The Marine’s Seduction (Storm Corps Book 1) Page 14
“I’m not going to try to fuck you, baby, I just need to hold you.”
“I get that,” she smiled in understanding. “When I saw you after your surgery, my heart broke. I was so scared you weren’t going to wake up. We almost lost you.”
“Hey, almost only counts in—”
“Horseshoes, yes, I know. But you weren’t getting that knock on the door. Thank God, Asher was smart enough to come get me before he went to the hospital. I don’t think I could have gotten that news over the phone and stayed sane.”
“That’s one benefit to having a large family,” Roan joked.
“Do you want one? A large family I mean?”
He hesitated, then said, “Yeah, I think I do. I mean, maybe not six kids, but three or four? I can’t imagine my life without my siblings, and it would be terrible if Bennett never knew that.”
“Olive has always been my rock,” she nodded, “especially during the last nine months. I have to admit though, I’m relieved to have made amends with my mom. I’m going to need her experience with Bennett.”
“I doubt it. You’re incredible, you’ll figure things out. I’ll be the one stumbling and screwing up.”
“Don’t doubt yourself. I don’t,” she told him. “You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever known. I thought an intimate relationship with you would ruin our friendship, but I was wrong. We’re stronger together than we ever were alone. I love you, Roan Storm.”
“I love you too,” he hesitated. “I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed by me though. So just tell me when to back off, and I will. It’s going to take a lot of adjusting what with sharing your home with me and Bennett now.”
“Yeah, so much for walking around naked and half hour bubble baths,” she joked.
Roan felt his body respond, and he had to remind himself she was off limits for six weeks. “Oh, baby, you can walk around naked anytime you’d like. I’ll cover his eyes.”
Bristol just rolled her eyes and went back to watching Bennett nurse. The quiet moment was comforting, and Roan slid down to sit against the doorjamb, so he could just watch them.
She could feel his eyes on her, and she had a million things to say, but she had no idea how to say them. They’d expressed their love in words, and they weren’t able to do it physically, so how did she make him understand she’d jumped several steps ahead, and now, she was even with him? She wanted the wedding, the house, the family, and all it entailed—with Roan.
“I never really got to apologize for hurting you that night at the restaurant.”
“What?”
She swallowed hard. “When you proposed and told me you wanted us to be a family, it freaked me out. I told you how much I want true love, but what I never said was I’d already found it. I was just terrified it wasn’t reciprocated.”
“You thought I wasn’t in love with you?” he asked, confusion filling his face. “I’ve been head over heels since the first kiss, Bristol.”
“Right, but it was a first kiss that turned into a one-night stand and a baby. That’s not how I had it planned in my head.”
“You know what they say about making plans? You plan, God laughs. You can’t always dictate how things will work out, B.”
“I know that now.” She took a deep breath and said, “Ask me again, Roan. When you’re ready. My answer has changed.”
His mouth fell open awkwardly, and he gave a slow nod, “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Well, I’m not going to do it right now. As much as you’re sure about it today, that’s how sure I was a few months ago. But you saw me asking out of obligation, and I see you asking out of infatuation right now. You’re so in love with our new little family, you’re not thinking straight. When we get married, I want it to be because we’re so in love, we want the world to see.”
“You don’t want to marry me?” She felt her heart breaking.
“That’s not at all what I said, but I won’t ask you until I’m sure you want me and not the fantasy you have in your mind. I burp, and fart, and scratch in inappropriate places. I’m no fairy-tale prince, Bristol.”
“Don’t I know it,” she laughed. “I don’t want a prince. I want you.”
“Good, then you’ll love me when I’m ready to ask you again.” He stood and came over to kiss them both on the forehead. “I’m going to shower while you finish.” Without another word, he disappeared, leaving her deep in her own thoughts.
She’d never considered he might not be ready to ask her again. The same way he never expected a rejection to his first proposal. They were a pair of jokers. No King and Queen in this deck. Somehow, she had to make him understand she was ready to play the game, and he needed to deal her in.
Chapter Twenty
The mood was set, the baby was with her mom, and Bristol was ready to do this. They were six weeks into their new life, and Roan had yet to pop the question, so tonight, she was going to do it. She wasn’t willing to wait on him. She needed him to know she was ready to commit, and she was ready to have sex again. Sleeping next to him in their new king-size bed had become incredibly hard the closer they got to the end of her recovery period. She’d been to the doctor today and gotten the all clear, so tonight was the night.
“Where to, B?” he asked as they left her mom’s house. It was the first time she’d left Bennett with anyone for more than an hour, but she was so focused on the plan for the night, it wasn’t bothering her as much as she’d expected.
“Flemings. We have a reservation for seven,” she told him, pulling out her lip gloss and applying it carefully.
Roan froze next to her, and it took a moment before he reached for the keys to start the car. They’d invested in a small SUV to replace her car, and she adored it. It was much easier putting the car seat in.
“Flemings? Are you sure?” he asked.
“Positive. Their steak was to die for. I’ve been craving it for weeks,” she told him to throw him off. The last thing she wanted was for him to back out or try to change her mind.
When they got to the restaurant, the maître d' seated them immediately in a back-corner table lit by candlelight as she’d requested.
Roan looked confused as the waiter brought them a bottle of wine and placed a bouquet of yellow and blue daisies on the table.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I wanted to make tonight special, so I planned it all to be perfect,” she told him. “Let’s order and I’ll explain.”
Once their food was ordered, she took a deep breath and pulled a ring box out of her purse, setting it on the table in front of him.
“Roan Alexander Storm, I have loved you since that first day we met in junior high. Back then, it wasn’t a romantic love, but it’s grown and evolved since then. When we made love the first time, I tried to play it down, but it was life-changing.”
“I would think so, you ended up pregnant.”
“Not just because of Bennett, but because it made me realize I was madly in love with you. I’m not perfect, and six months ago, I hurt you because I was scared. I’m not scared anymore—well, other than being afraid you’ll break my heart tonight. I’m ready to make a commitment to you formally because I’ve never loved anyone more than you and Bennett. I wanted a fairytale life, and you gave me that. Even if sometimes it feels like we’re living in the swamp rather than a castle,” she said laughing.
He grinned and nodded, “But it’s our swamp, baby.”
“That’s right. That’s why I’m here tonight with you and a ring. Will you please ask me to marry you again?”
“Wait what?” Roan frowned. “Here I thought you were proposing, now you’re saying you want me to?”
“Well we haven’t done anything else traditionally,” she said with a laugh.
He reached for the box and opened it. A huge grin covered his face as he pulled out a man’s ring. “Aw baby…”
“Roan, will you marry me?”
Leaning across the table for a kiss, he sa
id loudly, “A thousand times yes.”
Also By Lori King
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The Gray Pack Series
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www.LoriKingBooks.com
About the Author
Best-selling author, Lori King, is also a full-time wife and mother of three boys. Although she rarely has time to just enjoy feminine pursuits; at heart she is a hopeless romantic. She spends her days dreaming up Alpha men, and her nights telling their stories. An admitted TV and book junkie, she can be found relaxing with a steamy story, or binging in an entire season of some show online. She gives her parents all the credit for her unique sense of humor and acceptance of all forms of love. There are no two loves alike, but you can love more than one with your whole heart.
With the motto: Live, Laugh, and Love like today is your only chance, she will continue to write as long as you continue to read. Thank you for taking the time to indulge in a good Happily Ever After with her.
Find out more about her current projects
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