“Then I’ll be with you forever.” He stood and wrapped her up in his arms, kissing her hard and clutching her close. “I’m so sorry,” he said between kisses. “I’m so sorry.” He cupped her face, wiping tears away. “I can’t be without you. It’s fucking terrifying, but I’d rather hold on while I can.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said and hugged him close. “Never.”
The way he clung to her, she felt his struggle, and she loved him so much for trying. For her.
From behind them, Huck said, “Do we clap or…”
Penny laughed, and Bass smiled.
“Yes, we totally clap,” Colt said. With that, the entire room broke into applause.
They both turned to face their friends. Jenna was beaming ear to ear and all but bouncing up and down. Lily, Huck, and Colt were smiling.
“Well!” Huck said loudly, and then chugged the rest of his drink. “Let’s get all this love and shit into gear, because I hear there’s a wedding happening tomorrow and a hell of dinner to eat tonight.”
With small laughs and sighs, everyone disbursed.
“Oh, Penny,” Jenna said. “Will you come up to the bridal suite real quick before we go to try on your dress?”
The bride and bridesmaids were supposed to stay the night after the dinner tonight. Between the rehearsal to the BBQ, then going back to the hotel, it was going to be a long night, but it was worth it to make the bride happy.
“I’ll be right up,” she called to Jenna and Lily.
When they were gone, Penny was finally alone for a moment with Sebastian in her arms.
“Now, about that the long term arrangement,” he said, delivering a quick kiss to her chin. “I was hoping to negotiate terms.”
She stepped back and crossed her arms with a huff. “And what terms are those? A three month trial period to reevaluate after a performance review?”
“No,” he said. “I was thinking more along the lines of forever.”
She gasped, but Sebastian was right there to kiss her gasp away.
There, wrapped in his arms, she’d finally caught the one dream she’d been chasing. Her prince charming and her happily ever after.
Epilogue
“Jesus—” Sebastian said when two small hands reached out from the coat closet and yanked him in. He smiled when he saw Penny standing in the shadows in her fluffy pink bridesmaid gown. “You know, for being a tiny little thing, you sure are strong,” he said. The various sweaters and jackets wrapped around him as he moved toward the woman he loved.
Loved.
It was a word he was still getting used to, but he liked the sound of it.
“I can be quite spry when I’m on a mission,” she said, smiling.
Oh, he knew that was true.
“We’re supposed to be heading back to the BBQ for dinner,” he said, just as her back hit the wall and he cupped her hips.
“Yeah, I just wanted to show you my dress real quick.” She fiddled with his tie, then looked up at him. “Colt and Jenna will start to wonder where we are. So we better make this quick, counselor.”
He didn’t need any more convincing. He’d take Penny any way, any how he could get her. Plus, he’d never done it in a coat closet before. Plus.
She kissed him hard, all that passion and need poured from her, and he drank it down. Every touch and taste of her was like a silent plea that she needed him. Wanted him. Would never leave him. And he was a goner for the woman. He was in too deep to ever get out.
Once he’d thought he liked control, but now it was apparent that while he exercised his kinky side, Penny was the one who held his entire world in her hands. And he’d do anything she asked. Hell, all she had to do was make a demand and he’d say, “Yes, ma’am.”
And he was totally fine with that.