His Marriage Demand

“You do what makes you comfortable.”

“Cool, are you sure you’re okay?”

“I am, I really am, but you need to get to bed. No wonder you don’t want to get up in the mornings if you stay up so late.”

“It’s only ten.”

“Yes, but it takes you forever to fall asleep because you think about all kinds of stuff once you’re in bed.”

“Fine, I already brushed my teeth. Night, I love you sis.”

“Night, I love you too.”

Chapter Five

Almost an hour later, I’m not surprised by the light knock on the door. I have the robe on, I also have something on underneath I hope he’ll like.

Opening the door, he’s oddly hesitant. The night has gotten cold and he’s wearing a light jacket over a thermal knit shirt and jeans that cling. “I’m sorry, I came as soon as I heard.”

I step back, he comes in, car

eful to give me room and it’s hard not to smile. “How did you hear?”

“Latisha called me on my cell.”

“She what?”

“Yeah, I was surprised and glad. I hadn’t gone back to the hotel tonight. I wanted to give you some time. I wasn’t going to go back for a few days. I still had the room there, as an excuse.”

I motion to sit down and can’t hold back the smile when he sits down at the far end of the couch. “So you wanted to give me some time?”

“I’m trying. When I realized you were a virgin it all made sense, and I felt like an asshole. I was worried I’d blown it with you. Then I thought you’d be mad about me coming to talk to Justin, too. It wasn’t until afterward I really thought about it, it not being right to include him until you were ready. I was just so anxious to meet him and get to know him. He’s a great kid. You’ve done an amazing job with him.

Meeting him, it clicked; you were a great mom to a child who wasn’t your own. For me to lay down not wanting kids, and it being me or them, wasn’t fair to you. I’m sorry I did that. I’m open to children, I’d like for them to come sooner rather than later. So I’m not too old and I can enjoy them and have the energy to be there for them. Do the little league stuff and all of that. I’m thirty-six this year, even though I had wanted to give you more time to enjoy married life and not being an only parent to Justin, I’d like for us to have them before I get too far past forty. Would two be okay?”

He’s asking me, and he’s telling me in so many ways, and I laugh. This is Drake trying to not be arrogant and commanding and a know it all. It’s fascinating to watch. He growls and closes the space between us. His lips are on mine and my arms go around his neck pulling him tight.

“How can I love someone so cruel and teasing? It’s like you’re trying to make me crazy.” He groans into my neck. I go still at his words.

“I’m not trying, I promise. How can you be so sure it’s love? It sure sounded like lust when you told me I was going to marry you.” Hearing him say the words out loud after so long is hard to believe.

Raising his head, his eyes meet mine and I see the love there. My heart starts thumping painfully. “Sweetheart, since you don’t have much experience I can tell you now lust doesn’t have a very long shelf life. It burns hot and bright and fades fast. What I feel for you hasn’t faded, it just gets stronger and painful from the unfulfilled need. I know I’m rushing you and I know it’s scary. It feels like I’ve waited forever for you and I don’t want to wait another day to make you mine. You felt it too, that first night didn’t you?”

Tears fill my eyes and it’s hard to speak around the lump in my throat, “I couldn’t believe, didn’t believe, it was true. I had laughed and said it was lust at first sight not love. Then you walked in and our eyes met and it was there. Every question I ever had was answered, it was terrifying but just so right.”

Drake is kissing away my tears, his hands are tender as they run through my hair. “I had laughed once, too. Lust, I had plenty of experience with. I knew immediately what I was feeling and it was clear you felt it too. Then I came crashing down when I saw the fear in your eyes when I got closer. When you mentioned your non-existent husband, I couldn’t believe I was still able to walk and talk the next day. It felt like everything that was in me was with you and you weren’t with me.”

Hating the way his face fills with remembered misery, I pull him down and kiss him with all the love I have in me, to soothe his pain. In seconds, it isn’t enough and I’m desperate for more. I’m shocked when he pulls away and sits up.

A shaky hand goes through his hair and he looks down at me. “We’re going to do this right. The way I should have done it from the beginning.”

Shrugging off his jacket, he pulls out two envelopes from an inner pocket and hands them to me. My body, still tense with longing, isn’t happy about the loss of him and it takes a minute to sit up. I take the thick heavy envelopes and open the first one, it’s a wedding invitation. It already has my name and his, and a date for six weeks from now with the location of his home. It’s formal, the lines sweeping, white on the outside, and the palest of purple on the inside with writing in white for contrast. I open the other envelope and it’s an invitation with the same information in silver and white and the print is in dark purple. Looking up, his expression is hopeful, there’s also tension around his mouth. It makes me sad it’s there because of me. Looking down, I see he has the ring in his hand and I offer my left hand. Closing his eyes, he exhales a shaky breath as he takes my hand and slides the ring on.

It’s beautiful, and I remember what Justin had said about why he picked it out. The color is a deep sparkling brown, surrounded by a halo of white diamonds and I look up at him and smile, “I love it, almost as much as I love you, almost. I didn’t know my eyes were this sparkly.”

His cheeks are stained in red as he realizes Justin had repeated his words. “They are when you look at me.” He pulls me close and his kiss is oddly gently as his finger trails over my cheek.

“I think you’re right. I’m going to go with the purple and white one.” Laying the invitation on the coffee table I stand and he does too. “Come to bed, you don’t have to sleep on the couch tonight.” I don’t look back as I make my way to my room. He stops me with a hand catching mine.