I liked it, and despite my current anger, I hoped Millie did, too, because the two of us should definitely have a similar ceremony, and soon.
I nearly tripped over my feet when I realized where my thoughts had turned.MarryMillie?
For a man who’d been hell-bent on never developing a deep, lasting relationship with a woman, I’d managed a one-eighty.Maybe there was something in the water here in Houston, or the other Wildcatters were giving off contentment hormones or some shit.
Thatwoo-woo explanation made as much sense as me fantasizing about my wedding.I shook my head, marveling at my shift.But Cruz’s research had solidified the need to make Millie legally mine.Together, the two of us would be a stronger, more united unit against any of her father or ex-fiancé’s bullshit.And we’d have the Wildcatters players and organization at our back.
“We need to talk,” I said.
Millie sighed.“Of course.After?”
Well, we couldn’t talknow.“Sure.”
Millie’s breast bobbled and brushed against my arm again, causing the muscles in my gut to clench.She worried she wasn’t the same fit hourglass she’d been when I’d fucked her into a near-coma all those months ago.That was true, but she was lusher, more beautiful now.Never in my life had I considered a pregnant woman sexy, but Millie pulled it off andthensome.Which was why I knew she was the only woman I would ever want in my life forever.
She had me by the fantasies and the balls.And I’d be much calmer about that once she admitted I had the same hold over her.Well, similar hold because she was ball-less.
I needed to get out of my messed-up head.
We reached the end of the aisle, and Millie glanced up at me, her expression filled with something that looked like regret.
Ah, hell no.She would not bail on me.I understood the whole fight-or-flight response—I’d lived it for years.Without thinking, I leaned in and dropped a kiss on her lips.
“The fuck, man?”Maxim muttered.“It’s my wedding!”
“Yoursecondone,” Naese said.
“He’s just staking his claim to the hot maid of honor.”Because Cruz said that, in solidarity with me, I didn’t need to bash in heads.
I leaned closer to Millie and whispered, “I’m not letting you out of my sight.And I know about your shit-bag father disowning you.”
She stiffened, her inhale sharp, her face turning pasty.
“He’s doing a damn poor job of wooing her,” Cormac muttered.
“That’s karma not liking him horn-dogging on my wedding day,” Maxim snapped.
I squeezed Millie’s elbow and pressed another kiss to her hairline before moving to my spot on the opposite side of the altar.
“Really?”Maxim asked, eyes narrowed in a glare.
“Shit’s going down,” Cruz muttered.“And your girl’s gonna want Stolly on it to keep Millie safe.Which is what he’s doing…weirdly and possibly poorly.Now, quit bitching.Here comes your wife.”
“She is the most beautiful creature,” Maxim breathed, completely overcome by Ida Jane.Her timing was perfect, too, because Maxim no longer remembered I existed.
The range of emotion that flitted across his face fascinated me.Longing, gratitude, joy, and love morphed into a sappy expression I’d never believed Maxim could achieve.It was a good look on him, one I hoped continued for all the years of their marriage—and one I wanted captured in a book for us to show Bree and her siblings one day.
Millie
An opossum interferedwith my half-assed, partially baked plans.
A rodent made up of fur, teeth, and a ratty tail.Why?Because they loved Houston.Also becausefuck my life.
Nothing was easy, yet I refused to admit the universe was trying to tell me something epic.Important.Life-changing.
After the ceremony Blade, Ida Jane’s large guard dog, sat between her and Maxim as teammates gave their speeches.The poor pup panted heavily in the early evening heat.He wasn’t designed for Houston’s mugginess, but I knew he wanted to be there based on his blissed out, hooded eyes and his grin with lolling tongue.He also had a personal mister blowing cool air into his face.
Blade knew he’d soon be back in the coolness of Cormac and Keelie’s place with a bone.He had a cozy bed he shared with Keelie’s cat, Slippers, when he came over.The cat sat at the glass door, tail twitching as she watched her canine friend outside.
