Jasmine

Once I was released from the hospital, Alamo took me home. His home. There was no way I’d be able to hobble up and down the stairs to my condo, so he insisted we go to his home just outside the city.

Pulling up to his house, I was pleasantly surprised. It was an historic craftsman that appeared to have been completely restored. “Oh, Mo, it’s beautiful.”

“Hopefully, Quin cleaned it. She promised she would.”

I reached for his hand. “Thank you, honey. I really didn’t want to go to my parents’.”

“I didn’t want you to go to your parents’ either. I want you within yelling distance.” He grinned. “I’ll get your chair.”

I had been given a wheelchair for the next two weeks or so, just until I could put weight on one or both feet enough to use crutches. Alamo dragged the chair out of the trunk, then opened my door and lifted me out of the car, settling me in and laying my bag on my lap.

“Badger put a ramp in to make it easier to move you around,” Alamo said, wheeling me to the side of the house and up the newly constructed ramp. Badger had been working construction since he was a teenager, so he was an expert on most building projects.

“That was sweet.”

After unlocking the door, he wheeled me inside and I couldn’t contain my shock. “Ohmigod, Mo, this place is amazing.”

Exposed beams on vaulted ceilings, a gorgeous wood-burning fireplace with built-in bookshelves flanking it, were the centerpiece to a large flat-screen television with a comfy chocolate brown sectional facing it. His kitchen was modern, but classic, with hickory cabinets and granite countertops that had blues, greens, and greys mixed throughout. It was unique and kind of funky. Much like my man.

He leaned over me. “You thought you’d walk into a bachelor pad, huh?”

I grimaced. “Little bit.”

He chuckled. “Well, it was until yesterday. Quin went shopping.”

I reached up and cupped his face. “God, I love you, Valen Slater.”

“Love you right back, Jasmine Buckley.” He straightened and leaned against the back of the sofa. “You want to eat or crash, or what?”

“I really want to wash my hair.” I hadn’t been able to shower for a couple of days because I couldn’t get my bandages wet.

“I’ll get the tub ready and you can hang your legs over the side.”

“Okay,” I said, feeling a blush rush my cheeks.

He hunkered down beside my chair. “You embarrassed?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Why, baby?”

“Because I’m completely unable to take care of myself right now, and I feel like you’re having to go above and beyond,” I said. “I’ve never had someone else bathe me. At least since I was old enough to do it myself.”

“We’ll get the first one out of the way, then when you’re feeling better, I’ll make it interesting,” he said, waggling his eyebrows. 

I giggled. “Thanks, honey.”

He stood again and wheeled me down the hall into the master bedroom...where Scruffy was curled up in the middle of the huge bed. He raised his head with a meow, unfolding himself to walk to me.

“Ohmigod, you got him already?” I patted my thighs and Scruffy jumped into my lap.

“I wasn’t gonna leave him alone in your condo, baby,” Alamo said, stepping into the attached bathroom. “Parker collected him and all his stuff the second you went missing and brought it here. She and Quin kind of took care of shit so I could focus on you.”

“I’ll be sure to thank them.” I bit back tears as I snuggled my cat.

“Babe?” Alamo leaned down to meet my eyes and frowned. “You okay?”

I nodded.

“Then, why are you cryin’?”

“Everyone’s being so sweet. I guess I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed.”

He smiled, kissing me gently. “You feel however you need to feel, baby, just keep me posted on if you need anything.”

“I will,” I promised. “Where are Quin and Kinsey?”

“At the compound. They’ll be home after dinner.”

“As long as they’re not staying away because of me.”

“Not even a little bit. Badger had plans for them.” Alamo lifted Scruffy off my lap and helped me undress. “Let’s get you in the tub.”

As I lay diagonally in Alamo’s large tub, he washed my hair and I tried to ignore the pain in my feet.

“So, Thomas held me in Miss Opal’s wine cellar?”

“Yes. Opal and the butler were upstairs the entire time,” he said, his voice lethal.

“Did she know?”

“She said she didn’t.”

“But you don’t believe her?”

“Baby, where the fuck did she think you suddenly went?”

“She is old,” I countered.

He growled. “Don’t fuckin’ care. She raised a monster.”

I couldn’t argue with that. “Well, I think it goes without saying that she can no longer be one of my clients.”

“Was that even a question?” he demanded.

“No,” I rushed to say.

“Good answer.” He grabbed a towel and wrapped my head. “I’m going to grab a stool, baby. I’ll be right back.”

Returning in record time, he pulled the plug and lifted me onto the stool, wrapping a towel around me. “I can do this, honey,” I said. “I could use a pain pill right about now.”

“Be right back.”

