Nice Until Proven Naughty
“Oh, shit.” He hops from his chair, yanks his pants up, and gently helps me off the floor before pulling me into his arms. “I love you so much, Samantha.”
“I love you, more.”
“No way.” I lean my butt against the corner of his desk, because these babies are getting heavy.
Lucas’s eyes search mine. They’re full of so much love that it’s almost bursting from him.
“What is it?” I ask, cupping his cheek.
Lucas rests his hand on mine. “Marry me.”
“What?”
I stand up, and he holds my hand in place when I would’ve pulled away. “Marry me.”
“I don’t want you to ask me just because I’m pregnant.”
“I’m not.” He shakes his head, reaches inside his coat, and pulls out a red velvet box. “I bought this a month before we found out you were pregnant.”
“But…we’d only been together for a few months then.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’ve known since day one that you’re it for me, and when I saw this ring I knew I had to get it for you. I carried it around, waiting for the perfect time to give it to you, and then we found out you were pregnant, and then we found out we were having twins, and we’ve been so busy trying to get things ready that it sort of got put on the back burner. But not anymore.”
Lucas takes a knee, and I cover my mouth with my hand to suppress the sob that escapes anyway.
“Samantha Kringle, you make me happier than I’ve ever been. You’ve given me your heart, and you’re about to make me a father, and now I really want to make you my wife. Please say you’ll marry me.”
“Yes.” I nod. Lucas slips the emerald-cut diamond onto my ring finger. “It’s beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.” He stands up and kisses my cheeks and my nose and my forehead before finding my mouth. “Thank you for loving me.”
“Someone has to.”
He laughs and wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go home so I can properly show you how much you mean to me.”
That’s code for eat my sugar plum. “Okay, but fair warning, once I’m on my back, I probably won’t be getting back up. I’m like a beached whale.”
“You’re beautiful. And I’ll be there to help you.” He kisses the side of my head. “I’ll always be there to help you.”
A Nice Epilogue
Danielle
“You better not go into labor while I’m gone,” I say, tilting my head toward the sun as I talk on the phone.
Ben and I are on our pre-honeymoon honeymoon. We’re getting married in T-minus four weeks. We’ve been so stressed out with the remodels we’re doing at Sal’s and the wedding plans and Naughty’s pregnancy, that we decided to get away.
Well, Ben decided.
Actually, he surprised me and didn’t give me the chance to say no.
“Pack your bags, we’re leaving in ten hours.”
“Would you stop worrying about me and just enjoy yourself?” Sam says.
“I am enjoying myself. In fact, right now I’ve got a margarita in my hand and my toes in the sand, and I’m staring out into the clearest water I’ve ever seen.”
“I hate you,” Sam whines.