She’d given me the perfect opportunity without realizing it. I stomped down a little spark of guilt for what I was about to do, knowing it would mean giving up that dream. My hope was that it would inspire a new one.
“Sweetheart, teaching at a school isn’t the only way to accomplish your dream.” I ran a finger down the side of her face, smiling softly. “What about molding the minds of our kids? Guiding them and helping to carve out a path for their future.”
At the mention of kids, her eyes got wide. Don’t you mean at the mention of our kids? That guilty little voice pissed me off and I stomped it down again, this time grinding it with my heel.
“You’ll have an even greater influence over your own children, and an unimaginable sense of pride that you won’t get from students coming and going through your classroom.”
“I suppose that’s true,” she admitted a little begrudgingly, “but maybe I want both.” There was uncertainty lurking in her tone.
Then her eyes lit up for a second. “Why don’t we both go to California? I’m sure Berkeley would love to have you.”
I hated to dim the joy creeping onto her face. “If it were possible for me to keep you with me and give you both, I would in a heartbeat, sweetheart,” I answered. “But I have another two and a half years on my contract. Besides that, do you really want to leave your family? You’ll miss so much of Gregory’s life.” I was laying it on pretty thick, but desperate times and all that.
She sighed, “Well, what about long distance? We can do it for that long. Then your contract will be over and I can return here for the rest of my education. Maybe by then, you’ll be ready to go back to writing full time and take some time off from teaching again?” Her voice was on the verge of pleading.
This was not an option I’d even entertained, not for one second and the fact that she even suggested it had my temper coming to a boil. I started a mental tally in my head. One.
“No fucking way, Charlotte. You will be sleeping in my bed from now on. That subject is closed and not up for discussion.”
Charlotte looked taken aback for a moment. Then she jumped off the couch and stood over me, her hands on her hips, and her chest heaving with anger. Holy fuck! She looked hot as fucking hell. Focus, I needed to focus.
“So, it’s your way or the highway?”
Two. I glared at her. “There is no ‘highway,’ Charlotte. So stop bringing it up. You are mine. I told you last night, when you let me pop that sweet cherry, that no other man would ever touch you. I warned you that you couldn’t turn back.”
“You have to know this isn’t about me wanting another man, Gabe. It’s about me trying to find a solution we can both be happy with. You’re asking me to give up everything, while you give up nothing!” she yelled at me. “Maybe it’s useless for me to even try. Maybe there is no middle ground. If so, I can solve this problem easily by going to California.” Three.
“Sweetheart, sit down,” I suggested, doing my best to keep my voice smooth. When she didn’t do as I asked, I infused steel into my voice. “Charlotte, sit your pretty little ass down, and do not ever threaten to leave me.” Four.
Something in my tone must have made her realize I wasn’t fucking around and she sat gingerly on the couch, eyeing me warily. “Your sass is sexy as hell, sweetheart, but you’re just asking to be punished for defying me in the one thing I’ve asked you not to push.”
“Punished?” Her voice squeaked adorably.
“Remember those cuffs?” A small spark of desire mixed with the curiosity in her eyes. I kept my face impassive, but inside I was smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Does that intrigue you?” I asked knowingly. She gave me just the barest nod, seeming confused by her own admission. “You want to know what it’s like to be tied up by me, dominated, owned by me, don’t you?” She blinked at me silently, but once again, I could see everything in her eyes. I was right about her submissive nature and thinking about later, when I would show her how much she’ll love it...I had to stop. It wasn’t time yet.
I stood and started walking towards the kitchen. It broke the trance-like state that had come over Charlotte.
“Where are you going?”
I glanced back. “I’m not asking you to give up everything, sweetheart. I’m asking you to mold your dreams. Maybe create new ones,” I said over my shoulder as I reached my destination and pulled a small box from a drawer and dropped it into my pocket.
When I returned to Charlotte, I went to my knees in front of her. I wanted her to know that my words were a request, and not a demand. That despite my dominant and over-possessive nature, there was give and take in this relationship. Not that I was willing to budge on this, but I figured giving her the illusion of having a choice would serve me better.
“Sweetheart, I know things between us are moving at lightning speed. But, I’ve loved you for months and now that I have you, I can’t give you up. I can’t do it, Charlotte. It would tear me apart.” Her face softened and I could see her love shining through.
“I had every intention of giving you some time before asking this. Not much, but some. However, I simply can’t wait. And, honestly, I don’t see a reason to. Not when I know you love me.”
She nodded and her eyes brimmed with tears, whether they were happy or sad, I wasn’t sure yet. “I do, Gabe. I love you more than anything.”
I pulled the little box from my pocket and opened it to show her a sparkling diamond set in rose gold filigree that was molded around it to form a rose. It was an antique, and when I saw it, it reminded me of my sweet Charlotte’s pink rosebud mouth.
“I want you to be mine in every way possible. I want you to be my wife, my lover, and the mother of all our children. I want you to raise them to be strong, independent, and smart, just like their mother. I know you’re young sweetheart, but I also know you will never be more ready to start a family with me than you are now. Because you will already be the perfect mother.”
Tears slipped down her cheeks, but there was a smile hovering around the edges of her mouth. Her fingers ghosted over the ring and her smile grew. “Okay.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, did you just answer ‘okay’ to my heartfelt, poetic, and utterly, devastatingly romantic proposal?” I asked with mock offense.
She laughed, “I’m terribly sorry to have offended your delicate sensibilities, sir.” It took everything in me not to rush her to the bedroom, get her naked, and hear her call me sir on a moan.
I shook it off as best I could, reminding myself that it was almost time. Removing the delicate ring from the silk it was nestled in, I started to slip it onto her finger—
“Wait!” I froze, but held tight when she attempted to pull her hand back.
“Wait, why are you asking me now?”
My brow furrowed, not understanding her question, “What do you mean? I told you, I want you to be mine.”
“But why. Why specifically now?”
I gritted my teeth at her inquiry, irritated that she was so close to seeing my ulterior motive. Did it really matter though? In the end, it was all because I loved her and couldn’t live without her.
“Are you proposing just so I won’t leave?” Her voice was rising in pitch and it made me wince. I refused to attribute any of my reaction to guilt.
“Of course I don’t want you to leave, sweetheart,” I answered honestly. “But, does it really matter when I marry you when it was always going to happen anyway?”
“Yes it matters, Gabe!” she screeched. “You’re supposed to propose because you’re overcome with the need to marry me. Because your love is so strong that you have no other choice. Not because I was thinking of leaving and you had no other solution.”
Was. That told me all I needed to know. She’d decided to stay. “Charlotte, look at me,” I commanded. Her eyes immediately found mine. “Do you believe that I love you?” She nodded without hesitation, saving herself another count on the tally. “Does it really matter, in the long run, why I’m choosing now when w
e both know it was going to happen eventually?”
She considered me for a few moments and I could practically see the cogs whirling in her mind.
“Do you want to marry me, Charlotte?”
“Yes.” Her voice waivered and she smiled tentatively.
I surged up from the floor and lifted her into my arms, twirling her around, drowning in the beautiful sound of her laughter. “Then let that be your answer now.”