Page 104 of Above ’N’ Beyond

And the knowledge that he was hers.

…

The only thing worse than having to stop kissing Bella was the raging hard-on he’d have to hide. Kissing her never failed to send his body into overdrive.

More hoots and hollering came from his friends. Reluctantly, he let her pull away. Giving him one last saucy grin before sauntering out to the group of women in the dining room, she winked over her shoulder.

He tracked her every step of the way, grinning like an idiot and not caring that his friends were watching. Finally, he’d come to accept that even a bastard like himself deserved Bella Bianco in his life.

Jamie licked his lips, savoring her taste on his tongue.

Matt chuckled. “You are so whipped.”

“Never thought I’d see it happen.” Nick shook his head.

Markus snorted. “Your Romeo days are over.”

“Jesus.” This came from Eric. “You’ve fallen so hard, it’s a wonder the ground isn’t shaking.”

Dayne laughed outright. “True that.”

“So?” Kade leaned over the bar and clapped Jamie on the shoulder. “How’s it feel?”

“Not bad.” He struggled to hold back a smile, then failed miserably. “Not bad at all.”

Another round of laughter went around the bar, along with more clinking of glasses. For a moment, Jamie didn’t understand the odd, unfamiliar emotions bubbling in his gut. Then it hit him.

Contentment. Fulfillment. Complete and utter love and happiness.

His friends had already found it. Now he’d found it, too, and he no longer felt he was a bad person. Bella had done that, made him feel good about himself. As long as he had her, all was right with his world.

As he poured himself a beer, he thought of how quickly he’d fallen for her. Colpo di fulmine. The lightning bolt of love.

His dad sat at the end of the bar, talking with Steve Palos and Artie Masamoto. Life was back in his father’s step again. If Jamie had learned anything, it was that life was short. You never knew when it could be ruthlessly snatched away.

“Something on your mind?” Kade asked, raising his brows.

He looked at Bella, who laughed at something Ariana said. “Yeah.”

Markus grinned. “Then what are you waiting for?”

“I don’t have a ring.” He’d known this moment was coming, had talked about it with his friends. He just hadn’t planned on it being tonight.

“A ring is just a piece of metal,” Matt said.

Nick nodded. “There are other ways to get the job done.”

Jamie looked down at Jax. His dog cracked his jaws, then dipped his head in a nod. Jamie turned back to Big Mama. Yes, there are.

With shaking hands, he began making the most important cappuccino of his life.

A few minutes and a whole lot of gurgling and hissing later, he expertly poured the foamed milk on top of the dark, steaming liquid. He took a deep breath, then set the cup on a saucer. With his hands shaking worse now, the cup rattled.

As if knowing what he’d been about to do, his dad had come up behind him and looked at Jamie’s creation. “Nicely done, son.”

“Guys.” Kade looked down the bar. “I’d say our man needs backup.”

Dayne grimaced. “Again?”