Page 16 of Kane: One Night with a Biker

Instead of taking it, he caught me up in his arms and spun me around in a circle. “Only if it’s a lifelong agreement. I won’t settle for anything less.”

I laughed and cupped his cheeks between my palms. “No settling required. I’m not sure one lifetime will be enough, but I’m yours, Kane.”

Then his lips touched mine and cemented the agreement between us.

EPILOGUE

KANE

Inever thought I’d be the kind of man who’d settle down. I also never thought I’d be the kind of man who’d patiently sit while a four-year-old wearing a princess costume complete with sparkly tiara painted my fingernails with purple glitter nail polish.

I’d been wrong on both counts.

“Are you actually going to leave the house like that?” Abilene leaned through the doorway to the screened porch. She held our eighteen-month-old daughter on her hip. Motherhood agreed with her, and she’d never looked more beautiful.

“It’s just a little manicure.” I held up my hand and wiggled my fingers.

“Daddy, stop. You’re gonna mess up the sparklies.” Peyton stuck her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.

“Sorry, princess. I just wanted to show your mama what a good job you’re doing.”

Abilene clucked her tongue. “Better wrap it up. Owen and Kira are coming over for dinner, and I need y’all to clear the table.”

“Peyton and I can handle that, can’t we, sweetheart?” I winked at my oldest.

“After your nails are dry.” She nodded, intent on covering my thumbnail in purple.

The guys at the garage would never let me live it down if they caught me with purple painted nails, but I didn’t give a flying fuck. Abilene and I had built the kind of life I’d never dared to dream about as a kid. Our girls were surrounded by people who loved them and would never know what it would be like to carry the kind of pain in their hearts I’d lived with for way too long.

The doorbell rang. Damn, I thought I had a little more time before Owen showed up. With luck, Peyton would rope him into a purple glittery manicure as well. He was almost as much as a softie as me when it came to the girls.

“Make sure you get Daddy’s toenails too.” Abilene blew me a kiss before heading toward the front door.

I watched her go, wishing we had the evening to ourselves. Seemed like we never got enough time alone together. We’d been married for five years and the heat between us had only intensified. Not only was my woman hot as hell, but she’d also figured out a way to balance her career with taking care of the girls and being the best damn partner I could ever ask for. I didn’t know how she did it. I tried to help as much as I could, but she was the one who held our growing family together.

Owen came in, followed by Kira. “Hey, Peyton. Can I take the next appointment?”

“You have to wait your turn, Uncle Owen.” My baby girl was a bossy little thing. I liked to think she got that from her mama, but she probably got it in equal parts from both of us.

“Aren’t y’all a little early?” I asked.

“They’re right on time.” Abilene passed the baby off to Kira. “Come on, old man. I’ve got a surprise in store for you.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“How about a medium-rare steak, a nice bottle of whiskey, and your favorite dessert?” She picked up a tote bag I hadn’t noticed before.

“What are you talking about? I thought we were having Owen, Kira and their crew over for dinner?” I glanced back and forth from my wife to my brother.

Owen held his hands out. “Kira and Abilene made the arrangements. I just go where I’m told.”

“You set this up to surprise me?” I asked Abilene.

“Desperate times call for desperate measures, honey.” She bent down and pressed a kiss to Peyton’s curls. “Kira got tired of hearing just how desperate I’ve been getting so she volunteered to take the girls overnight. We’ve got at least eighteen hours to ourselves with a reservation at the Calhoun’s rental cottage down by the river.”

“And that steak?” I blew on my short fingernails, wondering how long it would take to chisel the polish off my nails.

“I ran it over there earlier along with the charcoal for the grill. I figured with a limited amount of time we’d be better off staying in than going out somewhere.”

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