Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll (SEALS, Inc., Book 1)

Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll

EPILOGUE

Rachel suppressed a giggle as she stuck her head out from behind the heavy stage curtain and heard the familiar chaos of screaming women echo off the auditorium walls. A sense of bottomless peace and satisfaction embraced her as she tucked the curtain back into place and headed for Hawke's dressing room.

"The natives are restless," she said as she squeezed past Max into the small room.

"They can wait a few more minutes." Hawke swung her into the circle of his arms.

Her body burned as he crushed her to him and covered her mouth with his. She moaned when his tongue traced a path around her lips and back again before he leaned back to look at her.

"Hawke," she whispered, "the girls are waiting."

"And I shouldn't keep the ladies in suspense," he agreed, amusement in his voice.

"Go," she persisted. "I'll be in my usual spot."

"I have a feeling I may not be so popular after tonight," he mumbled under his breath as he unwrapped himself from her embrace and shuffled her to the door.

Rachel turned to look at him over her shoulder. "What?"

"Nothing." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "See you from the catwalk."

She giggled as he opened the door and delivered her to Max.

"Where's Cameron, Max?" she asked as Max escorted her down the hall and out into the auditorium.

Max grimaced and parked her at the end of the middle runway attached to the stage. "I didn't draw the short straw tonight."

She squinted. "This isn't my normal hangout."

"Change of plans."

She shrugged. She'd learned things were so fast-paced in Hawke's business that sometimes last-minute changes were inevitable.

As the lights dimmed, three massive videoscreens lowered to the stage and the volume of the crowd escalated. When the room was enveloped in darkness, the music began to play and Hawke appeared on the stage. Her body tingled as she took in his appearance, the sexual magnetism that made him so self-confident taunting her. She stared with longing at him, secretly willing him to hurry through his performance.

Rachel watched Hawke mesmerize the crowd with his presence. The video screens flashed in time to the music as slinky pieces of multi-colored lingerie graced the stage. He stepped over each piece and never missed a beat. Hypnotized by the sway of his body, Rachel managed to catch a flash of something new on the screen as he moved across the stage. Not sure she had seen it correctly, she blinked twice and focused on the screen.

Marry Me Rachel.

She turned to look at Max, her eyes wide, demanding clarification. Max nodded in silent agreement.

She looked around the auditorium, wondering if anyone else had become curious. She noticed that several women standing next to her pointed at the screen and shrugged, but became easily distracted by Hawke's continued enchantment.

Convinced the message hadn't caused an uproar, she began to relax and enjoy the show. When Hawke met her at the end of the runway, her calm was shattered by the hunger of his kiss. Fed by his fire, she returned his kiss recklessly, exposing her overwhelming need to be close to him. She gave him a sexy wink before Max led her backstage to tuck her safely into the dressing room.

Assigning a guard to the door, Max disappeared back down the hallway to prevent wayward women from slipping backstage. Rachel arranged herself in a chair, barely able to contain her excitement as she waited for Hawke.

He entered the dressing room not long after, grinning smugly.

"Did you learn anything tonight?" He leaned casually against the locked door.

She crossed her legs and swung one foot. "I sure did."

"What's that?"

"I learned it's breezy when I go to a concert bare-bottomed with my panties in my pocket."

His jaw fell open.

"And," she continued, standing and approaching him, her trembling hands smoothing the open flaps of his shirt away from his chest, "someone asked me a very important question."

"How did you respond?" His voice was hoarse as her fingers worked each remaining button of his shirt loose, one by one.

"I didn't. Yet."

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "There's more to a proposal than the question, Hawke."

He chuckled. "I know."

She bit the side of her cheek as he struggled to bend on one knee in front of her wearing the infamous red, leather pants.

"Rachel, I love you. Will you marry me?"

Tears spilled from her eyes. "Yes, Hawke, I'll marry you."

He stood and wiped her tears with his thumbs. "I have a ring, but you'll have to help me get it."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. Capturing her eyes with his own, he forced her to look down his sculpted chest, past his chiseled abs, finally resting on the zipper between his legs. Hanging from the zipper by a tiny string, a diamond solitaire radiated brightly in the fluorescent light.

He smirked. "I figured this is how it all began."

Her hands shook as she knelt between his legs and carefully untied the ring. "Do you want to put this on me now," she asked, licking her lips as he hardened, "or later?"

"Now," he answered quickly. "We're going to be busy later."

***

Fabulous! Cameron smacked her palm againsther forehead when she approached the backstage entrance and saw Max standing guard.

She smiled a sexy smile. "Hey, Maxie! I forgot my thingie."

"Your thingie?"

She illustrated with her hands. "You know, that contraption that hangs around my neck."

"Your pass."

"My pass hangs on it, yes, but you know me."

"I can't let you back without a pass," he insisted.

"Stop playing! You know who I am."

"Do I?"

"Then go get Sean. Or Hawke."

"And let you sneak back while I'm gone? No can do, Sunshine."

"I don't have to sneak back, they're expecting me."

He pushed himself off the railing. "I'll let you back, Wildcat, but you know what you have to do."

She bobbed her head and her curls slapped her heated cheeks. "Absolutely not."

"Then you're not getting past me."

"You really expect me to flash you?"

He grinned. "No, just rub my head."

* * *

Also Available:   Outspoken Angel (Cameron's story)

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