Page 31 of Dangerous Encore
Inod.
She looks up at me with a soft smile. "Good. I like thinking about it. Ethan Strong, my husband… and one day father of mychildren."
"That's fuckingcheesy."
"I know." She runs her fingers through my hair. "Maybe I just like thinking offuckingyou."
"Maybe?"
She shakes her head. "Notmaybe."
"You look gorgeous as always, Violet." That's Mal's deep voice. He's standing in front of us with two champagne flutes. He hands one to Vi and one to me. "Piper's first.Thenme."
Mal turns to Joel—he's sitting on the couch with his wife in his lap—and motionscomehere.
The drummer whispers something in his wife's ear, then he lifts her into his arms, and makes a show of carrying her toward the diningtable.
She giggles as she wraps her arms around his shoulders. "Myhero."
He sets her down gently. Then he shoots me a wink. "You gotta practice that wedding night shit,Strong."
"Do we still need to practice?" Bella motions to his ring. "I think we know the drillbynow."
"No, we always gotta practice. We can't let Mrs. Coen down. She lives to tell us to shut the fuck up,"hesays.
Bella blushes. "God, she's such a sweetwoman."
"And you're such a dirty girl." he mumbles intoherear.
"Ahem." Piper steps onto a chair. "I believe it's my turn to give a toast. That means no suckingface,Joel."
Everyone in the roomlaughs.
Joel crosses his arms, fauxindignant.
Bella peels his arms apart and slides one around her waist. "We'llbegood."
"That gives you thirty seconds." Kit chuckles. He's standing behind Piper, looking at her like he's worried she's goingtofall.
"Don't I know it?" Piper bends over to pick up her glass of champagne. "I'll keep this short and sweet. Violet, you taught me about boys, and makeup, and clothes. You taught me how to handle myself. You always helped me with my math homework. When you came back into Ethan's life, I felt like I finally had my sister back. But that was nothing compared to what it did to Ethan. He's a different person around you. He's happy. And as much as I want to tell him not to fuck this up, and I do mean that, Ethan. Don't fuckthisup."
Shelaughs
"What I really want to say, is that I've never seen two people who make each other whole the way you and Ethan do. So, congratulations. I hope you have a long, healthy life together." Piper holds up herglass.
Everyone cheers congratulations, and we alldrink.
Violet leans in to press her forehead against mine. I pull her closer. It feels so right holding Violet. Knowing she'll be my wife this timetomorrow.
"Hey, no making out," Joel teases. "We have to torture you morefirst."
"Yes, more torture." Piper giggles as Kit lifts her into his arms and spins heraround.
He sets her on the ground then leans in to whisper inherear.
Shewhispersback.
He actually blushes. Fuck, is my sister some master ofdirtytalk?
