I swiped the tears away with my thumb, but more replaced them instantly. "I love you, Lulu. I wanna be with you forever. Let's make it official. Marry me?"
"Okay."
"Okay?"
She nodded, smiling and crying and being her fucking adorable self. "Yes. Yes, I'll marry you."
I slid my fingers into her vibrant hair, fisted it lightly, and leaned in to kiss her, slow and sweet. Josh squirmed and giggled, then started demanding lunch.
I tickled my son then handed him to his mother. Then, slinging my arm around Lulu's shoulders, I led them to the door. "Fine, let's go eat, and then we can go ring shopping."
I was rewarded with another of Lulu's killer smiles.
EPILOGUE
Lulu
Two weeks later.
Butterflies assaulted my belly as I opened the door to the apartment. Nerves and excitement all rolled into one.
The place was quiet, but then I heard Hunter's voice coming from Josh's room, low and deep. I took off my jacket, slung it over the back of the couch, and walked across the living room, down the little hall to Josh's door. It was ajar and I stood there for several seconds, listening to Hunter read a bedtime story to his son. My heart squeezed. Sometimes I didn't know how one woman could handle this much happiness. Be this lucky. I eased it open and Hunter glanced up.
"Hey," I whispered.
His gaze moved over me, traveling from head to toe before his eyes came back to mine, like he always did when I walked into a room. "Hey," he whispered back.
He glanced back at Josh, who was fast asleep, and his eyes softened, that small smile playing around his lips. God, I loved that smile. That smile was reserved for Josh alone, and was a shot to the heart every time I saw it. He put the book on the nightstand, tucked the blankets around him, kissed his head, and followed me out to the living room.
"You have a good night with Ruby?" he asked, coming toward me.
I backed up, not sure why I was so nervous. I knew he'd like it, or I hoped like hell he would.
He stopped, watching my retreat, head tilting to the side like a giant, extremely hot predator. He grinned, all white teeth. "You got something you wanna tell me?"
"Um . . ." I felt my cheeks heat. Suddenly I was embarrassed. Shy. Why? I didn't know.
Hunter started moving again, a smile on his lips, and I started backing up again, until my back hit the couch. "What the fuck, woman?"
Okay, I had to stop being a coward and tell him. It's not like I could hide it. "Ruby and I, we didn't go to dinner tonight," I blurted. His body stiffened, just a little, but I noticed. I noticed everything when it came to Hunter.
"No?" He closed in, cornering me, resting his hands on the back of the couch either side of my hips, caging me in. "Where've you been?"
I lifted my hands and started to unravel the purple scarf I was wearing. "We went to a tattoo place, a guy Ruby uses."
His gaze got darker, gliding over me, like he was trying to see through my clothes. "Ruby get more ink?"
"Not just Ruby." I was holding both ends of the scarf still looped around my neck.
Those striking blue eyes went to my throat and then his hands covered mine. He took the soft muslin fabric from my fingers, and slid it slowly away. I watched him closely, knew the minute he saw it, the way his eyes flared, the heat burning from them.
He brushed a finger just below the tender skin. "Fuck, baby."
"You told me you wanted your name on my skin, where everyone could see it." I fisted his shirt either side of his waist. "Do you like it?" I'd chosen fine, sloped script. It wasn't big, probably no more than an inch and half long on the side of my neck. I loved it.
"Like it?" he rasped.
I licked my suddenly dry lips. "Yeah?"
"I fucking love it." His finger did another light brush beneath it. "Jesus, it's sexy too. Hot as hell."
"You think so?"
"Fuck yeah." His eyes were still locked on my neck. "You hungry?"
"No."
"Me either." Then he slid his arms under my butt and lifted me off the floor, heading to our room.
"Clothes off," he said, deep and rough when we reached the bed. He tugged his shirt off over his head, jeans and boots next. His cock was thick and long, jutting from his mouthwatering body.
