Page 78 of Hot Irish Halloween

“You would do that?” Penny asked breathlessly.

“I told you, Penny. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. I don’t really have a choice. Just tell me you’re with me. Tell me you love me, angel.” His lips roamed over her cheek again, kissing the corner of her mouth. He gripped her, needing her to say the words that would make his whole world right. She answered only with a softmoan, and her quivering body pressed against his. “I love you, Penny. I love you so much.”

“I’m with you,” she sighed, resting her hand on his chest, right above his racing heart. “I love you, Jack. And…I trust you. If you say you know what you’re doing, I trust you.” Penny took a deep inhale and looked up at him. “If you need this one last fight, then I can’t take that from you. I don’t want either of us looking back on our lives with regrets.”

“Are you saying you’re okay with it? Really okay?” he asked, searching her face. She looked determined.

“I don’t love it. I’m sorta wishing you were a hot baker or a hot dentist or something like that, but that’s not who I fell for.” She smiled, but when she touched his face, her eyes were serious. “I fell in love with an honorable man who would do anything for the people he cares about. I fell in love with a warrior. That’s you, Jack. I can’t ask you to stop being that man. Fight the bastard. But you better win.”

He nodded, his entire body fiery with pride in her, his chest so painfully open to her. But he no longer feared everything inside him would pour out. His heart was in good hands, finally. In Penny’s hands, where it belonged. Her eyes were shining with sheer adoration for him, and he was humbled yet so full of joy.

“Say that again, angel,” he whispered.

“Which part?”

He huffed a laugh, wiping his nose again. “The part where you tell me you love me. I liked hearing it.”

“I love you. So much. I aminlove with you.” Penny’s smile was watery, but this time, her voice was steady. Sure.

“Good, because now that you’ve said it, I’m going to want to hear it every day from now on, just the way I’m going to tell you how much I love you. Every day. For the rest of our lives.” Running his thumb across her lips, swollen from emotion and his kisses, Jack said, “Thank you for trusting me.” And this time,the impulse to tell her exactly what he needed felt good. It felt right. “Marry me, Penny. Let’s get married. Right now.”

28

SET ME FREE

PENNY

Two hours later, her parents’ cars rolled into the driveway side by side like a synchronized performance. Penny had texted them each and told them they had a special guest at the house, so they wouldn’t be surprised. When they walked in, she and Jack were waiting for them in the living room.

“My man,” Russell said with the biggest grin. He came over to shake Jack’s hand and give him a hard pat on the back. “Great to finally meet you, Jack. I’m Russell.” He wouldn’t let go of Jack’s hand, staring at him with that grin that was starting to border on fan worship.

“Dad,” Penny said softly, lifting her eyebrows.

“It’s great to meet you in person, too, sir. And Mrs. May —”

“Call her Erica,” Russell interjected, still grinning big. Jack’s hand was still clutched in his. Oh God, he looked starstruck.

“Russell, let the man have his hand back before you break it,” Erica said with an exasperated sigh. Then, smoothing her hair from out of her eyes, she offered her own hand to Jack and saidin a cool tone, “It’s about time you came. Call me Erica. Or Mom. Whichever you prefer. I assume you’re staying for dinner.”

Jack’s eyes widened. He’d mentioned more than once he didn’t think her mother liked him very much, so to hear the words “call me Mom” tossed out there so casually was probably shocking.

He responded, “I wouldn’t want to put you through the trouble. I was thinking of taking you all out for dinner, if you’d like. Anywhere you’d like.”

One of their favorites was the restaurant of choice, an Italian place on Main with the good silverware. They chatted about Jack’s gym and his parents. Jack didn’t have to ask many questions about them since Erica took control of the conversation for the most part. He let her, grinning when she told him anecdotes about her daughter, the “will o’ the wisp,” and her wild youth. Penny groaned but laughed; she’d already told Jack a fair number of embarrassing incidents that had happened in her tweens and teens.

Then, after paying the bill despite Russell’s argument that he should take it, Jack reached over and held her hand on the tablecloth. His serious expression caused her parents to exchange glances.

“So…” Erica began, folding her hands together. “Did Penelope tell you she’s decided to buy her great-grandmother’s house? Are you amenable to living in New York, Jack?”

“We’ve discussed it. Penny is fine with living most of the year in Dublin, so I can keep training students at my gym. We’ll spend summers and holidays here. But first things first. We’re getting married before we go back.” His tone was measured and firm, making it clear their plans weren’t up for debate.

It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that her fatherdidn’tlook surprised, although he pretended to be by putting his hand over his mouth with comically wide eyes. They’d gotten the licensefrom the county clerk, who just happened to be the guy who golfed with Russell on the local course.

Erica’s shock, on the other hand, seemed genuine. “Well, when are you going back? How much time do I have to plan the wedding?” she asked, her hand literally flying up to clutch at her pearl necklace.

“In two days. The marriage is happening tomorrow afternoon. Courthouse,” Jack responded.

At her mother’s look of disappointment, Penny quickly supplied the rest of the information. “We want a wedding, just not right now. Let’s plan for next spring to give us all the time we need to coordinate. We’ll do it here.”

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