She wrapped her arms around him, tugging him closer. “I love you.”
* * * *
Kayla awoke later cocooned within Steve’s arms. She smiled and glanced toward the window. It was dark outside, the soft calls of the seagulls floated through the open door that led to the balcony. Vaguely, she wondered where Jordan had gone for the night or if he was already here and just being quiet.
Steve stirred and opened his eyes. “Good morning,” he said with a smile.
“I think you mean good evening,” she replied.
“Really? What time is it?” He rolled slightly and glanced at the clock. “Two in the morning? Damn, no wonder I’m so hungry.”
Kayla laughed. “The way you eat I don’t see how you keep your figure.”
“I work it off.” He wiggled his eyebrows, making her laugh again. “You do realize now that you’ve said I love you, you’re stuck with me. I expect an obedient wife.”
“An obedient wife? Oh, honey, are you barking up the wrong tree.”
He grinned, making his eyes crinkle. “I was hoping you would say that.”
She raised an eyebrow in interest. “So you like women that give you a hard time?”
“I like it when you give me a hard time.”
She traced his bronze nipple with the tip of her finger. “Wife” did certainly sound nice, but surely he was teasing so she decided to tease back. “You know. All this talk about my being a wife is nice, but I don’t recall hearing you propose.”
His eyes widened. “Did I not?”
She shook her head and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. “No.”
“Well. I guess maybe I should rectify that.” With a grin, he rolled from bed and padded over to his pants lying on the floor.
She frowned as she watched him pull something from his pocket. “What are you doing?”
They’d just been joking, right? Wasn’t it too soon for this?
He climbed back under the covers and took her hand in his. “I’m proposing. Marry me, Kayla. I’ll make a good husband, I promise.” With a smile, he slid a beautiful diamond engagement ring onto her finger.
She gasped as she stared at the teardrop shape, one karat diamond with a gold band. “Oh, God. You were serious?” Part of her felt overjoyed. Another part felt scared to death. “When did you get this?”
“On the way here. I took a chance. Do you like it?”
She smiled. “I love it. It’s beautiful.”
“I know it’s soon, and we don’t have to set a date yet. I just wanted you to know that I’m serious about this. About us.”
She licked her lips nervously as she lifted her gaze to his. He wasn’t her dad. She needed to remember that. She believed that he would be good to her and that he loved her. They could take this engagement as slow as they wanted.
Smiling, she cupped his cheek with her hand. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He kissed her, hard, fast, and deep, making her flesh heat with a burning intensity. The mattress sank behind her and they broke apart to see Jordan bouncing on the bed beside them.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Steve growled.
Jordan grinned. “Checking up on things. When you didn’t come back to your apartment, I just assumed the best.”
Kayla bit her lower lip to keep from laughing at her friend, but then she frowned. “His apartment?”
Jordan gave a shrug with one shoulder. “Steve gave me his key so you and he could have some privacy. Nice place, Cap. A little sparse, but nice. I waited as long as my curiosity would allow.”
“And you couldn’t wait just a little longer until morning?” Steve asked, clearly exasperated at Jordan’s tenacity and feigned inability to see how he might be intruding.
“It is morning.”
“Two in the morning,” Steve countered.
“I couldn’t sleep, the suspense was killing me. Well?” Jordan asked, hands on hips.
Kayla held up her hand, showing off the ring, and Jordan squealed like a girl. Steve groaned, making Kayla laugh.
Steve looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Please tell me he’s negotiable.”
Kayla shook her head while Jordan examined the ring.
“No way, big guy. Best friends are never negotiable. Besides, you owe me,” Jordan said with a grin. “You know, for a straight guy, you have good taste in jewelry.”
Steve chuckled and rubbed at his forehead. “I suppose he can stay.”
Jordan’s smile widened, and he clapped his hands.
“But not in the bed!”
Jordan held up his hands. “Okay, I get the hint.”
“Finally,” Steve mumbled, but the grin said he was only teasing.
“I’ll talk to you later, Kay.”
Jordan left the room and they listened while the door across the hall shut. Steve rolled to his side and propped himself on his elbow. “So do you suppose he’s really in his room or is he just on the other side of the door waiting to pounce again?”
Kayla laughed. “He won’t do that again.”
“Good. Then come here and lets finish what we started, future wife.”
Epilogue
Kayla sat in the lounge chair beneath the beach umbrella, shading herself from the warm afternoon sun. The ocean was gentle today, the breeze light. She ran her palm along her growing stomach, talking softly to her and Steve’s third child growing in her stomach.
They’d been married eleven years now. They had two children, Joshua who was seven, Katelyn who was four, and then of course the one on the way. Joshua’s laughter caught her attention, and she glanced toward the water where Steve played with the kids. He looked up and caught her stare, then waved with a smile.
Her worries had been unfounded. Steve had turned out to be a great husband and dad. They lived at the HUB, and he worked his schedule so he was home as much as he could be. The last eleven years had been the happiest of her life.
“Hey, guys.”
Kayla glanced to her right and waved to Jordan. Beside him was his partner of eight years now, Shawn. Jordan had finally found the love of his life, but she was still his Grace, and he was still her Will. Steve had accepted it and knew that when he was away he could always count on Jordan and Shawn to watch out for her and the kids.
She had everything she could ever want.
The End
Publisher’s Note
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About Trista Ann Michaels
Trista Ann Michaels can be found deep in the mountains of Tennessee writing her stories by a swift, flowing stream. The sound of running water has always relaxed, as well as inspired, her. Before becoming a writer, she worked as a paralegal for a prominent prosecuting attorney; that is until she met the man of her dreams, her very own airline captain by the name of David. When she isn’t writing, she can be found piddling about in her garden or watching movies. Her favorite pastime is traveling, and you can always find her at a RWA meeting, sharing her writing experiences and encouraging fellow writers to follow their dreams.
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