For the rest of the night, Alamo was the perfect, doting boyfriend. By the time Quin and Kinsey got home, I could barely keep my eyes open, so Alamo carried me to bed. He joined me a few minutes later where he wrapped himself gently around me and I fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

Jasmine

Three months later, life had returned to normal. Better than normal, actually. My feet were finally healed. I still had occasional pain if I was on them too long, but for the most part, I was good. Thomas was dead, no new women had been murdered, and Michael was gone for what looked like good.

Alamo and I were closer than we’d ever been. We were discussing living together, but we hadn’t sorted out the particulars yet. I was a little apprehensive, mostly because my parents were pretty traditional (we were in the Bible Belt, after all), and I wasn’t sure if they’d freak if we lived together before marriage, despite how much they loved Alamo. For the moment, Quin and Kinsey were living at his place until the settlement on her home was done, while he was at mine.

My parents were out of town for their anniversary, so Alamo and I were headed over to their place to water plants once he got home. I had a little surprise for my man and I was a little nervous about it... at least about how it would be received.

I heard the key in the lock and stepped out of the kitchen just as Alamo walked in. “Welcome home, honey. How was your day?” I asked, standing on my tiptoes to kiss him.

He chuckled, kissing me deeper. “Now, this is the way I should be greeted every time I come home.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” I promised. “I made dinner. We can eat before we head to my parents’.”

“Sounds good.”

Alamo went to clean up and we ate quickly, before locking up and making the short drive to my family home.

The day was uncharacteristically warm, so once we took care of our chores, I took Alamo’s hand and led him to the back slider. “I have something for you.”

He grinned. “That sounds like fun.”

I bit my lip. “Remember that.”

He frowned. “Why?”

I reached for the tote I’d brought with me and handed it to him. “For you.”

He reached inside and sighed. “Babe, what did you do?”

I clasped my hands to my chest. “Don’t be mad.”

He held up the swim trunks I’d bought and shook his head. “Jasmine.”

“We’re alone. Just you and me, and I have decided you’re going to learn to swim.”

He dropped his head back. “Fuck me.”

I quickly shed my clothes, revealing my sexy one-piece I’d donned earlier. His eyes burned, and I knew I had him. “I bought this the same day I bought those.”

“Babe.”

“Right here, Mo.” I laid my hands on his chest and kissed him gently. “Please, honey.”

“Goddammit.”

I smiled. “So that’s a yes.”

“I can swim, Firefly,” he countered. “I just haven’t...”

“Since you were six.”

“Yes,” he breathed out.

“Perfect. We can just do a refresher, so you feel comfortable on the houseboat next month, then make out in the pool.”

Our family trip was happening in less than six weeks and he’d been hemming and hawing about joining us. The thought of him not with me for a week gave me hives, so I had to figure out a way to get him to go.

He studied me for a few seconds, then gave me a slight nod. “Okay, baby.”

I clapped my hands and he changed into his swim trunks while I grabbed towels, then we stepped out to the covered patio.

* * *

Tybee Island, Summer...

Alamo and I pulled into the parking lot where we’d be leaving the car, and parked as close to the dock as possible. I released my seatbelt and turned toward him. “Ready?”

He chuckled. “Ready.”

“Do you know how grateful I am that you came?”

He undid his seatbelt with a grin. “Grateful’s a strong word, Firefly.”

“Honey, you’re spending a week locked in a houseboat with me and my family, in the middle of a river that leads straight to the ocean, ergo, no escape. Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

Alamo stroked my cheek, then kissed me quickly. “I like your family, Firefly. It’s all good.”

“I’m going to remind you you said that.”

He grinned. “I won’t forget.”

We climbed out of the car and grabbed our bags, then headed down the dock to the awaiting boat that would take us to the houseboat. Our driver, Bill, headed out toward several houseboats in the water and I was surprised when he pulled up to the largest one.

“Wow,” I said. “This isn’t the normal one we rent. It’s way bigger.”

“Your parents probably figured they need more space with us in the mix,” Alamo said.

“Yes, they probably did. I love them so hard.”

Alamo chuckled. “They’re pretty damn cool.”

“They’re here!” Juliet yelled, appearing on the deck with a huge grin. The rest of the family filed out of a large sliding door, and Dad and Simon grabbed bags while Jared made sure our transition from the tender to the houseboat didn’t end in disaster.

The kids (all wearing life jackets), milled around, hugging us, then the older two wanted to show us around.

“We’ll get your bags to your room, honey,” Mom said.

“Thanks, Mom,” I replied, and we followed the kids through the boat.

