Page 89 of Rocked By the Alpha

Then he slides his hand into her hair and his smile touches her lips softly. “I love you, Ruby Bloom,” he whispers. He kisses her warm mouth and her sweet lips and that warmth inside only grows until he’s certain if anyone looked down on the beach now they’d see him glowing.

Her hand finds his at her neck and slides over it, then she pulls away. “I’m sorry about that dinner with my parents. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you afterwards. I—”

“I’m sorry I said all that shit about your parents not caring, about Nat controlling you, Ruby. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“But you were right. That’s why it hurt so much. That’s why I got so mad at you.” Her fingers stroke over his. “I wanted them to like you.”

“Maybe they do.” He glides his palm over the hot gland at the back of her neck.

“We’re not their kind of people. I’ve never been what they wanted me to be. I tried for a long time but it wasn’t right. I just wish they …”

“Loved you for who you are?”

She nods, a tear falling from her eye.

“Ilove you for who you are, Ruby. Hopefully that can be enough for you.”

“It can. It is. I’m sorry.”

Shifting in the seat, he wraps her in his arms, pressing her head into his chest, kissing the crown of her head and letting her sob. After a minute, she leans away, wiping the wet from her face and smiling.

“I’ve made your shirt all wet again. And do I have mascara smeared all over my face?”

“You look beautiful, Ruby.”

“It’s going to be tricky making this work. Two rock stars.”

“You said that before. It’s not tricky. We’ll work it out. I’ve got enough money that I’ll hire a private jet to fly out to every gig every night if I have to. I’m used to chasing you about. And besides, you’re moving into my place.”

“I’d like that.”

A voice calls out behind them and they both turn to see his sister waving, beckoning at them from the terrace. “Dinner,” she calls.

“We could skip it,” he says, nuzzling her throat, “head back to my room.”

“Don’t you have a speech to make?”

“Ah shit,” he says.

“Don’t worry, Alpha, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be right here after.”

And this time he believes her.

Epilogue

“You ready?” he asks her, her hand clasping his tightly.

“Fuck, yes.” She beams at him wickedly.

“Did I tell you, you look sensational? Even better than last year? I’m going to have a hard on the whole time we’re playing out there!”

She bumps her shoulder against his. “Keep your mind on the music and out of the gutter … at least until this performance is over. Then you can do all the dirty things you’re dreaming of doing to me.”

“Shit! All of them?” He smirks.

“Every single one,” she promises, her burning eyes finding his before she gazes out to the stage. The host of the American Music Awards stands in the centre, illuminated by scores of spotlights, and beyond him sits the darkened audience. They can hear the murmuring of voices and laughter from the crowd. Then their names are being announced and a stage hand motions for them to go.

They stride onto the stage hand in hand, the audience cheering as Ruby waves and he salutes them. He leads her over to the piano waiting for her in the centre of the stage and positions himself by a microphone, gripping his guitar in his hands.