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The large ballroom is beautiful with large circular tables throughout. Black and white linen covers them with tall vase’s holding white lilies. It’s elegant and it takes my breath away. But nothing can take my breath the same way as Garrett does when I find him in the sea of guests.
“The man of the hour.” Charlotte appears and wraps her arms around me before squeezing the life out of Joshua. “He’s been looking for you.”
“He told me not to be down until now so that I rested up.”
“Doesn’t mean he wasn’t missing you,” she counters. “Go put the poor man out of his misery, and get him away from his sister-in-law.” She shudders. “That woman needs a swift kick up the ass.”
The thought of seeing that woman again doesn’t sit too well with me, but now that we’re going to be family, I’m going to have to play nice. Doesn’t mean I want to though.
“What the fuck,” Josh curses and quickly glances at me.
I frown and glance toward Garrett, and that’s when my smile slips. The woman who his sister-in-law keeps trying to throw at him has her arm through his. I have to give him some credit because he’s trying to untangle himself without making it so obvious to the others. She keeps a tight hold though.
A photographer appears before them and as the woman smiles, Garrett shakes his head, and finally get’s free. He lifts his eyes and his face changes from anger to delight as he spots me. Before it registers, Joshua is moving me across the distance and then Garrett is the one surrounding me.
He holds me close and whispers, “I’ve been waiting for you all damn night.” He kisses my ear. “You are the most beautiful woman here tonight, and you’re all mine.”
“Mmm.”
“God,” he presses me closer and his arousal is more obvious than perhaps it should be, “don’t ‘mmm’ in my ear. It makes me hard.”
“I know.” Kissing him quickly on the lips, I turn and face his brother while making sure that Garrett’s erect problem is hidden from others.
“I don’t believe we’ve met, I’m Sirena Bennett,” I say to William, Garrett’s brother.
“Soon to be Sirena Hudson,” Garrett adds, his face breaking out into a gorgeous smile. “That is the first time I’ve said that out loud and I really like the sound of it.”
“Me too.”
Garrett wraps his arm around my shoulders. “William, Jenny, I’ve asked Sirena to marry me, and she’s agreed.” He adds, “Annalise, I hope you find the same happiness that I have.”
Jenny looks as though she’s fighting a battle with herself about saying something, but as I watch her, she pointedly states, “That’s a bit rushed.”
“Jenny!” William chides.
“I’m only stating the obvious,” she defends herself. “Everyone will think that the baby is his.”
“That’s enough!” Garrett hisses. “Sirena and the baby are mine,” he seethes, his anger getting the better of him. “Until you can accept that, you are no longer welcome at my home or in my life.”
He ushers me away, but the anger is not left behind. I feel it radiating throughout his body. I stop him with a hand on his chest. “Please don’t let her ruin your evening.” I reach up and caress his face. “I love you, and I know exactly how you feel about me. Nothing will ruin that.”
He inhales and exhales and then sighs, pulling me close. “You can’t know how much I love you, because I’ll never be able to tell you how much.”
“Infinity, huh?” I smile softly up at him.
“You got it, babe.” He kisses my forehead. “We’ll celebrate properly later, but right now your cousins are approaching.” His hand slips onto my hip as I turn and smile at Alexander and his sister, Olivia.
I’m extremely lucky to have been brought up within a large family. Although I have two brothers and one sister, our cousins are more like siblings, which I love.
Alexander, Uncle Lucian’s oldest, is the serious one, while his younger sister, Olivia, is as tough as nails when she needs to be, but has a heart of gold and has always gotten hurt easily.
Olivia is the first one to lean in and she whispers, “Congratulations, you sneaky one.” I chuckle and accept the kiss to the cheek while Alexander stays silent but I catch the smirks dancing on his lips.
He shakes Garrett’s hand. “Great party.”
“Great hotel,” Garrett counters, amused.
My cousin smiles with pride because this building is his design, and although I know he had regular meetings with the others, including his dad and mine, he brought this through to completion. “I’m so proud of you Alex.” I beam at him.
