Page 55 of Under the Lights (The Big Boys of BRU #2)
Five years later… Dom The sun had already disappeared behind the horizon, but the sky was painted in soft shades of orange and pink. A stark contrast to the white facade of the villa the reception was being held at.
String lights were already twinkling in the twilight, a canopy over the open-air dance floor.
In the background, the turquoise water of a pool glimmered, and the sound of our guests — most of whom were already tipsy — dancing and laughing together could be heard.
I watched Sierra from across the patio. She was barefoot now, her white gown hitched up a little, and she was glowing with happiness.
She looked as if she belonged in the spotlight. Not just tonight, but in every stadium and arena she’d ever dreamed of. I’d always known she was mine. But seeing her now, radiant and free, felt like salvation.
Like everything we’d fought for had led us here.
It hadn’t been easy getting here.
I thought about the San Francisco Guardians, the team that drafted me not long after Sierra signed her first pro contract with the Los Angeles Sirens — a team that fit perfectly into our California life.
Even before my NFL draft day, though, I’d followed her west, finishing my degree at a nearby college and carving out a place for us both.
The photographer tapped me on the shoulder and explained that she was about to pack up.
I pulled her aside and gave her murmured instructions, a devilish grin playing on my lips. “Just keep snapping. Don’t stop.”
Sierra, meanwhile, was still laughing with our friends, completely unaware.
Knowing she might castrate me for this, but taking my chances anyway, I strode up to her, grabbing her by the waist.
She jumped, startled, and laughed up at me, “What are you—”
“Trust me,” I whispered, my head bowed, so my lips brushed against the shell of her ear.
Not giving anything else away, I cleared the distance to the pool in a few long strides, carrying her bridal-style, and jumped.
No hesitation. No regrets.
She let out a yelp in mid-air, and then nothing but water surrounded us. We splashed to the surface, both of us wiping the water from our faces.
Flashbulbs went off, there were gasps and laughter, but all I could see was her. The white dress was floating around us, my shirt plastered to my chest, the ink now shining through the almost transparent fabric.
Sierra’s eyes were wide — but then she laughed, truly, boisterously, full of joy.
“You’re insane.” She shook her head, drops of water clinging to her lashes, and I flashed her a smile.
“Yeah, but now I’m your problem for life, Wifey.”
Pulling her flush against me, I pressed my forehead to hers, both of us soaking wet and laughing like idiots. That photographer better have her finger on that trigger non-stop.
Suddenly, she froze while treading water. A look of disbelief crossed her face, and her eyes widened.
“Wait … this is what you did the night we met.”
I smirked, elated that she’d made that connection, that she hadn’t forgotten either. “Told you, I fell for you the second I pulled you under.”
Our guests cheered as we shared a kiss full of passion, promise, and love. Champagne was popped, and we waded over to the stairs leading out of the pool.
We climbed out, still dripping, and someone thrust champagne flutes into our hands. We posed shamelessly for the camera, soaking wet but stupidly happy.
She wrung out her dress, and I spun her in a circle, pressing her backside against my front as I hugged her from behind.
“Still want to run?”
Her face lit up with a radiant smile, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Ask me again tomorrow.”
***
Sierra
There had been so many milestones before tonight. Signing with the Los Angeles Sirens, stepping into the professional world with a team that felt like home. But the biggest highlight?
The Olympics. Standing on that court, silver medal around my neck, with my team beside me, knowing we’d given everything for that moment.
That was the pinnacle.
Dom and I grew alongside those victories. It wasn’t just about football or volleyball. It was about us building something lasting, one game at a time.
Tonight, under this soft sky and among friends, that felt more real than ever.
Maybe it began with fire. But this… this was what forever looked like.
Soaked to the bone, wrapped in his arms, and still choosing him. It started with sparks and ended under the lights — drenched, breathless, and completely his.
Just the way I was always meant to be.
THE END