana had stopped at her favourite boutique and picked up matching Dolly for President t-shirts for them to wear today. It seemed fitting.
Karen leaned in and pressed a button on the control panel. “Ready to do this?”
“Am I ever.” She flashed a quick thumbs up and pulled on her headset.
* * *
— —
* * *
Nerves rioted through Dean’s gut as Zander parked his truck in front of the small two-bedroom house one block off Main Street. His wife Faith and their son Eric were waiting on the porch swing.
Dean had been proud of that swing when he’d bought it last year. He thought it made the house look cute, but now it just looked small.
Because he was bringing Liana home, to his home, and suddenly he feared it didn’t stack up. It wasn’t anything like her bungalow in East Nashville, freshly renovated and magazine perfect.
It wasn’t even anything compared to his friends’ homes.
It was clean and neat and fine for a bachelor, but now through the eyes of a man who very much didn’t want to be a bachelor anymore, it was…lacking.
He helped Liana out and introduced her to Faith. Then he busied himself carrying their bags onto the porch.
“Dani’s making a big group dinner tonight,” Zander said. “It’s not exactly a command appearance, but she is seven months pregnant, so if you don’t show up, then pretend I didn’t tell you, okay? I don’t want her wrath.”
Dean wasn’t sure what to say to that. Thanks for driving five hours to pick us up at the airport, now go away? I can’t handle the thought of people right now, I just want to get through showing my famous girlfriend my embarrassing little house, thank you very much.
Liana gave Zander a beaming smile. “That sounds awesome. Can we bring something?”
Shit. He didn’t have anything to bring. He hadn’t been home in two months and Matt said he’d cleaned out the fridge, but did he trust the standards of a twenty-nine-year-old man who didn’t have any life plans beyond the expiry date on his next jug of milk?
“Just bring Dean.” Zander winked and hoisted Eric up onto his shoulders. The kid was getting a bit big for that, but neither of them seemed to care. Faith murmured her own hope that they’d come and then his partner was gone.
“So this is your place,” Liana said, looking around with big eyes.
“It’s not much.” He stuck the key in the lock and turned the handle. He wanted to step in first and make sure his brothers had in fact not had a party, but that was rude, so he stepped back and gestured for her to step over the threshold.
She gave him a little smile as she moved past him, then a surprised sound as she stepped inside.
His heart stopped. What?
He followed her in—and found flowers on the table.
“Those are so pretty!” She turned and squeezed his hand. “You have the nicest friends.”
He was going to have a heart attack. This had been a terrible idea. He stepped outside and sucked in a big, deep breath that did nothing for his nerves, then he picked up their bags.
He found her looking at his bookshelf. With a happy sigh, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her cheek on his chest.
He patted her back. Fuck. He was messing this up.
She glanced up at him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…” He stroked his fingers through her hair. The long dark waves were loose today. God, she was so pretty. And his. And he was fucking nervous about that, not the house. “I’m fine.”
“You seem a bit tense.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
“Stupid shit. Want a tour?”
She grinned. “Okay.”
It didn’t take long. The living-slash-dining room was where they stepped into, then the kitchen was behind it, and two bedrooms and a bathroom were off a short hallway. Someone had left flowers in his room, too, and he was thankful he’d been caught up on laundry before he left. The last thing he needed was Dani or Olivia washing his socks to help him make a good impression on Liana.
“Nice big bed,” she whispered, climbing onto a duvet cover he’d never seen before.
Okay, maybe he did need their help.
“I want to ask you to marry me,” he blurted out. “I’ve got a ring, and it’s nice, too. But then I brought you here and I don’t know what I was thinking, honestly.”
“Honey.”
“So let’s put that in the same category as when I told you that I love you. Good to know, save it for later.”
“Sweetie.”
“And I don’t have anything to take to Jake and Dani’s tonight.”
“Babe.”
He just stared at her.
She stared right back. “Dean…” She laughed.
Laughter wasn’t good, right?
“Are you freaking out because you want to ask me to marry you? Or are you freaking out because you brought me home?”
“Uh…” He swallowed hard. His throat was too damn dry. “Do you want some water?”
“I want to marry you.” She reached out her hand and gave him a beseeching smile. “Come here.”
He took it, but he felt like shit. “This is the worst proposal in the history of proposals.”
She just shrugged. “You’ve done a lot of sweet and romantic things for me already. This is a way better story than the usual blah blah blah down on one knee.”
“I was gonna do that.”
“You would have rocked that. You can try again if you want.”
“I’m sorry my house is so small.”
“Because there isn’t enough room for you to get down on one knee?” She looked around in confusion. “There’s lots of room.”
“Because it’s not big enough for…” He trailed off. He wasn’t sure anymore. “Because it’s not big.”
“But you’re just one guy. I mean, you’re a big guy, but what do you need a big house for?”
“You.”
“Oh.” Her face softened and she swayed against him. “That’s pretty sweet right there.”
“I want to be worthy of you.”
“You are,” she whispered, brushing her lips against his. His legs bumped against the bed and he wrapped his arms around her to keep from knocking her over. She giggled. “See? You’ve got me. Always. That’s what I need. Just you. Isn’t that what you said when you came to Idaho? You love me just the way I a
m. Warts and all. And I love you, I want to marry you. Not some fancy house, although this place is super cute. Can we turn the other bedroom into a recording studio?”
“No.” They were going house hunting tomorrow. “Wait.” He wound his fingers into her hair and held her close, kissing her until she was breathless and his nerves finally settled.
Then he stepped back and lowered to one knee. He pulled the ring out of his pocket and held it in front of him. “Liana Hansen, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and the only woman I’ve ever fallen in love with. I want to fall in love with you over and over again, every day for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?”
She nodded through what looked like happy tears, a stupid grin all over her face, and this time when she reached for him, he let her pull him down onto the bed. Sometimes he needed to be her stable rock, and sometimes he needed to let her tip him sideways and make his life crazy.
Just before they headed to Jake and Dani’s that night, he took a selfie of the two of them on his front porch. Liana coached him how to frame it just so, showing off the ring but in a subtle kind of way.
“You’re an Instagram natural,” she promised as he added a filter and a border to the picture.
But instead of posting it online for the world to see, he just emailed it to the one brother he wouldn’t be able to tell in person.
Hey kid. So I’m getting married. Gonna go house hunting. My place is too small and she needs a studio. Should be in a new place by Christmas, or the spring at the latest, depending on how much work we need Jake to do to whatever I buy. Your welcome home party will be fancy-ass. Love, Dean (and his future bride)
* * *
THE END (FOR NOW)
* * *
