VCard for Christmas
Her arms drop. “You’re not married? You promise me you’re not married?”
“I’m not married, Avery. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
She bursts into tears, and I’m not ready for it. Of all her reactions, I never dreamed it would be that one. I reach for her, praying she doesn’t push me away. When she doesn’t, I gather her in my arms, lift her up, and carry her to the couch. She doesn’t stop crying, and all I can do is hold on to her, rubbing her back, assuring her that it’s all going to be okay.
When she starts to quiet down, I kiss the top of her head. “Are you okay? Talk to me, Avery.”
She sniffs and pulls back. The towel is still snug around her, but the slit up her thigh is open wide, showing me all her pretty, pink parts. I try to calm my thoughts and focus on her. I can wait for the rest.
“I thought you were married... I thought we had sex and you were married.”
“I’m not married, and I’m sorry about last night.”
Her eyes flick up to mine, and I’m quick to continue. “I’m not sorry we made love, but I am sorry I rushed you. I should have waited.”
“I didn’t want to wait. I was ready. I wanted to.”
“Is that why you ran from my bed this morning?”
She shakes her head and gestures to the corner where Muff is licking her paws and staring at us between swipes. “I had to take care of Muff, and well, I wasn’t sure... if you wanted me to stay or if I should go so I came home and thought we would figure it out later. I let Bull out, and it’s then I heard the message.”
I cup her face in my hands. “I always want you to stay. Always. That is never a question. I want you in my bed with me.”
She puts her hand to mine and pulls it from her face. “Lincoln, you don’t.”
I shake my head. She doesn’t understand. “There’s something I need to tell you, but I don’t want you to freak out.”
She smirks, and I wipe the wetness off her cheek. “The only way I’m going to freak out is if you tell me that you’re married.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m not married,” I tell her again and I’m starting to think that I’m going to have to find a way to reassure her, but fuck, if I have to tell her what she means to me twenty times a day, I’ll do it.
“Okay, then tell me. You won’t freak me out.”
I take a deep breath. I wasn’t ready for this, and if she hadn’t run out on me, I probably would have waited to tell her. But now, after everything, I know I want to wake up every day with her next to me. “I want you. I want you in my bed, in my life... any way I can have you, I want you.”
She’s shaking her head, and I know she doesn’t believe what I’m saying. Well, either she doesn’t believe it or she’s scared to. “When I woke up this morning and you were gone, I figured out a lot of things quickly. Number one, I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to wake up without you. Number two, I don’t want to sleep without you anymore. And, well, don’t freak out, and if you want to freak out, don’t. Just know I’ll wait for as long as I need to for you to catch up.”
She tilts her head, searching my eyes. I know if she looks hard enough she’ll see the love shining there. How could she not? “I want you to marry me... for real. I want you to be my wife.”
She tries to get up, and I hold her to me. “No, you’re not getting up. I know we just met, and I know you need time. I’ll give that to you, but I want you to know where I stand and how I feel.”
Her hands go to my chest. “You’re being serious.” It’s more of a statement than a question, but I still nod my head.
“Is this because I could be pregnant?”
My hand goes to her belly, and I flatten my palm there. “Fuck, I hope so.”
“Well, I hope you’re not kidding. Two times last night, Lincoln. It’s a possibility.”
“Good.”
She leans back to look at my face. “Good? Really, you say good?”
I nod. “Yep, I want you to have our babies.”
She’s staring at me, and I hope I don’t regret asking her. “What about you? What do you want?”
She looks up at the ceiling and then back at me. “I thought of something.”
I play along but ask her nervously, “What? What do you want?”
She shifts in my lap. “No, I’m thinking you really like my cupcakes. Right?”