Top Dog

“No.” He nipped at my lips and moved back. “I need to tell you something. Big stuff. Come out to the patio with me. After that, we can eat and make love or make love and eat. Totally up to you.”

“Really?” I whined playfully as he pulled out of my arms and walked to the patio door. “Just tell me here. It’s getting cold out there.”

“Get out here before I spank your fine ass.” He opened the door and gave me a smile that melted my heart. He was a different man than the one I met and fell in love with, but love had the power to melt even the hardest of hearts.

“I might actually enjoy that.” I walked out on the patio and yelped as he popped my rear. “Hey! I was kidding.”

“Don’t tease me with the ass. That’ll never work in your favor.” He closed the door. “You wanna go first, or you want me to go first?”

I let my eyes move across the sunset, the view stunning. “I’ll go first, but give me two seconds. I need to grab something.”

He growled playfully as I moved past him and walked into the house, making my way to the bedroom. Was there any good way to tell him something this big? I didn’t think so. Maybe just being honest and getting it out there was the best answer.

I walked back toward him, forcing myself to put one foot in front of the other. What if he wasn’t happy with my news? I’d never heard him talk about a future filled with love or laughter or little feet.

“You okay?” He reached for me the minute I walked back to the patio, his expression filled with concern.

“Yeah. I think so.” I wrapped one arm around him and lifted my chin, wanting to watch his reaction closely. “I know we didn’t plan for this, but there’s going to be three of us around here pretty soon.”

“You got us a dog?” His eyebrow lifted.

I lifted the pregnancy test pinched between my fingers. “No, a baby, but maybe we can turn it in for a dog instead?”

He laughed and pulled me into a warm hug, leaning down and pressing his lips to mine.

I melted against him, letting my fears and worries go. We’d been through a million things together over the last year. My Dad’s disappointment. His Mom’s chemo and radiation. Moving in together and making a deep commitment to love each other forever. A baby was just part of that love now.

“I’m thrilled, baby.” He moved back and took a shaky breath. “I want four kids, by the way. Seems like now’s a good time to let that cat outta the bag.”

“Really?” I chuckled.

“Yeah. Absolutely.” He touched the side of my face as his expression softened. “I want to be the father to your children and you the mother to mine.”

“You will be.” I pressed my hand over his as my heart thumped in my chest. “You know that I love you.”

“I know. I want to seal it for all time, though.” He moved down to his knee as my heart almost stopped in my chest. He lifted a small black box, popping it open. “Be my wife. Let’s build a house together in the country like you wanted, a family, a life. Marry me.”

Tears blurred my vision, but I nodded and reached down, plucking the diamond ring from the box and laughing. “Yes. Of course, I’ll marry you. I love you so much.”

He stood and put the ring on my finger. “I don’t care what happens, baby. As long as I have you, I have everything.”

“I love you,” I whispered before his lips pressed to mine, sealing the deal and locking me to him for the rest of my life. There’s nowhere I would have rather been.

The End

ROCK HARD LUMBERJACK

CHAPTER ONE: SAM WASHINGTON

OMG I HAVE THE BEST PRESENT FOR YOU!!!

As soon as I see the text message from Lacey I know that I’m in for an interesting afternoon. Not only does Lacey not traffic in subtlety, I’m not sure she’s ever considered the alternative.

Back in junior high, while I was a junior and Lacey a senior, she made an effort to cheer me up after my first hangover. Lacey covered the car of a boy who had jilted me in graffiti. She was on the verge of slashing his tires when the high school rent-a-cop startled her.

I, of course, didn’t know this until later. It did cheer me up. I’m not sure if that says more about Lacey or me. But we take our fun where we can get it.

Life is meant to be lived, right?