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I reach up and cup his face, sliding my thumb along his cheekbone. “I’m glad you’re with us,” I whisper back.
He pulls away enough that Dominic and Xavier can move in, and each of them kisses me. I can feel the marks throbbing, with residual pain, but also with the awareness of sensation. Like them being so close satisfies the connection between us and makes it that much stronger.
I feel whole. Complete. Happy.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I’m home.
Epilogue
Penelope
Several Months Later
We step into the conservatory, and I’m in awe of how beautiful it is. It’s an octagonal building, and the walls are made of floor to ceiling windows, giving it all a greenhouse effect. The plants add to that, and I take it the sprawling, lush leaves that are everywhere. There are flowers in all different colors, and the air is perfumed with their scents. Tables are set up around the space, with a stage and podium at the front, and it all feels like something out of a botanical dream.
“Do you like it?” Xavier asks, leaning in to nuzzle against my neck.
“It’s beautiful,” I reply. “I’ve never been anywhere like this before.”
“We’ll take you to the botanical gardens one day,” he promises with a smile. “You’ll love that.”
We’re here to celebrate Vantage Digital Systems breaking two hundred concurrent clients, a milestone that boggles my mind when I think about it. My men have worked hard for this, and I’m proud to be here to celebrate it with them.
We’re all dressed up, me in another dress that they picked out for me. This one is a rich blue, and they’re dressed to complement the color. They look amazing, of course. They always do. And judging from the way they can’t seem to take their eyes off me, they like how I look in their gift as well.
That helps soothe some of my nerves, at least.
There’s always a little bit of anxiety that comes with these sorts of things. They’re fancy, people have expectations, and I’ve been out in the public more as their wife these last few months than I was before. There are so many eyes on me, and I’m worried about doing the wrong thing.
But of course, they can tell. Dominic takes my hand and squeezes it lightly. “You’re going to be fine. This is all going to be fine,” he says.
I laugh a little. “Well, coming from you, I know that has to be true. You hate these things.”
He shrugs. “I’d just rather be at home with you. Always.” His gaze is heated as he sweeps it from head to toe over me.
I grin at him, poking him in the side. “This is supposed to be your day anyway. You don’t have to spend time reassuring me.”
“It’s your day too,” Tristan points out. “And we’re very, very proud of you.”
I smile, touched to hear that. My stomach has been fluttering all day, and not just because of this event.
We move deeper into the space, and immediately get swept up into talking to people. Current clients, people who want to be clients, investors. It seems like there’s a line of people wanting to shake my husbands’ hands and congratulate them.
Some of them stop to talk to me as well, and I paste on a smile, ready to be their biggest cheerleader today.
Champagne is flowing, and the mood is definitely right for a celebration. Everyone is merry, and even Dominic is smiling as he chats with one of their investors about something.
My heart swells to see it.
There are servers circulating with appetizers, and I help myself to a few of them, more to have something to do with my hands than anything else. The men opted to not do a formal, sit down dinner, instead having the food served buffet style so people could serve themselves.
Dessert will be the exception to that.
We end up at a table together after a while, Xavier eating roast pork with a rich sauce that tastes amazing. “I’m tired of schmoozing,” he says, making a face. “I have better things to be doing with my mouth.”
He knows exactly how that sounds because he winks and then licks some of the sauce from his fork.
“You’re terrible,” I tease, shaking my head. He feeds me a bite of pork, and end up going to get my own plate.