Kenton scrunched up his face. “Yikes, way to paint a graphic picture for us.”
Forgetting the two assholes across from us, I turned to Pen. When I looked at her, the world fell away. We were the only two people on the planet. In the short amount of time we’d been together, she had become my everything. “Do you want kids?”
This time it was Pen’s turn to shrug. “I mean, I’m not opposed to them. I never thought I’d meet a guy I’d want to settle down and have kids with, so I always assumed I’d eventually be a crazy cat lady.”
I scanned over her face looking for some kind of tell. What did she want out of life? What did she want out of our life together? “And now, what do you see?”
“I see you up on stage and me cheering you on for the next two decades or so. As for kids, I’m not sure they’re in the cards for me or us. They’re really not conducive to the Rockstar life.”
No, they really weren’t. I couldn’t imagine having to leave Pen at home to take care of a baby while I was on tour for months on end, and I also couldn’t imagine having a baby on the bus with us. A child growing up on the road would be tough, and eventually, he or she would need to go to school.
“I can’t ask you if you want kids because you’re still young, and you might change your mind.” Pen looked down at my clasped hand in hers. “What if you change your mind one day, and it’s too late for me?”
That was a big what if, but one I needed to think about.
“According to you, we’re going to be big, and with that comes lots of money, right? She nodded, her whiskey eyes looking troubled as she watched me. “If we’re rich, then we can adopt or hire a surrogate if the time comes that we ever want children.”
“Dude, you’re signing away your life at twenty-one. Can you really say you want to spend the rest of your life with her?” Cross held his hands up. “I’m not saying Pen isn’t great, but how do you know it will last?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but you can never know with one hundred percent certainty that anything is going to last. You have to put yourself out there and go along for the ride, and I’m putting myself all in.” Even though I was answering Cross, I was looking at Penelope, letting her know just how serious I was. I had just professed my love for her in the bathroom, but she needed to know if the sadness in her eyes was anything to go by. “I would give up everything for you to be by my side.”
Eyes and mouth downturned, she tried to smile but was unsuccessful. “You say that now, but it would kill me for you to regret me later because I won’t be able to give you what you want.”
“You could have a baby now,” Kenton threw out there.
Looking away from Pen, I glared at Kenton. “That isn’t the solution to any of our problems right now.”
“Sorry, I can’t believe we’re here to witness this. It seems rather— “
“Personal,” Pen said for him. “It is, but as I said earlier, you’re family, and now that we don’t have to hide our relationship from you, you might as well know how serious we are.”
“And you’re serious?” Kenton tilted his head to the side, waiting for our answer.
“So serious, I would marry her tomorrow.”
“That’s it,” Kenton boomed out, causing everyone to look at us. “If you get married, there’s no way Titan Records can fire you, and then you can be our manager forever.”
What Kenton said did make sense.
I looked over at Pen. “What do you say? I know I only told you I love you today even though I think I’ve loved you since the moment I saw you.”
One of the guys, I wasn’t sure which one, but I think it was Kenton, made a long, drawn-out aww sound.
Pen bit her lip and then nodded. “What better way to spend our last night in Greece than getting married.”
“Today?” I questioned. When I asked her, I hadn’t thought of the logistics.
“We don’t have another free day until the tour is almost over. It’s either now or never.”
“Wow, when you two go in, you go all in. We don’t even have time to throw you a bachelor party. So, what’s it going to be. I hate to break it to you, but time is ticking,” Cross pointed out.
“You don’t have to tell us. I don’t even know where to start with getting married tonight.” Pen looked up to the sky and muttered a few words.
Gripping her chin with my thumb and forefinger, I pulled until her gaze met mine. “Hey, we don’t have to do this now. It can wait until after the tour is over. I don’t want to pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do.”
I didn’t even know if she loved me. I couldn’t ask her to marry me and spend the rest of her life with me if she didn’t.
Scooting forward, Pen cupped my face before she leaned in and kissed me. “I do love you, Walker, but I don’t want you to do anything you’ll regret later. This is something you really need to think about.”
“The only thing I know is I will regret it for the rest of my life if I let the opportunity of having you forever slip by. Everything else, we can figure out when the time comes. I want you, Penelope Rose. Today, forever, always.”
“Holy fucking shit, I think I have hearts in my eyes after hearing that speech.”
“I know,” Cross said. “This makes me kind of wish I had a girl.”
“Nah,” Kenton said. “You don’t want to be tied down to one woman. Think of all the pussy we’ve been getting because Walker casts aside any woman who looks at him.”
I nodded toward them. “Who needs kids when we have them?”
“Certainly not me.” Pushing forward, Pen rested her forehead to mine. Her face lit up as she asked. “Are we really going to do this?”
“Hell, yes, we are. Now we just need to figure out how to get married here, and fast.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
pen
Laughing, we stumbled out of our room, drunk on love and with very little sleep. For the last two weeks, Walker had been ravenous for me. He couldn’t get enough, not that I was complaining. I loved every second, every touch, and every bliss-filled moment with him.
“Wow,” came Greer’s voice from down the hall. “You’re not even trying to hide it now, are you? I can’t believe you’re being so stupid with your lives.”
Walker growled from beside me as he took a step forward, ready to lunge at his bandmate. If we didn’t have back-to-back shows the next two days, I probably would have let him. Instead, I tried to soothe the raging beast that wanted to tear Greer apart.
Running my hand up his arm, I grabbed Walker by the bicep and tried to pull him down the hall. “Don’t listen to him. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“He sure as hell doesn’t. If he knows what’s good for him, he’ll keep his fucking mouth shut.” He moved like he was going to attack Greer, but it was all for show. His body was humming as he grabbed my hand and walked quickly down the hall toward the elevator. He was walking so fast; I had to jog to keep up with him.