Love Through LimeLight (13 page)

“Do you think that I can do it?”

Harper raises an eyebrow, wrapping one arm around me. Fat
snowflakes fall on his cheek as he looks at me and I resist the urge to lean up
and lick away the trail of water it leaves behind as it melts.

“Why would you even doubt yourself? With your connections,
you could do anything. This wouldn’t even be a sweat to you.”

Some of the knots of nerves that have been forming in my
stomach release themselves. His confidence warms me even in this chilly New
York night. I take a deep breath, enjoying the way the crisp air fills up my
lungs. The smells of clean horses and leaves are all around me and I love every
second of it. Harper wraps an arm around my shoulders, drawing me in closer.

“Are you too cold?” he asks after a few minutes of perfect
silence. I jerk a little, not realizing I had started to drift off to sleep.
Not out of boredom. I am completely relaxed. Even though we are moving through
the crowded park roads, I feel at ease. If anyone recognizes us, it won’t
matter. Harper won’t let anyone disturb us. He has hired a few covert
bodyguards for the night. They don’t intrude on the date but I know they are
there if we need them.

I shake my head, snuggling closer against him. Tonight has
been magical. He took me to my favorite restaurant and we watched the sun set
through the colored glass at the top of the tower. The food was amazing and the
champagne was even better.

One year.

Today, I have been with Harper for an entire year. “No, this
is perfect.”

I look through the ears of one of the two pure-white horses
pulling our carriage. The fine velvet against my back strokes what little skin
I have exposed and I lay my head against Harper’s shoulder, basking in the
serenity of the moment. I feel like I’m in a dream. Like I’m a fairytale
princess being courted by the perfect prince.

“Good, I’m glad. You should have more days filled with
relaxation and peace.”

Peace. I like the way that sounds. I sigh again, sucking in
the smell and taste of him. I hold it in my lungs, trying to capture more than
just a memory of the moment. He is right. I need more days that are all about
just being
me
.

“We’re here.”

The carriage comes to a smooth stop and I sit up. Harper has
been secretive about this entire date. He’s promised me a surprise that will
blow the top of my head off but I’ll admit that my curiosity is getting the
better of me. He climbs out of the carriage and makes his way around to my
side. “Come on, my opal. I’ve got one more trick up my sleeve for tonight.”

I giggle as I let him help me down. One of the horses gives
a huff as if he will miss us when Harper leads me away from the road and into a
grassy field.

“Where are we going, Harper? I’ve never been to this section
of the park.”

Harper grins over his shoulder and tightens his hold on my
hand. “That’s because this section is usually reserved for city business and
weddings. It’s part of an conservation effort and houses several endangered
flora.”

I raise my eyebrow, once again impressed by the information
he has trapped in his skull. I realize that with his help I could really do
anything. Go anywhere. I am popular and wealthy but he has the right kind of
connections in the places that matter. He will open more doors for me than I
have ever realized. I open my mouth to tell him so but he speaks first.

“This is what I wanted you to see.”

We stop moving and I force my attention back to our
surroundings. We are standing before a medium-sized bush covered with slender
red flowers. I step to the Harper’s side, focusing my gaze on each lovely
petal.

Harper sends me dozens of flowers all of the time. Red
roses, purple orchids, and white lilacs decorate every corner of my office. I
like the expensive, yet delicate look of them. They smell like the finest
perfumes and look like art come alive. In the year we’ve been dating I’ve seen
hundreds of different types of flowers but I’ve never seen this one. “What is
it?”

“It’s the Fallon Lily.”

I jerk my head in his direction and gasp.

Harper is on one knee in the grass, his head bowed. In his
outstretched hand is a red velvet box. My heart leaps out of my chest. It can’t
be…

“I bought the exclusive rights to that flower. In fact, one
of my companies had it engineered, just for you. There is no other in the world
like it.” His eyes lift and his gaze meets mine. My own knees turn to mush
under the weight of that gaze. He looks like he’s going to cry or laugh. Maybe
both at the same time.

