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Jackson
ANOTHER YEAR LATER
I held my baby, rocking gently back and forth, hugging her freaking insanely gorgeous hips as we lazily swayed around the parquet dance floor. Her breasts had gotten a little bigger lately, practically spilling out of the white top of her gown. God, I hoped they stayed.
Rose looked insanely hot in her Vera Wang that I’d bought her. I worked my ass off to get that woman anything and everything she wanted. But she never wanted. Just me, she’d say.
Fucking loved her.
Lights blinked overhead as Niko DJ’d for us, a nice, slow song. Our people sat behind us, smiling appreciatively, drinking. Chatting.
“You got this?” I asked her.
Her answering smile still had the same effect on me, stealing my breath, making me weak in the knees. I rubbed her swollen belly, excited for the day when I’d get to feel the first kick instead of just hearing her squealing that’d it happened, only to touch and feel nothing. We were five months along now, and motherhood looked damn good on her.
“Are you kidding? I’m gonna blow all you schmucks away. Just wait.”
Niko gave us the signal. Glancing over her shoulder, I spotted Daniel and Tanner get up and start walking toward us.
I winked at Remy and Mom, who was seven months sober. Her cheeks were flushed and she wore a pretty, soft blue dress. She waved back at us, smiling happily.
Then the guys were there, standing beside us, snapping their fingers, drawing eyes, curious stares.
Only the four of us knew what we were about to do. Rose had made us practice for months, and I’d let her do it. Because I would do anything, be anything, for this woman.
The music changed. Turning sexy. Pulsing.
“Closer” by the Chainsmokers started throbbing through the room. I could feel the shiver of the crowd, feel their anticipation stroke against my skin.
“Let’s knock ’em dead, tiger,” she whispered, placing a bowler hat on my head before giving me one last lingering kiss.
When Niko pulled us up for our first dance, no one had a clue what we’d planned.
But they did the second I started rocking her, grinding my leg between hers. The women started whistling, the ballroom going crazy with cheers and jeers.
I took lead, singing to her, dancing around her as she curved tight into me, sliding my hand across her bare shoulder blade, loving the rush of goose bumps tightening her flesh. I couldn’t wait to take this girl to bed tonight. Worship her like she deserved to be adored for the rest of her life.
Breathing hard, I inhaled her fragrance of lemons and perfume as I danced, ignoring the fact that without her I’d never do this. But it made sense, because this was Rose and me. This was us.
I danced for her.
And then she danced for me.
Twisting, she turned around, kicking off her flats as she shoved me down on a chair Tanner and Daniel had brought up. She held on to my hand as she walked around me, singing to me with that husky voice of hers, rotating her hips as she sauntered past, making me fucking hot. Crazy.
Our male staff and even some of the women howled, cheering her on.
Rosie was the stuff wet dreams were made of. This woman held my heart in the palms of her little hands, and there was no place else I ever wanted it to be.
The beat turned crunchy and she hopped back, hugging her softly swelling belly, giving me a come-hither look as she planted her foot on my knee.
“Take it off!” Someone whistled as I boomed with laughter, sliding my hot hands up her hot thighs and hooking a finger underneath the white garter.
Her hands were in her hair, shaking it out behind her as she smiled with her eyes closed, and I knew this was a picture I’d never forget. This moment, burned into my memory forever.
This woman, my woman, dancing only for me.
My dick went instantly stiff, wanting to slip inside her. I tossed the garter into the crowd, and then my eyes were just for her as I rocked in my seat to the music, soaking her in, completely absorbed in how she moved.
Before I was ready for it to be, the song was done and she was falling into me, laughing and giggling as she wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing me breathlessly.
“And that, ladies and gentlemen, is Mr. and Mrs. Moore!” Niko laughed into the mic. “Damn, who else needs a water now?”
“Mommy!” Adam rushed us, hopping onto her lap. “That was so freaking sweet!”
“Yay! Thanks, monkey butt.” She laughed, giving him a tender pat on his head. And then as one we wrapped our arms around him, squeezing him tight.
“Fucking hot!” Someone in the crowd whooped, and Rosie just chuckled, kissing the side of our boy’s ear with a cute blush staining her cheeks.
Daniel and Tanner came over, congratulating and enthusing with great delight that it really was blankity blank hot as blank, both of them looking at Adam like he was the thing from the black lagoon and might bite them if he heard his uncles swearing.
Then Daniel leaned in, gripped her by the elbow, and with a cocky grin whispered, “And now I can finally say what I’ve been saving up for years—”
My brows lifted, waiting for him to lay some deep, life-changing kind of shit on us.
“—finally got my damn happy ending.” He beamed.
Rose and I both frowned.
“What?” she asked.
“You know. Jack and Rose.” He gestured between us. “Rose and Jack. You didn’t let him sink, baby. I always told you there was enough room for two on that wooden raft.”
I was still lost when suddenly Rosie startled chortling her freaking adorable chuckle and covering her mouth with her hands. “Titanic! And here I thought you were gonna guru us. I should’a known better.”
“Titanic?” I wrinkled my nose. “Is that that movie with DiCaprio and—”
Which only caused Rose to giggle harder and look at me like I was adorably clueless. Daniel chuckled too, nodding briefly at us both before giving her one last kiss and shuffling off to dance with his husband.
