The Worst Best Man(115)

She saw the ghost of a smile play at the corners of his mouth, and her heart sang with hope.

“What about my family?” he asked. “They’ll always be a problem.”

“I have a feeling there will be less drama. I’ve discovered that I fit in quite well with manipulative backstabbers.”

“You’re going to have to explain that cryptic statement,” he said, reaching for her, his hands closing over her wrists. He stood, pulling her to her feet.

“First, answer me, please. Then I’ll tell you anything you want. Will you marry me, Aide? Will you take me as I am? Forgive me for being stubborn and proud and so very, very wrong? Because, damn it, Aiden, you fit in my life like you’re the missing piece. I can fit into yours, too. I want you for an ally, a partner. I was wrong to hold back, wrong to be looking for a way out. And I’m so fucking sorry. But I promise you from this day forward, I will be your partner, and we can build something beautiful together. And I swear to you I will always, always, have your back.”

She was shaking, with love, with fear, with hope.

Aiden nudged her chin higher and looked her in the eyes.

“We can’t both be chicken shits, now can we?”

“Aide, if you don’t give me a yes or a no right now, I swear to God I’m going to ruin your life like I just ruined your brother’s.”

He grinned down at her, the full wattage that made her weak in the knees.

“It’s always been yes with you, Franchesca. There is no one I’d rather have in my corner.”

“Yes?” she repeated.

He nodded. “Yes, and the sooner, the better.”

“Well, we don’t need to move too fast,” she began, feeling hesitation rush up.

“You got down on both your knees—”

“I can’t get down on one knee in this dress! You’d have been looking at my hooha during my very sweet and inspiring speech!”

He was laughing now and lifting her off the ground. She felt him hard against her hip and went quiet. Her brain shifted gears into sexy time.

“I love you, Franchesca,” he whispered against her jaw.

“I love you, Aiden, you stubborn son of a—”

He covered her mouth with his, shutting her up with a kiss. She struggled for half a second, determined to make her point, and then lost her damn mind when his tongue stroked into her mouth. She shoved her fingers into his hair, gripping the silky strands she had missed so much. Breathing him in, she told him again and again as his mouth slanted over hers just how much she loved him.

“How are we going to celebrate?” he asked, breaking free for a second.

“You’re going to bend me over that desk and remind me of everything that I’ve been missing.”

“I’m the luckiest man on the planet.” He nipped at her neck, fisting a hand in her hair.

“Damn right you are.”





Epilogue


(One month later)




“Cannonball!”

Franchesca rolled to her side to watch Aiden at the open terrace door. Sheer white curtains billowed in on the tropical breeze. He was naked, as he had been for most of the twelve hours since they’d been pronounced husband and wife. Her ring finger bore the weight and sparkle of their commitment to each other. A commitment they’d made on the white sand beaches where it had all begun and continued in the same bed where she’d first discovered Aiden Kilbourn’s potency.

“Mmm,” she sighed, stretching her arms over her head. “I could get used to this view for the rest of my life.”

Aiden shot her a cocky grin over his shoulder. His muscled back, and gorgeous ass, showed evidence of the tracks her teeth and nails had taken throughout the night.

“I’m not sure if I’d want this view every day,” he commented. “Your dad just did a cannonball over Marco and Gio and splashed Rachel.”

Frankie snorted. “You did not have to bring them all along, you know.”

“They’re family.”

Marco and Gio shouted something, and there was another loud splash.

“Antonio! Stop splashing. Don’t you idiots encourage him, or they’ll throw us all out of here,” May Baranski screeched at Frankie’s favorite underage cab driver and her brothers.

Frankie flopped back on the pillow. “You can’t take the Brooklyn out of the Baranskis. When are they leaving again?” she asked.

“Tomorrow with Chip and Pru and my parents.”

“I still can’t believe your dad came to the wedding,” Frankie said. She rolled out of bed and padded across the room to the small refrigerator where she found a bottle of water.

“He’s getting used to the idea of letting me make my own decisions. In another five years, he might even like you.”

Frankie laughed. “I’ll hold my breath for that possibility. Did you tell him about Elliot?”

Aiden shook his head and met her where she stood, his hand stroking over her breast and down to the curve of her hip. He circled her body as if he were taking stock of it. “Some things are best left between brothers. But I did tell him I bought Elliot out of the company.”

“A clean slate,” Frankie sighed.

She felt his erection stir as it brushed her ass cheeks. “You’re insatiable.” She reached for him, gripping him at the base.