“You are a unique and wonderful creature, my opal. You are
sensual in a way that defies logic and you are elegant in ways you have no
idea. Watching you walk is like seeing poetry in motion. Every word that leaves
your lips is graceful and eloquent. You’re strong and dependable but still as delicate
as the rarest of flowers.”

He opens the box, and my eyes fill with tears. The box holds
an engagement ring like none other. It embodies every word he used to describe
me. It’s a set of the most delicate chocolate diamonds, all wrapped around a
single ruby. The cut is unique and shaped a little bit like the flower behind us.

“You are the person I want to spend the rest of my life
with. I want to be the person you come home to after a long day. I want to hold
you up like you seem to hold up the rest of the world. I want to help ease some
of the weight on our shoulders.”

I press my free hand to my mouth when he takes one of my
hands and pulls off my glove. “Harper…”

He shakes his head. “I’m not done. You are gorgeous, Fallon.
You are the kind of woman every man hopes to have in his life—and his bed.” He
adds the last bit with a chuckle but I see the heat in his eyes. It makes me
gulp because it’s full of all kinds of wicked promises.

“But you’re more than that. You’re witty, smart, and kind.
You have the biggest heart and I want to be the man you give that to.”

I can’t stay quiet any longer. A sob of pure joy leaves my
lips and I launch myself at him. He grunts as I slam into him, wrapping my arms
around his neck. “Yes, Harper. Yes, yes!”

He laughs and I delight in the way he trembles against me.
As if he were worried I would say no. Who could say no to him? He pulls away
and slides the ring onto my finger. “So typical, Fallon. You didn’t even let me
ask the question.”

I laugh along with him and he kisses my mouth. The fire
behind that kiss makes my toes curl and my pussy wet. I resist the urge to rub
against him but the strength in his body presses against mine, rubbing against
my sensitive nipples. A puff of air leaves my chest and he kisses me again. For
once he doesn’t pull away. He pushes his tongue into my mouth, sweeping me off
my feet and into his arms. He twirls me in the air and I laugh against his
mouth.

When he puts me back on the ground I’m panting and shaking.
If we weren’t in public I would beg him to fuck me. It occurs to me that with
this step, he has put a due date on our first time. Just the thought of him
pushing inside me and dragging his hands over my naked skin…I lick my lips,
using my free hand to wipe away the tears of joy sparkling in my eyes.

I look down into the hypnotic ruby and gasp. “Is this…that
gem that went missing a few months ago?”

Harper nods and my head spins. Almost four months ago there
were rumors that a local mob boss had lost one of his greatest treasures. It
wasn’t something that was commonly known, of course, but with my connections to
the underground, the information had landed on my desk. The fact that Harper
had it made my head spin. Every time I think I understand what kind of man he is,
he surprises me. “You’ve been planning this for four months?”

Harper shrugs, picking me up again. This time he cradles me
in his arms and I lay my head against his chest. He takes a step closer to the
bushes and I take in a deep breath. The flower smells like…me. I can’t quite
explain it but it’s spicy and sweet at the same time. Not overpowering but
definitely something you take notice of.

“Fallon…I’ve been planning this since the moment I met you.”

Stunned, I look up into his face. What I find there is
absolute truth. He means every word he says and with every bit of intensity
that goes with it.

“Well…then I’m glad.”

The relief that spreads across his face is enough to make me
want to kiss his face. This is my Harper. This intensity and vulnerability
wrapped in one.

He has stolen from a mob boss for me. Not only that but it isn’t
as if he can hide what he’s done once the engagement is publicized. Everyone will
be interested in the stone in my ring and eventually the truth will come out.
But he doesn’t care. He is completely unconcerned about what might or might not
happen.

And he has done it all for me.

His heart thumps against my cheek and I close my eyes,
listening to the sweet sound. “I love you, Harper.”

“And I love you, my opal. Thank you for agreeing to be with
me for the rest of our lives.”

The moment is almost too serious. I crack a grin. “Well,
only as long as you treat me the way I deserve. I might have to upgrade if I
think you’re slacking off.”

He chuckles, dispelling some of the heavy atmosphere. “Then
I guess I will have to make sure that you are
always
satisfied.”

