Ride Her Hard (The Hard Boys 1)

“Then you know what you must do and it’s not sitting here, wondering. Go and get her, son.”

“I want to marry her,” James said. “I love her more than anything else in the world. I want her as mine.” He looked at his family.

“Then go and get her,” his father said, repeating himself.

He nodded.

“Maybe I should drive,” Caleb said, taking the keys from him. “You don’t look in any fit state to drive.”

“I’m going to be a dad?”

“You don’t know that yet.”

“Yeah, I do. I know we’ve made a baby. I’m sure of it.” He’d seen her vomit in the morning and be okay a couple of hours after. At first, he didn’t think much of it, but he’d also noticed her reaction to food. Coffee was something she’d loved for a long time, but she now felt sick when it came near her.

Holy shit, they were going to have a baby.

“Are you okay?” Caleb asked.

“Yeah.”

“Aren’t you a little upset?”

“Why would I be upset?”

“You’re going to be a dad. Women aren’t an option for you if you settle down with Eliza. Unless you’re going to cheat, and you don’t strike me as the kind of guy to cheat on his wife.”

“I won’t be cheating on her. I love her, Caleb. Believe me. There is no greater feeling in the world than being with the woman you love. She’s right here.” He touched his chest. “I think about her all the time. I live for her. Every second of every day. She is mine and I love her so damn much.”

Saying the words out loud, he felt complete, whole, like there wasn’t anything missing, not now. All he had was Eliza, and he was going to keep her for himself. He laughed. It was a little hysterical, but it was finally realizing the truth.

Caleb pulled up in front of the florist shop and he saw it was closed.

After climbing out of the car, he walked to the shop, trying the door. It was locked. He knocked.

Aunt Betty was the person who came to him. “I see no one can have any privacy in this town.”

“I need to see her, Aunt Betty,” he said. “Please.”

She sighed. “She’s in the back. A little shocked. But other than that, she’s coping.”

He stepped around her, and Caleb, being the invading ass that he was, joined him.

Lilly came out form the back. “Oh.”

James nodded at her but went straight into the bathroom where Eliza had her eyes closed and looked to be praying.

“I hope you’re not hoping they’ll take it away.”

Her eyes opened and she looked shaken. “James.”

He held his hand up, feeling so fucking corny as he gave her a tiny wave.

“Caleb told you,” she said. “Wow, that really traveled fast.”

“It’s positive?”

She nodded. Her lips pressed together and she averted her gaze.

Inside, he danced for joy at the prospect of having a child with her. With the woman he loved.

“I’ll understand if you don’t want anything to do with this baby. It has come as quite a shock to me.” She took a deep breath.

He walked to her, wrapped his arms around her, and after kissing the top of her head, he shook his head. “Do not even think about worrying. Eliza,” he said, cupping her face and making her look back up at him. Tears glistened in her eyes, and he sighed. “You are everything to me.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“No. I’m not. I’ve wanted to tell you how I’ve felt for a long time now, but I fucked up. I made mistakes. I didn’t ask you to prom because I was afraid you’d say no. I didn’t stand up for what I wanted and that’s my mess. Not yours. I love you, Eliza. I love you more than I can even think about at times. Having you in my bed is amazing but in my life, by my side, that’s a dream come true. I’m not saying these things because you’re pregnant. This baby, it’s giving me the chance to actually tell you how I really feel about you. I want to marry you. I want to be a good husband to you. But the truth is, I want to be your everything.”

His heart raced as he bared his soul. “I want the chance to grow old with you. To show you every second of every day just how much you being my woman means to me. I love you, Eliza. Always have, always will. And nothing and no one will ever change the way I feel about you.”

He put a hand on her stomach. “If you don’t feel the same way, I’ll understand but I won’t let you do this alone. I’ll be there every single step of the way.”

Tears fell down her cheeks. “I’m always so emotional right now. I … I love you too. So much, and it scares me.”