“Absolutely not! Not until I do what I came here to do!” Geren reached for her, but she knocked his hand away. “I just wanted to tell you everything about me first, so you would know what you’re getting into.”
“I’m not getting into anything. I just want you to take my gold-digging ass home.”
“After the weekend in Maine and eve
rything we’ve been to each other, you still think this comes down to money?”
“Like you said before, obviously it does. If it didn’t, you would’ve told me this months ago.”
“My opinion of you has never faltered. I knew you were strong-willed and independent from the day we met. And you’re right. I should’ve said something months ago, but I just didn’t know how to.”
“It’s simple. Just open your mouth and speak.”
“Tempest, if I can forgive you for not telling me about your inability to have children before we got involved, can’t you forgive me for this?”
Tempest frowned, and Geren could tell she was fighting back tears. That was a low blow, and he immediately regretted it.
“I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”
Tempest wiped her eyes with a napkin and shoved all the hamburger trash into a bag. “Can you just take me home, please?”
“You are so damn stubborn!” Geren blared out in frustration.
Tempest sighed and rolled her eyes in disdain. “Today!”
“Not until you answer a question for me.”
“What question?” Tempest replied, not particularly interested in anything he had to say at the moment.
“Will you marry me?” Geren whispered, saying a silent prayer. The moment wasn’t perfect, but he’d held off on proposing long enough. “Will you marry me, Tempest?” Geren reached for her hand again. This time she let him take it. She was in shock. “I love you. I adore everything about you, and I could search the earth for a million years and never find another woman like you.”
“Geren, I—”
“If it’s about the kid situation, like I said before, we can adopt.” He could tell from the expression on her face that he’d hit the nail on the head. “There are tons of children out there who need loving parents. You know that from working at the center.”
No response. Tempest’s hand started trembling something fierce, and he held it tighter.
“We could wait a couple of years after the wedding to adopt, if you want. Whatever you want. I just want you.”
Still no response.
“Look at me.” Geren lifted Tempest’s chin so she had to and gazed into her eyes. “I love the way you laugh. I love the way you cry. I love the way you walk. The way you talk. I love the way you poke your bottom lip out when you’re trying to get your way. I love that little birthmark on your ass. I love the way you moan, the way you cum, the way you hold me when I need to be held.”
Tempest blushed but still refused to respond. She was too busy deciding if she was experiencing a dream or a nightmare. How could she expect him to give up his dream of having a house full of kids?
“I couldn’t get used to the idea of changing my name to Washington, D.C. Why couldn’t you have been born in Chicago? Naw, that sounds like a pimp’s name. Or Tempe, Arizona? Then we could have been Tempe and Tempest Kincaid.”
Tempest chuckled and pulled away from him. “You’re so crazy!”
“Crazy over you!”
Tempest got out of the car and sat down on the hood. All sorts of things were running through her mind at the speed of light.
Geren got out and came around to join her. He pulled off his shirt, exposing a tattoo of a heart on his chest. The name Tempest was placed in the middle, directly over his heart.
Tempest reached out nervously to finger it. “Is it real?”
“It’s real, and it’s permanent—just like my love for you.” Geren reached into his left pants pocket and pulled out a velvet box. He snapped it open. “And so is this!”