Liam lets go of who I assume is Tessa and walks up to Roman. He pushes up his glasses and unzips his brown leather bomber jacket.
“Well, well, the prodigal son has returned. What’s it been, three years?” Liam says. Roman hasn’t been home for three years. Why?
“It’s nice to see you too, Liam.” Roman stretches out his hand. Liam looks down at it and pulls him in for a hug.
The two rock from side to side while they hug. Tessa is a supermodel. Seriously, she looks like she’s 5’10, slim, has sable-colored hair, blue eyes, legs for days, and a gorgeous face. The all-black ensemble suits her perfectly. She looks me up and down, and I smile.
She gives me a small smirk.
“You must be the infamous fiancée.” Liam leans down and pulls me in for a small hug. He smells of weed and cologne.
“I don’t know about infamous, but I’m Noelle.”
“Liam, nice to meet you. This beauty is Tessa.” Liam extends his hand, and Tessa walks to Liam’s side.
I feel Roman stiffen at my side.
“Noelle, right? Tessa,” she says with the fakest smile and extends her hand to me. As I shake her hand, she pulls it. “No ring? What, Roman didn’t think to buy you a ring?”
Shit, she got me. Before Roman can speak, I respond, “It’s my fault. I was seasoning chicken for dinner yesterday, so I took it off.”
Without missing a beat, Roman adds, “Saw it on the counter, and I packed it away for you.”
I smile up at him. “Thank you, honey.”
“Honey?” Tessa whispers.
“So she cooks,” Liam states.
Before I can respond, I hear it. Galloping. Heavy, rhythmic-like soft hooves charge behind me. What the hell is that sound?
“Oh, look, Cupcake and Muffin are coming to say hi to you,” Cliff says. I glance behind Roman’s back, and two lion-looking dogs are coming at me. Cupcake and Muffin, my ass. What kind of stupid-ass name is that? Why would you name these bear-dogs after bakery items? The fuck?
Their golden stare locks with mine, and I knew I was dead. Cupcake stops and barks, but it’s more like a low roar. Nope. Nope. I didn’t sign up for this shit.
“Roman!” I scream, jumping onto him like I was possessed by a spider monkey.
Liam doubles over and laughs as the dogs from hell try to eat me alive. “They just want to play.”
“Control them, Liam,” Roman commands. I wrap my arms around his neck. I bury my face against him, screaming into his shoulder as the massive dog-bear’s heavy paw thuds on my back.
“Down, boy.” Roman says playfully, like he’s talking to a toddler and not two war machines. “It’s nice to see you too, buddy.”
Each time the dogs shove Roman, he shifts his stance, and his arms tighten around me.
Cupcake or Muffin barks, and I try to climb higher onto Roman. He chuckles and rocks me from side to side. “I got you. Dad, call them off.”
“Cupcake and Muffin at my side.” I hear Cliff whistle.
I feel the air shift when they move.
“I think they like you, Noelle,” Liam adds with a teasing smirk.
I lift my head and look around. Elizabeth and Liam have the same smirk. Cliff’s face remains serious, and Tessa looks unamused.
Roman clears his throat and turns my attention to him. His eyebrow raises. I shift in his arms, and is that his…no…it can’t be.
“You can come down now; you’re safe,” Roman mutters.