Rose hopped off my lap not even a second later. I groaned, not wanting to get up and face the jeers of my staff. I was never gonna live this little stunt down, but it was worth it to see Rose beaming up at me like I was her world.
Soon a crowd joined Daniel and Tanner, dancing to Niko’s smooth sounds.
Adam ran off again, calling out to Anna who, miracle of all miracles, had actually shown up with Kyle tonight. Girl was barely two, but the boy was completely in love with his sister.
And not for nothing, but I liked seeing it. Adam was going to be a good big brother to our child too.
Rose wiggled into my arms, sighing as she fanned her face.
“You hot?”
A sexy grin curved her lips. “For you, always. But... yeah, trying to shake this ass with a bun in the oven isn’t as easy as it used to be.”
Nuzzling her nose, I grinned. “You looked hot as fuck, babe. Can’t wait to pull you out of that dress tonight.”
Her eyes sparkled. “Same goes for you, caveman. I’m gonna have my wicked, wicked way with you tonight. Hope you don’t plan to sleep anytime soon.”
Chuckling, I swatted her ass, giving it a good firm pinch. “All mine now, cupcake. Hope you’re ready for this.”
Small hands framed my face. “As long as I get to do it with you, I’m never getting off this ride.”
This girl... Damn, how did a man get to be so lucky? My heart was hers. Was always gonna be.
Her cheeks were pinked prettily and flushed, so I walked with her to our seats and sat her down. “Gonna get you a drink, I’ll be back.”
“Water.” She beamed, holding up a finger.
Rolling my eyes but happy as hell, I turned and walked toward the bar. Rose’s body was banging whether she was the size twelve she’d gotten down to at one point or the size fourteen she was again.
I knew she wanted to be careful after the weight she’d gained with Adam, and I was helping any way I could. But she’d never have to worry about me running away. Wasn’t ever gonna happen.
My woman’s curves were addicting as hell.
Leaning over the bar, I asked for a water.
And immediately sensed someone looking at me. Glancing over, I noticed Kyle. He’d been quiet today, and I got it.
Didn’t like it. But I got it.
Over the past two years, we’d developed a friendship that had seemed impossible in the beginning. But I kind of liked the dude, all things considered. Even if it was obvious he was pining over my girl. Tipping his beer at me, he glanced over at her. And I hated seeing the regret and remorse burning in his eyes.
“You know, I never did stand a chance with her.” He said it softly. “She never looked at me like she does at you.”
The bartender slipped me a bottle. Grabbing it, I frowned. I really didn’t want to do this shit, but I didn’t have it in me to hate the guy anymore.
“If you’d realized what you had, that woman would never have strayed. That’s who she is. And you know it.”
He swallowed hard, staring down at the soft blond curls of Anna, swaddled against his chest and sleeping peacefully.
His look was full of disappointment before shook his head and grinned. “Says the guy who just stole the best damn woman I’ll probably ever have right out from under me.”
I shrugged. I wasn’t going to apologize for that. And he knew it. “You had your chance, man. But I’m not gonna lie—I’m kind of glad you fucked it all up to hell. That woman’s my life. And so’s her kid.” I nodded, letting him know that I was going to be there for Adam, that I loved him as much as they did. This was my family. A little broken, a little tarnished maybe, but perfectly imperfect, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sighing, he took a deep swig of his beer. “Just don’t screw it up, Jackson. Because if I ever see an opening again, I’m taking it.”
A fissure of anger tried to worm through me at his threat until I realized I was never going to let that happen.
Rose and I had gone through hell and back. Together. Growing stronger because of it. Growing up together. She was mine. And I was hers.
Planting a hand on his shoulder, I squeezed. “For what it’s worth, man, I hope someday you’re just as happy as I am.”
He snorted, tossing the rest of the beer back before shaking his head. “My time came and went, and I’ve got no one to blame for that shit but me. Go to your bride, man. Just do right by her.” Standing, he tipped the bartender before nodding to me and saying, “Word of advice—don’t be me. Don’t be the dick who stands off to the side, looking at something precious but lost forever while she beams up with fucking pride and love at someone else. Because believe me, it’s a pain you don’t ever wanna know.”
With those words, he turned without a goodbye and I let him, because he was right. It was a pain I couldn’t even begin to comprehend and never wanted to.
Going back to Rose, I passed her the bottle.
She took it with a knowing look. “Saw you talking to Kyle?”
Heart hurting for the guy even if it was stupid, I shrugged. And taking her hands in mine, I touched her petal-soft skin. “I wanna tell you something, Rosie.”
Beautiful eyes danced across my face before she nodded.
“Day I met you, that was the day I really started living. And I didn’t even know it. But you fixed me, baby. Made me something better. Something bigger than I ever thought I could be. We’re gonna fight, we’re gonna make up. But what we’re never gonna do is give up. You hear me?”
Swallowing hard, she nodded with wide eyes. “I love you, Jackson.”
“Me too. So damn much. You’re it for me, Rose Marie Moore. Forever.”
We sealed our pledge with a kiss.
And just like I’d promised her it would be, it was forever...
~*~
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