“And then we’ll go home and figure the rest of it out,” he told me with a gentle kiss. “Come on.”
Milo rolled over and climbed off the bed. His legs shook as he stood, and I wondered if maybe we’d gone too hard on his knee. I rushed off the bed to loop an arm around his waist to keep him vertical.
“I’m fine,” he promised me. “I’m not hurt. It was just too good.” He smiled, and we went to go clean off.
We had flights to catch.
18
Notes
Look, I’ve never gotten married in Vegas. I don’t know the practicalities of it. My only experience with getting married in Vegas is dancing around my bedroom to the Katy Perry song, fanfics, and books. If it wasn’t realistic, I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll go get married in Vegas for the whole experience. Anyway, enjoy the fall out of them getting married.
Also, yes, I texted him. He texted back a few times. That’s it. If there are more updates about Liam Lowe, I might tell you.
Milo
Rowan was waiting for me on the couch when I got back from Vegas. The team flight didn’t have all the annoying waiting around commercial flights had. They were taken straight from the team bus to a waiting plane, and they were in the air within thirty minutes. I’d had an hour’s wait between security and my original boarding time, and then my flight had been delayed another hour. I hadn’t minded. It gave me a chance to eat airport food, and I’d always liked airport food. It also gave me the chance to talk to this seven-year-old boy who was a big Scorpions fan.
His family was on a layover for a flight headed east, and he’d recognized me. We took pictures. I signed an autograph for him. I heard all about his peewee football team in northern California, where he was from, and gave him a few tips on how to get around a difficult defenseman he talked my ear off about. His parents had been apologetic, but I didn’t mind. I had always loved kids, and this one had recognized me. He’d said I was one of his favorite players in the entire ALF.
I was easily flattered. Sue me.
The flight itself was uneventful. My seat partner had been a young businesswoman who spent the entire time reading. She was an upgrade from my seat partner on the trip there; she didn’t smell like onions. I found a taxi right outside the airport,and there wasn’t much traffic between the airport and my condo. I didn’t even have to wait for the elevator.
And then, when I opened the door, there was Rowan. He was relaxing on the couch in nothing but a pair of sweats with the Scorpion logo on the leg. His hair was damp from a shower, and he was possibly the most handsome man I’d ever seen in my life. Especially when he smiled at me.
I dropped my bag at the door and crossed the living room to give him a quick kiss. He looped his muscular arms around my waist and pulled me down on top of him. I laughed against his lips, and happiness spread through me.
If this was married life, then I owed drunken me a very big favor.
“I smell like airplane,” I whined after I’d gotten my fill of kissing him.
He pulled me against him tighter, and I could feel his smile against my lips. “I don’t care,” he finally said.
I loved the way his lips moved against mine when he spoke, like he couldn’t stand to pull away from me. The feeling was mutual, but I did smell like an airplane. I forced myself to push away from him. Which still wasn’t enough space because his lips were stillrightthere. I stood up and took a few steps away from the couch. “Hold that thought. I need to shower.” I began to lift my shirt, teasing him. “Too bad you already took one.”
I didn’t wait for him to respond before I took off toward the bedroom, shedding clothing as I walked. I would have to pick that up later, but that was future Milo’s problem.
By the time I had my water hot and steamy, Rowan had joined me in the bathroom. The shower took longer than it should have, but I left it feeling completely relaxed, almost boneless. After I got dressed, I collapsed on the couch with myhusband, and we started having the most important discussion of the night: whatwas for dinner. It felt very domestic, and I wanted a thousand more nights just like this.
We settled on ordering from a local health food restaurant Rowan enjoyed. When the food came, I transferred it onto real plates, and we ate at the kitchen counter. “I think we need to talk,” Rowan started after a few bites.
My shoulders tensed, and I drew in a deep breath. “You know, that’s probably number one on the list of terrifying things your partner could say to you over a meal,” I informed him as I put my fork down on my plate.
He speared a piece of steamed broccoli on his, and I relaxed a little. If he was still eating, it probably wasn’t anything too serious. “About our plans,” he clarified. Rowan reached out and squeezed my thigh. “I haven’t changed my mind. Still no regrets about waking up married to you.”
I picked back up my fork and cut off a small piece of the grilled chicken I’d ordered. “Okay, that’s less terrifying.”
“First, we need to discuss living arrangements.” Wasn’t the answer to that one obvious? “I think it’d make the most sense if I move in here. We both love this building. Ethel is right next door. My unit is a short-term rental, so all I have to do is email the management company, pay one last month’s rent, and pack a few things.”
It appeared the answer to thatwasobvious. “Agreed. Besides, you’ve been here for the past three weeks anyway.”
“We also have to figure out how we’re going to tell people.”
Right. That was something we had to do. Only Jonesy, Liam, Ray, and Aunt Ethel knew we were even dating. This might be a shock to the rest of our team, but I had a feeling people would take it pretty well. No one that mattered had reacted badly when Jonesy and Liam started dating.
My fork stalled halfway between my plate and my mouth as I started mentally listing the people we’d need to tell: Aunt Ethel,Coach Cal, the team’s front office, the team in general, Rowan’s family, Rowan’s friends, Ray. There were so many people we needed to tell, and that wasn’t even counting the general public. I had no intention of keeping our marriage quiet.
