“And I’m not getting any younger, either,” he continues, holding my gaze with an intensity that makes it clear he isn’t joking. “I’m not saying we really have to jump into anything right now. We probably shouldn’t, but…yeah, I want to have kids and a family. And I want to do that with you.”
“You do?” I ask, tears rising in my eyes.
“I do,” he confirms, cupping my cheek in his hand. “I love you so much it hurts.”
I press my lips together. “But not in the bad way, right?”
His gaze softens. “No. In the best way. In the way that makes me know I’m finally doing it right, and I don’t ever want to stop.”
“You promise?” I swallow the lump in my throat. “You’re not going to fall in love with a sexy lifeguard named Craig and leave me?”
He skims his fingertips over my temple. “Nope. I’m not a cheater. I’ve never cheated when I was in a serious relationship and I’ve never been as serious about a relationship as I am about this one.” He pauses to roll his eyes. “Besides, it should be pretty obvious by now that I’m batting for your team. All the way. Not even a little bit interested in anyone else’s love-rod.”
I grin. “Love-rod. I can’t believe I ever said that out loud.”
He laughs. “I can. You say some funny stuff. It’s one of the things I love about you.”
I pull in a deep breath, but it doesn’t ease the tightness in my chest. I have a feeling there’s only one thing that can, a few words that no longer feel as scary as they did a few days ago.
“Well, that’s good. Since I guess I love you, too,” I say. Instantly, the tension inside begins to ebb away.
“You guess?” he teases, making me grin.
“I know,” I whisper. “I know I love you. So much.”
“Ditto,” he says. “Now can we go upstairs? I’ve been fantasizing about tying you to your headboard with this tie all night.”
My eyes go wide. “I was thinking the same thing!”
“No way,” he says.
“Yes way,” I insist. “Graphic fantasies about that tie.”
“Good. I want to hear all about them,” he says in a rough voice, leaning over to kiss me before adding against my lips, “Now let’s get upstairs and get naked.”
Minutes later, we are.
Chapter Seventeen
Jamison
The only thing more stressful than going into a jewelry store to buy an engagement ring for a woman you’re secretly dating?
Running into the woman’s brother while you’re bent over the display case.
As soon as Mick breezes through the door of Leonard’s, I consider trying to slip past him and out the door unnoticed, but instantly realize it’s no use. The store is small, and Mick and I are the tallest people in it by a good six inches.
It’s apparently “little old ladies come into town to get their rings cleaned” day and half the tiny, blue-haired women in Bliss River are milling around the cases waiting for their jewelry to be returned, making Mick and me stand out like bulls in a china shop.
“Hey, Mick, what’s up?” I ask as our eyes connect, trying not to look as guilty as I feel.
So, I’m dating this man’s sister—and about to propose to her—and he has no idea we’re even involved. It’s not a big deal. We’ll come clean soon and this will be something we laugh about at Christmas dinner in a few years.
Hopefully.
I join him near the entrance, where the midday sun beats through the glass doors, forming a rectangle of heat on the thick carpet. Thank God I haven’t asked the man behind the counter to take anything out of the case yet or I’d really have some fast talking to do.
“Nothing much.” Mick looks a little off-kilter himself. “Just coming in to look for something for Maddie. For her birthday. It’s tomorrow.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, then add casually. “She said something about it when I was over getting croissants for the station earlier. Your sisters make the best chocolate croissants.”
Mick nods. “The plain ones are good, too. They’ve got this lemon and sugar crust on the bottom that’s insane. In the good way.”
“Huh. Guess I’ll have to try those.” I run a hand through my hair, struggling to think up a good cover story. “I was just looking for something for my aunt,” I finally say, unable to pull up another female family member on the spur of the moment.
Mick frowns. “The one with the shotgun collection?”
Fuck. I forgot he knows my family almost as well as his own.
“Yep. Figured I’d go in a different direction for her this year,” I say, playing it off. “Try something more traditional.”
“Or you could get her a shotgun charm.” Mick lingers near the door, making no move to step further into the shop. “I bought Faith a firefighter’s helmet charm while we were in New Orleans. She loves it, even though she doesn’t usually wear jewelry. I bet you could find something like that online.”