Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
“So now we have more pressing matters to tend to,” I said, sliding my hand down his back, slipping it through his jeans. “What kind of underwear do you have on? You didn’t wear long boxers over just to piss me off, did you?”
“Boxers?” he asked, side-eyeing me. “Hell no. I’m wearing my fighting panties.”
He offered a sly wink, which made me roll my head back and enjoy a laugh that eased all the tension remaining within me.
Epilogue
Keegan
Casey, Steve, and I clustered together at the bar at Fever.
Two days before New Year’s, the big-screen TV behind the shirtless bartender still had some festive white Christmas lights taped around the frame as it replayed King Lucas’s speech from the previous week. The King had not only praised the parliament’s vote—a clear victory for equal marriage—but had disclosed the nature of their mother’s relationship with Sharon, revealing a secret he and O had carried for far too long.
“Turn it up, turn it up!” Jace said as he neared the bar. He started passing out to the Saturgays the shots the bartender had just poured.
The bartender grabbed the remote, amping the volume as King Lucas announced, “Now and forever after today, the Crown’s priority will be to ensure that no citizen will ever be discriminated against for their love. The aim must be that all citizens be treated equally, to live without fear of persecution. It is time that we as a nation ‘come out’ by acknowledging the same-sex relationships within our collective social consciousness.”
As Town Square erupted with applause on-screen, so did the bar patrons who had congregated in Fever to celebrate the international victory.
“Wow. Wish we could have been there,” Steve said. “That looks crazy busy, even more so than when we were there back in August.”
“It was incredible,” I said. “People kissing in the streets, everyone flying rainbow flags in support. After the speech, we went down to the courthouse and watched the crowd of citizens getting married, men and women sharing their love without shame or worry. It was so special to get to be there for it.”
As Jace finished passing shots around to the guys, I heard—
“Hey, no, no, not without the prince himself!” Carter shouted, snatching another shot off the bar.
“I’m coming! I’m coming!” Owen called, those words that had become so familiar to me since we’d officially become a couple.
Those words that were so distant from that initial no-messing-around rule we’d made.
He jogged from across the bar and took the shot. He toasted with the Saturgays, but passed his shot to Carter, who eagerly enjoyed it.
Casey called out, “Hey, what about us?”
“While you’re in America, you’ll have to wait until you’re twenty-one,” my bro pointed out.
“Or until my mom brings it over for these Sunday Fundays I’ve been hearing about,” Dax said, sounding annoyed and amused at the same time.
“I would never!” Serena exclaimed as she hooked her arms around Casey and me. “Unless you really needed them…”
“We’re good for now, I think,” I said with a laugh.
“Another shot, Saw?” Carter asked.
Sawyer eyed his empty plastic cup before glaring at Carter. “I worry you might be trying to get me tipsy to take advantage of me.”
“I wouldn’t be getting you drunk for that. You’d need all your strength to give this ass what it needs.”
“Needy ass sounds about right. And no, thank you.”
“At least you know what you’d be getting,” Carter said with a wink, turning to display his ass for Sawyer, who rolled his eyes before telling him, “If you’re having one, I can do another.”
Cam draped his arm over Sawyer’s shoulders. “Let me know when I need to call the Uber, bro.”
“Just don’t try to sneak out on me, Cam,” Jude said as he snuck up beside them. “Had a tough week, and I plan on shutting this place down.”
“Don’t worry, I can take care of you and Sawyer.”
“Sounds like it’s been decided, then,” Ash said, turning to the bartender. “Rafe, you mind pouring another round?”
The guys shared some more shots before Carter mentioned something about stalking his latest prey and slipped away from the group. Since Carter had broken it off with the guy he’d been seeing while working on the autumn festival, he’d found plenty of guys who were eager to celebrate his newly recovered single status with him.
O and I continued catching up with everyone, making our way around the club. The night reminded me of so many of the parties and events I’d come to experience in my short time with a royal. I was growing accustomed to this expected mingling, and really, it had never gotten too bad—certainly not as it had when my brother had been running around the globe for his endorsement deal.
However, as much as I enjoyed getting to see everyone, Owen had only just returned from his latest trip to Parlaisa, and I selfishly wanted him all to myself.