“This is your room.” Hazel, Jared and Kelly’s ten-year-old daughter, pushed open the third door on the left and I stepped into a surprisingly large stateroom. The queen-sized bed was against the wall across from a sliding glass door that led to a small, private deck. In the room, there was also a dresser and two nightstands.

“Wow,” I breathed out, and pushed open the door at the back of the room. “Ohmigod, honey, we have our own bathroom.”

Alamo chuckled. “Good to know.”

Dad and Jared arrived with our bags a few minutes later and set them inside.

“Holy cow, Dad, this place is amazing.”

He grinned. “I know. There’s room for everyone.”

“We have bunkbeds!” Noah exclaimed.

“Wow,” I said. “Super fun.”

In fact, there were two bedrooms, one with six bunkbeds, the other with four. Perfect for the kids as they grew. No changes to the layout would have to be made for years, which meant, we could rent this one going forward, and everyone would have their own space.

“You two unpack and we’ll meet you upstairs once you’re settled. The kids want to swim before dinner,” Mom said.

I grinned. “Okay, Mom, thanks.”

Everyone left, and I closed the door, wrapping my arms around my man. “I can’t wait to christen this bed.”

He grinned, leaning down to kiss me. “Wanna quickie now?”

I licked my lips. “Hell, yes, I do.”

Unzipping my jeans, he pushed them off my hips, and I slipped my shoes off and kicked the bottom half of my clothing to the corner of the room.

Alamo knelt in front of me and pressed his lips to my clit, running his tongue across it, as I leaned against the door.

“Spread, baby.”

I spread, and was rewarded with his fingers deep inside my pussy, while his tongue continued to work my clit. My climax built, but before I could fully head over the crest, I lost his mouth. I whimpered quietly, but then I was lifted slightly, and Alamo’s cock took the place of his fingers. I was anchored to the door while Alamo slammed into me, and I held onto his shoulders and shoved my tongue down his throat in an effort not to scream in ecstasy.

“Come baby,” he whispered, and I let myself go, dropping my head to his shoulder and squeezing my eyes closed.

I felt his cock pulse inside of me and I kissed his neck, then his cheek, then his mouth. “Holy shit,” I whispered. “That was amazing.”

He grinned, kissing me again as he pulled out of me and set my feet on the ground. “Yeah. I’m gonna like this boat.”

I chuckled. “Told ya.”

We cleaned up, then unpacked and headed upstairs to the great room. Dad was on the deck grilling, and Mom was setting food out on the table. Alamo headed onto the deck, while I joined Jules and Kelly in the galley to help prep food.

We loaded up trays and headed outside where Alamo handed me a beer and we sat in one of the lounge chairs to watch the kids play in the water.

“Food’s up,” Mom called, and the kids climbed out of the water, one-by-one, and sat at the table with towels wrapped around themselves.

Alamo and I joined everyone, and we sat at the table until the sun began to set over the water. The kids had already showered and gotten pajamas on. With the little ones put down, the older ones were allowed to stay up late, and to say they were excited was an understatement.

“I have it on good authority, there’ll be fireworks tonight,” Dad said.

I grinned. “I love fireworks.”

“We know,” Jules and Jared said in unison.

I chuckled and leaned against Alamo, who wrapped a blanket around both of us and kissed my temple. I couldn’t remember a time I felt more elated. I smiled up at him. “I don’t think life can get any better.”

“You don’t think?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s perfect.”

He gave me a gentle squeeze and stepped out of the cover of the blanket... then lowered himself onto one knee.

“Mo, what are you doing?”

My family formed a circle around us, and he opened a red velvet box, revealing a stunning diamond ring.

“Jasmine Elizabeth Buckley, I love you. More than you will ever know. Will you marry me?”

I covered my mouth with my hands and forced back tears. “Ohmigod. Yes!”

He took the ring out of the box and slid it on my finger, then stood and lifted me off my feet, kissing me deeply. My family closed the circle around us and we were gathered in a group hug, just as the first firework hit the sky. Even Jared seemed happy with the news and gave me a quick hug.

Congratulations abounded (Alamo had set everything up, including the fireworks), and then we settled in lounge chairs to watch the rest of the show. Alamo and I were sharing one and I snuggled close, staring at the bling more so than the fireworks show.

“You like it?” Alamo whispered.

“I love it.” I kissed his neck. “But not as much as I love you. I had no idea you were so romantic.”

“Lots of time to learn just how much.”

I giggled. “So very true.”

He shifted, bringing our bodies closer and I settled my head on his chest. As the cool summer breeze wafted over us, Alamo drew the blanket tighter around us, and I held him close as the fireworks ended and there was only the sound of water lapping against the side of the boat.

We’d gone through much in our short time together, but I’d found my forever person and I’d never let him go. Our hearts were finally one.