He sat on the edge of the bed, completely naked, and watched me as I kicked off my shoes and socks then popped the button on my jeans and pushed them down. His dark gaze moved up as I gripped my shirt and lifted it over my head. More butterflies hit my lower belly as he watched me. I had one more thing to show him, something both Ruby and I decided to get on the spur-of-the-moment.
"I have another surprise," I said, walking to him, right between his splayed thighs. "You wanna see?"
His throat worked as he looked at my body, cock getting thicker, harder. Shit. I squirmed. Getting a little desperate to feel him moving inside me.
"Yeah, show me," he growled.
I reached back and unhooked my bra, letting it slip down my arms. His gaze dropped, locking on my nipple and the silver bar now piercing it.
"Surprise," I whispered.
His nostrils flared and he licked his lips, a soft moan slipping through. "Can I touch it?"
"It's still sore. Until it heals properly-the guy said probably six to eight weeks-you can only look, but not touch."
He growled. "So your surprise is to fucking torture me?"
I giggled. I couldn't help it. His gaze lifted to mine and his eyes narrowed a second before he tore my underwear down my legs, grabbed me around the waist, lifted me on his lap, and lay back on the mattress. He positioned me above him, and then sat me down on his cock. My giggles died an abrupt death and I moaned uncontrollably when he pushed inside me. He held me still and thrust up into me hard and fast.
His beautiful body strained beneath me, bringing us both to the edge and beyond in a few minutes.
I was laying on top of him, our breathing back to being even, Hunter's hands moving over me like they always did after he made love to me. It was beautiful, something I would never get tired of. I kissed his chest and lifted up to look at him. "I love you," I said.
"Love you too, baby." Then he brushed my hair away from my neck, his dark, possessive gaze going to his name marking my skin. "You changed my whole world, you and Josh. You make it a better place to be every damn day." He smoothed his fingers along my jaw. "What we've got. You and me. Nothing better."
I swallowed hard and choked down the lump in my throat. "Nothing better," I agreed.
Then he rolled me to my back, slid inside me again, and started moving.
I arched against the mattress as he pushed deep, but forced my eyes to stay open so I could watch him.
"Tell me you love me again," he said looking down at me.
"I love you," I said immediately.
His gaze slid to my neck, to the ink there, to his name permanently marking my skin, then back. He smiled, his wide, gorgeous smile.
Nope. Nothing better.
Keep reading for an excerpt from the next sexy, emotional standalone set in the Lawless Kings world by Sherilee Gray!
BROKEN REBEL
Coming October 2017 from SMP Swerve
My heart jumped in my chest. I was so fucking sick of this, sick of myself. Sick of these feelings that wouldn't go away. Neco had been my Superman, and last night, when he tried to take back that kiss, he showed me how he really felt. He might want me, but he didn't want to want me. My fantasy of us together was never going to happen, and now he was going to try to get in the way of what I desperately wanted, again. Suddenly, I was-furious. Hurt. Broken.
Done.
Done holding it in. Done pretending that I wasn't feeling what I was feeling.
My own anger rose higher, exploded past what was healthy, and mixed with the hurt hammering me. I just sort of . . . snapped, reacting in a way I never had before. I stepped closer to Neco, pressed my hand to his chest, and shoved . . . hard.
He barely moved, so I did it again, with both hands this time.
The elevator doors slid open. Neither one of us moved. Neco stood there, staring at me, his green eyes shooting fire at me, through me.
"I wouldn't do that again if I were you," he said, his voice low and hard.
The doors slid shut again.
"No? Why the hell not?" I shoved him again, this time putting my full body weight behind it.
He grabbed my wrists suddenly and came at me, striding forward, forcing me back. His body collided with mine, and I hit the wall behind me. Neco crowded in, teeth gritted.
Right then, I didn't give a shit. "Oh no, you're pissed off at me . . . again," I fired at him, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Well, news flash, I don't give a shit." I tried to yank my wrists from his hold, but he didn't let go.
"Yeah, well, I'm sick of your shit, woman. Sick to death of your fucking games. There are a fuck of a lot of other things I'd rather be doing tonight than chasing your ass around the city."