“As it happens, there is one thing... how would you feel about becoming Ms. Josie Caldwell?”
I threw my head back, laughing, before straightening up, attempting to sound serious as I spoke, pointing to my ring.
“Was this a bribe?”
“No. As I said, I’ve had it for a while. But I thought that asking you right now might increase the chances of you saying yes.”
“Using your devious strengths again?”
“Guilty.” Bringing his mouth to my ear, he whispered, “But if I really wanted to use devious tactics, I’d be doing this....” He drew his mouth down my neck, pushing my thighs further apart with his leg. I gasped, rolling my hips into him before playfully pushing him away.
I debated whether to make him sweat a bit, but even though I loved keeping him on his toes, I loved seeing that big, happy smile even more. When he’d first suggested it months ago, I hadn’t seen the point. Why change it only to revert back to my maiden name further down the road? But things were different now. And I couldn’t wait to be Mrs. Caldwell.
“Fine, you opportunistic man. I’ll change my name.” And there it was, that huge, heartfelt smile. I loved it so much. “I love you, Hunter.”
I held him tight to me again. I’d just decided I wouldn’t let go tonight when a phone started ringing.
“That’s my phone,” I said, attempting to wiggle out of his arms, but he held on tight.
“How about you don’t answer it?”
I grinned. “No can do. That’s Tess’s ringtone. She made me promise to tell her every single detail as soon as the evening was over. If I don’t answer, she might come banging at the front door.”
He flashed a grin. “Wouldn’t put it past her.”
“I will need you to let me go to answer the phone.”
He fondled my right ass cheek. I narrowed my eyes but couldn’t help shimmying a little.
“Or, I’ll tell her I couldn’t make it to the phone because you’ve been fondling me. Pretty sure that won’t earn you any cousin of the year award.”
He pinched my other ass cheek too. “By the looks of it, it might just earn me husband of the year, won’t it?”
That damn shimmy gave me away. But he couldn’t blame me for liking his hands on me, could he?
“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“I like my odds.”
To my astonishment, he did take his hands off me, practically freeing me. Letting an opportunity for naked time slide by was very unlike him.
I became even more suspicious when a smirk that was a little too self-indulgent appeared on his handsome face.
“What’s that?”
“What?” He promptly schooled his expression, but he wasn’t fooling me.
“That... smirk.”
“Can’t wait to hear what Tess has to say when you tell her about the name change. She was so convinced you’d never agree.”
“Wait a second. When did you talk about this?”
“When we returned from the Bahamas. She was at my office. One thing led to another....”
I shook my head, at a loss for what to say... but then an idea popped into my mind.
“In that case, I might tell her that I’m still considering it.”