“You’re not telling me you’ve been riding on one the entire time?”
I wouldn’t have been surprised if steam came out his ears.
“Well, I don’t have my magic carpet to safely fly me around, so it’s my only means of transportation,” I shot at him sarcastically.
“Don’t get cute,” he warned. “What if something had happened to you?”
“It didn’t.”
“What if it fucking did?” he bellowed. “Do you have any idea how I would cope if something happened to either of you?”
I didn’t answer because I was guessing it was a rhetorical question.
“I’d be fucking ruined! The thought of you crashing.” He visibly shuddered.
I started to feel a bit bad, reaching up to stroke his arm. “Nothing happened and nothing will. I’m not risking Bun. Dad even makes me wear a helmet.” I scrunched my nose up.
“I’m serious, Gwen. Just take the truck, please.” His voice was more even now, but still rough with worry and anger.
I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. But hurry up. It doesn’t take long to master the art of a four wheeler and I don’t want to miss the swearing and tantrum throwing before she gets the hang of it.” I tried to push past him but he grasped my hips.
“Thank you, baby.” His voice was soft now, and any residual irritation I had been harboring for his over protectiveness melted away. “Oh and knowing you can handle a four wheeler? Hot as fuck.” Cade’s eyes roughly glazed over as he yanked me in for a rough kiss.
Turned out we did miss the swearing phase, because surprisingly, Amy was a natural. She rode around like a mad woman, skidding around corners with no fear, screaming with delight like a child, my dad laughing beside her. It sent a warm feeling through my bones to see them both happy again. But I couldn’t help but pout like a child as I watched from beside Cade, unable to join in on the fun.
“I would be out there with her having fun if it wasn’t for you,” I whined.
Cade kissed my head. “I’m not apologizing, baby. Even if you weren’t pregnant, I wouldn’t want you out there with that crazy woman.” He watched Amy with a frown.
I scowled at him. “I wasn’t talking to you.” I looked down at my stomach. “It’s a good thing I love you, Bun, or else it would seriously be a baby mullet.”
Apparently Bun had an opinion on my baby mullet plans because she chose that moment to kick furiously. I took Cade’s hand and put it over the spot where she was playing soccer with my uterus. I watched as a soft look went over my hard biker’s features, eyes wide in amazement.
“Second to being inside you, this is the best feeling in the world,” he declared roughly.
I melted a little at that statement and rewarded Cade with a big smile. Something crossed over his features and his face turned serious. His hand went to his pocket, and to my amazement, he went down on one knee, revealing a box in his hand.
“Holy shit,” I whispered. “Holy shit,” I repeated this time nearly yelling when I saw the white gold, princess cut, huge diamond ring sitting in a telltale powder blue box.
“Didn’t really plan on doing this at this exact moment, planned on doing this a lot earlier. The night before I found out you were pregnant, actually,” Cade said hoarsely. “Honestly, knew you were mine from the moment I laid eyes on you. I am the happiest motherfucker on earth to have you, to have our baby. Just need to give you my name and I’ll walk around beaming for the rest of our lives.”
I felt tears slide out of my eyes, and I hoped I wasn’t ugly crying in the middle of the most beautiful moment of my life.
“Marry me, baby,” he whispered softly.
I just nodded my head through the tears so I wouldn’t say something soppy like “a thousand times yes,” which was what I felt like screaming.
Cade grinned, sliding the perfect diamond onto my finger before rising up to lay a scorcher on my lips. The bikes stopped beside us, and I remembered our audience.
“Holy shit, did you just propose?” Amy screamed at Cade.
She squealed and leapt off the bike to hug us both. As soon as we were released, she clutched my hand and inspected the ring. She let out a slow whistle.
“This is a seriously nice rock, custom Tiffany, three carats at least. The biker has taste.” She looked at him, impressed.
I looked over her head at my father who was grinning from ear to ear.
He strode over, pulling me into his arms. “Happy, Mouse?” he asked into my hair.
“Yeah, Daddy,” I whispered back.
One Week Later
“I feel like I could sleep for a week,” I declared, collapsing on my bed, my bed back in Amber.
It had been a seriously big few days. We flew out from home a week after we got engaged. Mum insisted on throwing us a small engagement party with close friends and family.
Needless to say, my parents were over the moon for me, and I was surprised to learn that Cade had asked for my father’s blessing before popping the question. I didn’t think bad ass bikers asked permission for anything, including the hand of a girl who was already pregnant with his child. I said as much to Cade, and his face was unreadable when he answered me.
“I already asked your brother, babe. Back when he was at home, knew I was going to marry you. Also knew how much he meant to you, wanted him to be down with me having you for life, he only took a little convincing.”
I was sucker punched by that answer. I stayed silent for about five minutes, then let a single tear out before letting my man know just how amazing he was.
Still, if my parents were at all nervous about the fact my fiancé and baby daddy was a huge, tattooed biker, they didn’t act it. They treated him like family already, which was amazing. He had wanted to marry me right there and then, but I argued that I didn’t want to have a shotgun wedding and also I couldn’t fit into a Vera Wang.
He didn’t care too much about Vera, no, scratch that, he didn’t care about Vera at all, he certainly didn’t give a crap about a shotgun wedding. I managed to convince him to wait until after the baby was born and I had enough time to squeeze my postpartum body into my dream wedding gown.
It was emotional goodbye for us, to say the least. Amy and I had let my home be the cushion for our grief and were reluctant to leave it. I was near heartbroken to leave my parents. But they promised they would be over before the baby was born. Mum would’ve hopped on the plane with me, but Dad convinced her Cade and I needed time alone.
After an exhausting goodbye and a long flight, we were greeted by an army at the airport. The entire club, plus Rosie and the girls took up the entire arrivals gate. I was overwhelmed, but I managed to keep back the waterworks as I was pulled into countless rough hugs and forehead kisses. Not to mention the escort of motorbikes, which followed us home. Although they must’ve guessed we needed rest, since no one stopped.
Cade chuckled, joining me and gathered me in his arms back in the present. “Considering you slept the entire plane ride, I find that surprising.”
I raised my head from where it had been resting comfortably on his beautiful sculpted chest. “Hey, pregnant women need their sleep!”