The way he says it makes me blush. I started out wanting to
tease him but suddenly I am very much aware of the way his big hands are holding
me. He is a slight man. The trim of his body belies the strength hidden in his
muscles. I want to touch him but I settle for snuggling tighter against him.

“Do you promise?”

His breath sweeps over the top of my head. “I
swear
.
And Fallon?”

His heart rate speeds up. I feel mine do the same. Even
though I don’t know what he is thinking, I know it will be something I enjoy.
Maybe he’s thinking the same sexy thoughts I am. “Yes, Harper?”

“I plan to satisfy you in every way you have ever wanted.
Anything you need, all you have to do is tell me and you shall have it.”

The dark promise in his voice makes me tremble against his
hold. He knows exactly what I’m thinking and if his tone is any indication,
he’s thinking it too. There it is again, that inkling that I should be very
afraid of this man. That he could gobble me up and I would ask him for more.

Harper is dangerous.

And I love it.

“It’s been three months. How long does it take to plan a
wedding?”

I groan at Johnni’s question. I have asked the same
question. I’ve always been the type of person who goes after exactly what I
want, so I expected to be married by now. But every detail has to be perfect in
a wedding as big as this one. The guest list even has royalty on it. It has to
be spectacular. “You have
no
idea.”

He laughs. “Have you at least settled on a color palette?
You know you’re being too picky, right?”

I huff. “I’m not. I want something classy but sexy. Is that
so hard? My planner doesn’t seem to get it. I’m not asking for much.”

Johnni snorted. “Lanae Starke is one of the most successful
wedding planners in the world. She not only makes beautiful dresses, she’s got
all the strings to pull when it comes to vendors and designers.”

“Then why can’t she give me what I want?”

“Maybe because you’re impossible to please?”

I growl, throwing myself back into a sitting position. “I
know exactly what colors I want, you know.”

“Oh, really. And what are those?”

I riffle through my purse until I find my swatches. The four
colors I hold up are bold. They’re not the whitewashed colors Lanae keeps
trying to push on me.

Johnni whistles. “Red for a summer wedding is pretty
ballsy.”

It takes all of my willpower not to flip my hair. “So? It’s
sexy and vibrant. I think that matches my personality better than the sage and
sandalwood she keeps trying to get me to go with.”

Johnni taps a long, blunt finger against his chin. “Sage and
cream would go with your skin color.” He cuts me off when I open my mouth to
argue with him. “But! I think these colors would work. It would be hard for
anyone else to pull off but you could do it.”

I preen, sliding the cards back into my bag. Johnni’s
approval is what I have been waiting for. I know he won’t lie to me and he knows
a thing or two about fashion. I text Lanae with my response to her suggestion.

Not even three seconds pass before she responds.
Okay,
we’ll go with the reds. Do you still want a white gown?

We have also discussed the cut of my gown in the last couple
months. I want to go with an elegant heart-cut corset and a mermaid silhouette.
She wants to dress me like a cupcake. I tilt my head to the side, looking at my
screen. If she wants to dress me like a cupcake, I wouldn’t mind a few
sprinkles.
About that…

I explain what I have in mind.

She responds to my idea quickly and with exclamation marks.

I have a moment of relief before she starts texting me about
the rest of the details we have to iron out.

I groan again, collapsing against the lounge in Johnni’s
lavish living room. Johnni and I have always had similar tastes when it comes
to furnishings. He likes a bit more color than I am comfortable with in my
dwellings, but everything in his five-bedroom brownstone is high-end. Cream
leather and white metal are highlighted by plum accents and dark ribbons of
brown. I can appreciate the attention to detail he puts into every single
element in the homey space.

I will mourn the necessary changes to baby-proof the house.

He laughs and hands me a drink. I don’t even stop to figure
out what it is. Instead, I throw it into the back of my throat and swallow.
“Ugh. Is this mixed?”

“Nope. You looked like you needed something straight.”

I toss him a grateful grin before closing my eyes. “I’ve
been with the planner all day. She had sixteen band options. Six. Teen.”

Johnni tries to hide his laughter but I hear it in his
voice. “You should have done what Evan and I did.”

I shake my head. “That wouldn’t work. The paparazzi would
have a field day if I eloped. Not to mention all of the people we know. Can you
imagine how many angry phone calls I’d have to field?”

