“Happy New Year’s Eve,” I say quietly, shyly.
Rowan, being the man he is, wraps both of his arms around me and somehow pulls me closer so that my breasts are practically being pushed back inside of my body. His hands splay on my lower back, fingers curving against the swell of my backside, and he bumps his nose against mine.
“Happy New Year’s Eve.” He kisses the corner of my mouth.
“I have a silly question for you,” I murmur, my finger mindlessly toying with the fabric of his sweater. “You don’t have to answer it. You can laugh. You can say no?—”
“I wouldn’t do any of that,” Rowan says gently. “Ask me, Natalia.”
“Are we…together?” I feel the heat creep up my neck and into my face.
Slowly, a half-smile stretches his full rosy lips. “Do you want to be together with me, sweetheart?”
“That sounds redundant,” I poke.
“Do you want to be with me, Natalia?”
“I asked you first.”
“You see…” He tsks, and I narrow my eyes. “In my mind, we’ve been dating since I met you.”
I shove his chest with a chuckle. “Rowan! You’re being mean.”
He laughs and brings me back in. “Yes, sweetheart, we’re together.” I pinch his ribs. “What was that for? I said we’re together.”
“That was for making me think you were going to say something stupid.”
“Stupid like,no, we aren’t together?”
“Yes,” I mumble.
Rowan shoots me a half-crooked smile with those sparkling, happy boy eyes. “You’re so cute.” He chuckles. “Come on, sweetheart. We have a game to play.”
Saranghae.Saranghae.Saranghae.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
CHAPTER 37
Rowan
The countdown begins on the giant flat screen in the family room. Isabelle is snoring and drool is pooling at the corner of her lips, Julian kisses Grace’s hair, Lana is on Christian’s lap, Luca is sitting on the floor with his arms around his bent knees, and Natalia is right here, next to me.
“Okay! Okay!” Lana shouts, clapping. “Isa, wake up!”
Isabelle startles, groaning and blinking before she wipes the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. “What the hell, LaLa?”
“What the hell,you,” Luca retorts. “It’s New Year’s!”
Isabelle flips off her twin, then mumbles to Lana, “I’m kind of drunk.”
Lana and Christian laugh, and Natalia chuckles beside me. “Really? I couldn’t tell,” Lana teases. “You handled yourselfso welltonight.”
“I do not like you right now,” Isa grumbles.
Everyone stands, holding a glass in their hands. Natalia finds her glass of water and I find my empty beer.
In the background, I hear Lana asking Christian if he’s okay and I listen for his answer. He says yes and kisses her.
