Page 169 of Jay Bird

She slipped her hand into his and started toward the hallway, but after two steps she glanced toward the couch where Lily remained sound asleep, the unicorn still clutched against her chest while Ellie Two snored beside her.

Willow looked back at Jay Bird. “We probably have twenty minutes.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Twenty?”

“Maybe thirty if Santa completely wore her out.”

“Jesus. No pressure.”

Willow bit back a laugh. “You said you were a SEAL. Adapt and overcome.”

The look he gave her nearly made her lose it.

“Woman, that is not how I pictured this conversation going.”

“Too late now.”

Still laughing softly, Willow tightened her fingers around his and led him down the hallway. When they reached the bedroom, she stopped with one hand resting against the doorframe and looked back at him.

Jay Bird wasn’t rushing her. He wasn’t pulling her inside or deciding what happened next.

Even now, after she had agreed to marry him, he was waiting for her to choose.

Willow smiled, stepped into their bedroom, and gently tugged her fiancé in after her before closing the door behind them.

EPILOGUE

By the time dinner was over, Derek had completely lost count of how many people were inside his house. Not that it mattered. Every available chair had been dragged into the dining room at some point, several of the kids had abandoned the table entirely and migrated to the living room floor, and Juliette had somehow managed to feed what felt like half the United States Navy without looking remotely stressed about it. Christmas music played softly from the speakers, plates of half-eaten desserts covered the kitchen island, and somebody had already started a second pot of coffee even though it was nearly eight o’clock.

Derek stood near the edge of the living room with a mug in his hand and took it all in.

Alpha and Bravo teams were scattered everywhere. Some of the guys were talking near the fireplace while their wives occupied the couches and chairs, and the kids had taken over every remaining inch of floor space. Amira and Sienna were sitting suspiciously close together beneath the Christmas tree, whispering about something while occasionally looking around to see if anyone was watching them. Derek had learned over the years that when those two got that quiet, someone should probably intervene before property damage occurred.

He considered volunteering, then decided he had already served his country enough.

Across the room, Jay Bird sat on the couch with Lily tucked against his side while Willow talked with Mia and Riley nearby. The engagement ring on Willow’s finger had been noticed approximately thirty seconds after they had arrived, and Jay Bird had endured exactly the amount of harassment Derek expected.

Joker had nearly choked on his drink when Willow announced that Jay Bird had proposed that morning, while Playboy immediately wanted to know whether Jay Bird had actually managed to use words or had just handed her the ring and grunted. Aussie had asked whether Lily had helped with the proposal, and Bear, proving once again that he possessed more common sense than most of the men in the room, had congratulated them and wisely stayed out of the rest.

Derek had mostly sat back and enjoyed watching his last bachelor take the abuse.

Something about it felt incredibly satisfying. For years, Derek had watched the men under his command walk into situations that should have broken them and somehow come out stronger on the other side. He had seen them injured, grieving, angry, and occasionally so damn stubborn that he had seriously considered requesting reassignment for the sake of his blood pressure.

Now, when he looked around the room, he didn’t just see the men who followed him into battle. He saw husbands and fathers surrounded by people they loved.

Even Jay Bird. That one still got him, though, judging by the way Jay Bird was helping Lily operate some noisy Christmas toy that would probably drive him insane before New Year’s; Derek didn’t think the man had any complaints.

“You’re doing it again.”

Derek glanced sideways and found Juliette beside him carrying a glass of wine. “Doing what?”

“Watching everyone like a proud father.”

Derek frowned. “Don’t ever say that in front of them.”

Juliette leaned against him, clearly enjoying herself. “Why? Commander Dad has a nice ring to it.”

“Absolutely not.”