“Don’t make fun.”
His face softens when I pout. “I’m not.” He places a kiss on the top of my head and, not gonna lie, I totally swoon a little. “I’m just glad you like it.”
“I love it, Hook.” The significance of whose ring this is makes it all the more special. “I can’t believe Peggy gave you her ring.”
“She loves you.” He shrugs those shoulders I just want to bite. “She handed it to me and said, ‘Now don’t go being a stupid ass again and fucking this up’ and capped it off with a smack upside my head.”
Peggy Stone is my hero.
If it weren’t for her, who knows if Dex would be here as my fiancé. I’m not talking about how she got jiggy with her husband and nine months later twenty-eight years ago she pushed him out of her hoo-hah. If she hadn’t been there at the hospital keeping her son from running away, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to tell him to stop being an idiot.
“I’m kicking myself for not proposing sooner,” he muses.
“Because ten days of officially being a couple was the longest wait ever.”
“I’ve been waiting a lifetime for you, Tink.” My eyes fall shut as he cups me behind the head and strokes a thumb across my cheek. I love these moments where he’s possessive yet gentle. “Even when we fought it, you were always mine and I was always yours.”
WHY AREN’T YOU TAKING NOTES RIGHT NOW?
Don’t yell at her.
Why not? Are you listening to him? This is teaser-line gold.
Can you idiots shut up? I’m trying to listen.
“I take it your characters approve?” He chuckles and drops a kiss to the tip of my nose before pushing to stand.
Ooo, look at all those muscles.
And all that ink.
Can we lick him? He is our fiancé now, so doesn’t that mean we get to lick him whenever we want?
Usually. *crosses arms and pouts* But he’s been holding out on us.
Yeah, he won’t give it up. *gives the evil eye*
Dex only shakes his head at my lack of a verbal response and holds out a hand for me to take.
“I made a fresh pot of coffee with the beans Lyle dropped off yesterday. He called it some kind of beach bum blend. No idea what’s in it, but it smells like something you would like.” He steers me in the direction of the sweet aroma coming from the kitchen. “You get caffeinated, and I’ll get the Nintendo cued up.”
I might just have to keep him.
Might? Did you already forget you accepted his proposal? Marriage typically means you keep the person until death do you part. Oh, Jiminy is feeling feisty today.
I fill a to-go cup in hopes it will help keep the coffee warm while I get lost in the racing world of Mario and his friends.
Leaning back against the counter, I take a minute to really let the scene in front of me unfold. There’s a diamond I never imagined I would get my shit together enough to have the right to wear on my finger, and the man who put it there is sitting on my couch pulling up my favorite video game while my dog chews on a squeaky toy across the room. There are still so many decisions we need to make, but I’ll enjoy this moment of domestic bliss for as long as I can.
Bending over the back of the couch, I wrap my good arm around Dex from behind, looking up at the pick-your-avatar menu on the television.
“Tink.” He sighs when I kiss the silhouette of Tinker Bell hidden amongst the stars of the American flag decorating the back of his shoulder.
“I still can’t believe you have this.”
Or that I never knew he had it.
“Come here.”
I make my way around the couch and settle onto his lap. There’s more than enough room for me to sit on the cushion behind him, but dammit, I’m horny and he is holding out on me. If the semi I feel poking me in the ass is any indication, he’s as hard up as I am. I just need to push his buttons enough to make him stop worrying about hurting me long enough to have an orgasm or two.
“I told you”—he runs a thumb along my own Tinker Bell on my collarbone—“you’re my anchor. I got her there so you can always watch my six.”
From the day I penned my first novel, Dex has always been my go-to book boyfriend inspiration. Sure, most of it was based on his sexy SEAL looks, but oh my Jane Austen, this man sure knows how to sling the swoon.
With a kiss to his scruffy jaw, I spin so I’m cradled in the V of his legs, letting his broad torso serve as my backrest. Mini wheel controller in hand, I feel those strong arms come around me.
Scrolling through the menu, I select Princess Peach, and Dex is King Bowser. With my foot, I connect to the Bluetooth speaker on the ottoman, and almost instantly, trash-talking voices fill the room.
“I don’t care what you say, you losers are going down,” Cali taunts.
“The only person going down is Sammy after I win again,” Jamie retorts.
“Jesus, guys,” Jordan hisses. “Sean and Carlee are logged on.” Even through the line, I can tell she’s rubbing the bridge of her nose.
“Maverick is playing too,” Sean singsongs.
“I’m going to be kicked out of the PTA for being complicit in the corruption of minors.”
“You’re not in the PTA, wombmate.” Jase chuckles. “The girls aren’t in elementary school yet.”
“Your friends are insane, you know that?” Dex whispers so only I can hear.
“You sure you want to marry me? It’s a package deal.”
The Sunshine Airport level zooms into view as each of our avatars lineup at the starting line. The stoplight goes from red, to yellow, to green, and we’re off.
We concentrate on driving through the airport, dodging baggage carts and airplanes as we battle it out for first place.
I’m lining up my shot with a red shell when Dex finally leans in to say, “Tomorrow.”
“What?” I’m so stunned by what he’s implying, Princess Peach hits a banana I could have easily avoided.
“Tomorrow.” I fall back another place in the race. “You.” A kiss behind my ear. “Me.” A nudge and another drop in rank. “A courthouse.” Stubble drags along my jaw. “You as my wife before I head back to Virginia Beach.”
All thoughts of playing the game cease and I drop my controller as I spin in his arms, looping mine around him, ignoring the pull of my stitches.
“What do you mean before I head back? Don’t you mean we?”
I don’t like the implication. We’re going to spend enough time apart thanks to his job as Mr. I Help Save The World And No One Knows—I’m not going to waste the time we are both on US soil by not being in the same state.
“I’m not going to take you away from your life when I’m gone more than I’m here.”
Boys are dumb, and this one—the one my stubborn, defective heart decided is the one for us—is the head of the class.
I’ll admit, it took me long enough to realize my feelings, but it’s like as soon as I did, this stupid, stupid man has been trying to…what? Run away?
Oh, my poor, sweet, foolish Hook.
He’s so lucky I love him.
And that I was raised by a SEAL. The only easy day was yesterday, right?
“You do realize I can do my job from anywhere, right?” I already explained to him how I don’t have a mortgage—the why a fact he had to come to terms with.