Ryan’s frown melts into a smile and he slaps Archie’s back. ‘Thank God for that. It wasn’t just Vic you walked out on, it was all of us. You know you’ve been like a brother to Jayden and me since you saved our asses in that bar in LA.’
‘I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.’ Archie’s voice rings with conviction.
‘I know.’ Ryan nods.
Archie’s familyjoins us at the Caledonian for my graduation/engagement dinner in a private dining room overlooking Edinburgh Castle.
‘Do you think I’m too young to get married?’ I ask Chloe across the table. Archie flanks my right, while Lily-May sits to my left, pushing steamed broccoli around her plate with a screwed-up face.
Chloe swallows what she’s chewing before answering. ‘No. You’re a grown woman. A strong, confident, beautiful woman.’
‘Can I have that in writing?’ I raise my champagne glass in salute.
‘The strong, confident, beautiful part?’ Chloe’s head tilts in question.
‘No, the grown woman part. You and Sasha have babied me since forever,’ I say. Archie squeezes my thigh beneath the table.
‘Only because you didn’t have parents to baby you,’ Sasha interrupts from next to Chloe. ‘You want to be treated like a sister and not a child, that’s fine. But we want details you might not be prepared to share.’
‘Ha.’ I know exactly the type of details those two are hankering after. ‘Deal. You’ll get your details, although you’ll be lucky if you don’t hear them through the walls.’
‘Oh God, who will mind the child?’ Chloe asks. ‘You’ll have to think of these things now!’
‘I will,’ Andie offers from further up the table.
‘Cheers to having another sister.’ I raise my glass again. ‘To family.’
‘To family,’ everyone choruses, clinking crystal.
We retireto Sasha and Ryan’s penthouse suite after dinner to enjoy several more bottles of champagne in a place the children can relax, too.
Lily-May nestles between Bella and Blake on the couch, watching the Lion King with her shoes kicked off and a bowl of popcorn on her lap. She’s already fitting in like she’s been here forever.
When the party eventually wraps up, Andie makes good on her promise to keep Lily-May for the night, leaving Archie and me free to make up properly.
Electricity buzzes in the air, carrying the weight of my excited anticipation. Soon, we’ll be exploring each other’s bodies once again. After kissing our foster daughter goodnight and bidding our less than subtle cat-calling family goodbye, we practically run down the corridor.
Two security guards stand poised outside our suite. Archie nods before closing the door on them.
‘I half-thought you might dismiss them.’ The lock twists shut with a satisfying click.
Alone at last.
‘No, they can stay. That way, I can focus every bit of attention on you.’ His finger curls upwards as he motions for me to come closer.
‘I can’t believe you’re mine.’ His breathy whisper tickles my ear as he inhales the scent of my hair deep into his lungs.
‘You better believe it. It’s probably plastered over every news site in the world right now.’ I wouldn’t know. My phone is switched off. Everyone I want to hear from is under the one roof.
‘I’ve missed you so fucking much, Vic.’ Warm hands roam the length of my spine before cupping my ass.
His impressive erection throbs between us as his lips capture mine again. I can’t wait. It’s been too long. A yelp of disappointment emerges from my throat as he breaks our kiss, tugging me towards the huge four-poster bed.
‘You look so fucking beautiful today, but that dress needs to come off now.’ Hungry eyes roam over my body.
My fingers reach round and unzip the back of the silk. It falls to the floor to reveal his favourite ivory lingerie.
A low whistle of appreciation pierces the air.
