35. The Gang’s All Here

Monroe

It's about damn time.

Back at the house, I'm finally able to show her what I did earlier today. Been wanting to all night. After I toss my suit jacket onto the living room couch, I take her hand and bring her out to the back deck, the outdoor light on.

This deck feels like our special place. We've planned our dates here. Ate our meals here. Let down our guards. I sit in the Adirondack chair and bring her onto my lap.

"This is what I want to show you," I say.

She twists around, eyes on me as I undo the buttons on my cuffs. Anticipation flickers in her bright greens as she watches my every move. I feel the same way. I hope she likes this. When the cuffs are rolled up, she tilts her head, studying my left arm.

I don't say a word. Just hold my breath as she searches the red rose, the dahlia, then the calla lily. Her lips tilt, shifting up, up and into…astonishment.

"It's so tiny," she whispers.

"Yeah," I say, heart thudding harder, louder.

She lifts a hand, her finger tracing the air above my new ink. "You got a ladybug."

"I got a ladybug," I repeat.

"For me," she whispers.

"Always."

A little red ladybug sits in the lily. For her. On me. Juliet twists all the way, cups my cheeks, and holds my face. She doesn't kiss me yet. She presses her forehead to mine. "You're such a romantic."

I laugh and wrap my arms around her. "Maybe I am."

"You are."

"I love you," I tell her.

"You better if you're putting me on your skin."

"Go big or go home, they say."

She pulls back, her gaze immediately returning to my ink. "You got it today?"

I nod. "Blue Roses. The shop in town. I walked in there, and they did it."

"That was fast."

"It was necessary," I say, clearing my throat, needing her to know how much she means to me. "Hey."

"Yes?"

"You do deserve the best. I want to be that for you. Some days, I might not be. But just know I want to. I always want to."

Her smile radiates into my soul. "I do know that. And I love you too."

"Good. Now turn around, hike up that dress, and sit on my cock."

"Bossy." With a laugh and a purr at the same damn time, she obeys, tugging up her dress, skimming off her panties, then glancing back at me as I take out my dick, ready for her.

She sinks back onto me, surrounding me with her sweet heat in one sensual move. My chest heats up to furnace levels. I groan my appreciation for her. "You were ready for me, baby," I say as I curl my hands tight around her hips.

"You do it for me," she says, breathless already as she rises up and down on my length, taking me deep, seeking her pleasure, reaching her hands back to wrap around my head.

Like that, she rides me into the Darling Springs night.

In the morning, we're the last ones to arrive at the café at The Ladybug Inn. I only know that because Agatha, sporting her I'm Pear-Shaped and Pears are Awesome apron,has informed us as much.

"I'm guessing you two were quite busy last night after the party," she adds. "In fact, did you two sneak out for maybe twenty minutes in the middle of the party?"

Damn. She misses nothing. "I'll need to get you a new apron that says I'm a Hawk and Hawks are Awesome."

Agatha bursts into laughter, then it disappears quickly. "You do that next time you're here, since that'll be real soon. Also, I told you so." She wags a finger at me. "Didn't I?"

Did she though? If I recall, she told me to come home more often. She didn't say fix years of damage with your dad. But I'm not here to split hairs. "You did," I say, giving her that little victory.

With a proud tip of her chin, Agatha says, "Good. It's nice to see family finding their way back to each other."

Juliet squeezes my arm. "It really is."

Agatha turns her attention to the woman by my side. "And I guess that means we'll be getting to know you here in town, Juliet?"

"I'll definitely come around from time to time," she says, and I like the sound of that.

"Good. Because I hear you're a breakup party planner. My sister Edith just split up with her longtime partner, and I want to throw her a party. I'm thinking motorcycles, bandanas, the whole nine yards. Can you do that?"

With a can-do smile, Juliet says, "We ride at dawn."

"I knew I could count on you. Let me show you to your table," Agatha says, then gestures to the biggest table in the joint.

Carter's left arm is draped around Rachel's shoulders, and she's shooting him a doubtful look as he recounts a football play based on the way he's demonstrating catching something with his right arm. By Rachel's side is Hazel, who's showing her husband Axel something on her phone. They're bent over, studying the screen, looking deep in debate. Bet they're debating some detail of their next co-written romance novel. Elodie's running her fingers through Gage's messy hair and the no-longer-single dad's relaxing and smiling, something he does a lot more of since she crashed into his life. Sawyer texted that he had to take off early with Katya, but I'll see him in the city this week. Fable's here too.

We arrive at the table, and Gage lifts a brow, gives an I know what you've been up to look. "Well, we didn't think you'd make it."

"I didn't either," Juliet offers innocently. "You have no idea what kind of stamina the Love Doctor has."

I was not expecting that. I jerk my gaze to her, but then go with it. "And her appetite is huge."

"That's what she said," Axel says, faux coughing.

Hazel rolls her eyes, chiding him with, "You can do better than that."

"I'm just warming up the banter muscle, sweetheart," he tells his wife.

"Ooh, I can't wait till it's hot," she says.

Carter pats the chair next to him. "Take a seat. I'm gonna take all the credit for this," he says, gesturing to the two of us.

"Why's that?" Juliet asks, sitting down first. I join her.

"I told him yesterday he was a dumbass who needed to go after his woman," Carter adds.

Hmm. Did he say that? "Not in those words," I correct.

Carter waves a hand dismissively. "Close enough."

"That's true," I concede. Maybe let her make that decision ought to be tattooed on my ass.

"Well, it did the trick," Juliet says, then pats Carter on the arm. "So thank you."

Rachel smiles, meeting my gaze. "Friends need friends who tell them they're dumbasses."

Elodie lifts her cup of coffee. "I will drink to that."

Fable nods appreciatively to Carter too, then to the rest of us. "And to friendship. Something we won't ever let go of, or get enough of."

Everyone seconds that with a hearty yes.

Juliet drops a kiss to my cheek, then turns to the table. "We should all drink to that."

And we do. After Agatha fills our mugs, the table toasts to friendship. And to friends who are just like family.