“Or dodge. Just ignore them.”

“That works so well.”

The walkie-talkie on the coffee table chimes and I pry open
one eye to get a glimpse at the baby on the screen. “Mr. Johnni, the baby is
down for her nap. Would you like for me to prepare tea for you and Ms. Opal?”

Johnni glances at me and I shake my head. I ate with the
planner so I’m not hungry. The only thing I want to drink at the moment is
alcoholic. Johnni pushes a button on top of the walkie-talkie and responds.
“Thanks, Liota. We don’t need anything at the moment. Why don’t you crack open
that book while you wait for Semaj to wake up?”

The nanny sighs. “You know I prefer to read on my downtime.”

Johnni grins. “I know. But you know much I like it when
you’re well rested and relaxed around the baby.”

It’s my turn to hide my grin. Johnni and Evan are great
parents. They make every decision for their baby as if it were the end of the
world. Lately, they have decided that “positive vibes” are the only kind allowed
around the baby. They are absolutely positive that negativity will stunt her
growth.

“Yes, sir. I’ll get right on that.”

“Thanks, Liota.”

Johnni catches the look I’m giving him and shrugs. “Better
safe than sorry.”

This time I can’t hide my laughter and he throws a pillow at
me. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You’re just so maternal.”

Johnni pours me another drink. “Well, after all of the hoops
we had to jump through in order to adopt her? Damn right, I’m maternal. I feel
like I could pick up a bus if she needed me to.”

I fan my face. “Whoa. Fierce. This is a good look for you.”

Johnni winks at me. “Of course it is. All looks are good on
me.”

Giggling, I sit back. It’s been too long since I’ve had a
chance to meet up with Johnni. It feels like we’ve spent the entire year apart.
Between my wedding plans and his adoption, we haven’t had many chances to get
out and party.

And that is okay.

That isn’t my life anymore. I am a different person now.
Maybe I’ve grown up a little. Or maybe I’ve grown a little more boring. Either
way, I don’t care. I am happy with the way things are going.

“So,” Johnni says and pours a third drink, forcing me to
keep pace with him. “What’s this I hear about you dabbling in activism?”

Heat spreads across my face. I hadn’t meant for this
information to be out in the grapevine but as usual—when it is me—everything
moves at warp speed. “It’s no big deal. I signed a few petitions and one of my
causes asked me if I would act as a spokesperson.”

Johnni shifts in his lounger. “Are you sure you want to step
into that world? It might be just as cutthroat as the last world you tore
apart. Maybe even more so.”

If he were anyone else, I would hedge. But with Johnni, I
never have reason to lie or pretend. “I think I might be up for the challenge.
I could help a lot of people with my resources and pull.”

I hold my breath as I wait for his response. He takes
another swig from his drink before nodding. “You’re right. You could. And it’s
not like you’re afraid of causing waves. Hell, you’re like a walking tsunami,
just waiting to swallow up some poor, unsuspecting island.”

I laugh and even more tension leaves my body. “Only if that
island is something unjust. I’m looking for real change here.”

“Change, huh? That’s a tall order. You might have to climb
pretty high in order to make that happen.”

I shrug one shoulder. “I haven’t made any decisions yet but
I have no doubt that it will be difficult. There’s always some obstacle to
overcome.”

Johnni is quiet for a few minutes. He just watches me as if
I’m a bug under a microscope. Then he lifts his glass to me. “You’re different
lately, Fallon. Better. And I don’t just mean because you have a good man now.”

His praise makes me blush. I think he’s right.

I am better now. Older, stronger, more assured.

And I have Harper. My rock. He keeps me stable and grounded
when things feel like they’re out of hand. I have always been the kind of
person who can handle a crisis with grace and poise. But with him around, I
feel like maybe I don’t have to keep myself quite so aloof.

I reach for Johnni’s drink and swallow the rest of it in one
gulp. He claps a little and I give a bow.

He teases me when I pick up my phone again, ready to conquer
all of the decisions I’d been avoiding. “Look out, world, Fallon’s got her game
face on.”

I wink right back at him. “You know it.”