“Oh, come on now, they can’t be that bad,” Julia replies, poking me in the side.
“I’m sure not all of them are bad, but I haven’t seen them in years, so who knows what’s even on them. Maybe they’ll be something that you two”—I point to my sisters—“would be embarrassed about if those two saw,” I say, pointing to Karl and Lars.
“Even if I haven’t seen it by now, I don’t think it will scare me off,” Karl says, looking at Alice.
“Bea does enough on a daily basis to embarrass herself. I don’t think a video from her childhood could do much worse,” Lars adds.
“I see how it is,” I scoff, though my tone is teasing. “I thought us guys were supposed to stick together.”
Karl chortles. “Sorry, man, not on this.”
“On that note, we do have something we’d like to tell everyone,” Alice pipes up. She looks at Karl, who squeezes her hand as he gives her a slight nod. “We’re expecting!” she says excitedly. I jump to my feet and pull my sister into my arms.
“Congratulations!” everyone calls out at the same time.
“A baby!” my mom cries. “I’m going to be a grandmother!” She pulls my sister into an embrace and kisses each of her cheeks as her excitement takes over. “Can you believe it, Filip! We’re going to be grandparents!”
“I heard, Vera,” my dad tells her as he gets a chance to hug my sister, then pulls my mom into his arms.
“How exciting,” Julia says, back at my side as we watch everyone congratulate Alice and Karl. “Aww, you’re going to be Uncle Beck soon.”
“Yep. And I can’t wait to spoil this baby, even from thousands of miles away.”
Chapter Twenty
Julia
“I have a surprise for you tomorrow,” Beckett tells me as we lay in bed.
“You do? What is it?” I ask, shifting to get a little more comfortable as I’m wrapped up in his arms.
He laughs. “I can’t tell you or that would defeat the purpose of the surprise.”
“Any hints?” I press him.
“We have to drive to Stockholm for part of it.”
“Part of it? So, there’s more than one part of my surprise?”
“Yes, and that’s all that you’re getting out of me about it,” he says, tickling my side.
“I think you should just tell me now.” I pretend to pout.
“Nope. My lips are sealed. You won’t get anything else out of me until then,” he says, rolling me under him.
“Don’t think you can distract me with sexy times.”
“Me? Distract you? Never!” He drops his lips to my neck and I feel the goose bumps break out as soon as he makes contact. Traitorous body.
“I think that you like it when I distract you,” he says against my skin, causing shivers to run down my spine.
“Maybe,” I reply on a moan as he thrusts his hips against mine. I can feel the hardness of his cock pressing against my center. The two thin pieces of fabric of my panties and his boxers do little to keep us separated. “Mhmmmmm.” I moan again.
“Quiet, sötnos,” he whispers in my ear before capturing my lobe and nipping at it. My back arches up off the bed, my body searching for his. It’s like a magnetic pull I feel towards him. We perfectly fit. My soft edges against his hard. They mold to each other like they were created to do.
“I need you, Beck,” I murmur.
“I know, I need you just as much,” he tells me as he removes my tank top and panties. He quickly loses his boxer briefs and slides back on top of me, lines his cock up with my entrance, and sinks inside me. “Fuck, sötnos.” He groans into my mouth as he fully fills me.
My legs slide a little wider as I shift to cradle all of him, and my body adjusts to him as he starts thrusting slowly. He builds up his momentum, strumming my body in the perfect way he’s developed in the time we’ve been together. He’s always been more concerned about my satisfaction than just getting off quickly and moving on. He always, and I mean always, makes sure I come at least once, if not multiple times, before he does, and this time is no different.
I wake up, sated, as I melt into Beckett’s side. As I slowly wake up, I recall the memory of him telling me about a surprise today, and my excitement is back in full force. I wiggle out of his embrace, toss on a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt over my sleep tank and panties, and pad out to the bathroom. After doing my business, I quickly wash my face and brush my teeth before heading to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.
“Good morning!” Vera greets me.
“Morning, how are you today?” I ask, reaching for a mug.
“Just perfect,” she says, smiling at me sweetly. I’ve enjoyed being here with Beckett and his family so much. I hate that our time here is quickly coming to an end and we’ll have to say goodbye soon.
“Do you have any plans for today?” I ask.
“A few things, how about the two of you?”
“Beckett told me last night that he has a surprise for me, but wouldn’t give me many clues. All he said was that we had to drive to Stockholm for the first part of it.”
“Ah yes, he told me all about his plans. I think you’ll enjoy them!” she says excitedly.
“Any hints?” I ask, seeing if I can figure anything out.
“Sorry, my lips are sealed,” she tells me, sliding her fingers in front of her lips, like she’s zipping them closed, then pretends to lock them and toss the key over her shoulder.
“Please, just something small that’s a hint?” I plead.
“Are you trying to ruin your surprise?” Beckett asks as he enters the kitchen, catching me red-handed trying to get information from his mom.
“Maybe, but she’s just as much a vault as you are,” I say on a laugh as he wraps me up in his arms. I hold him tight, pushing up on my toes to meet him halfway for a kiss.
“Where do you think I got it from?” He chuckles once we pull apart. I grab my cup of coffee and take a seat at the island counter. “Do you want something to eat?” he asks, as he starts pulling items from the refrigerator to make himself a veggie omelet.
“I’ll take one egg, scrambled, with a little cheese on top,” I tell him.
“Coming right up, sötnos.” I sigh at his words and watch his mom’s reaction. He’s called me that hundreds of times, even around his family. They’ve all been so good about not talking in Swedish around me, and sticking to English since they speak both languages fluently. It has made this trip so much easier, since I know only a handful of Swedish words.
“Can you at least tell me how to dress for today?” I ask Beckett as we eat.
“Casually for this morning. We have reservations at a nice restaurant in Stockholm for tonight, so bring along something to change into. We’ve also got a hotel for the night, so you’ll have somewhere to change and get ready before dinner.”
With breakfast finished, I head for the shower and to get dressed and ready for the day. I still can’t figure out what Beckett has planned, but with the knowledge we’re staying the night and that he’s got dinner reservations, I start making my plans on what to wear and what to pack.
An hour or so later, I’m dressed in jeans and a nice top. I have a dress and heels packed for tonight, along with a casual outfit for tomorrow, as well as all our toiletries. While I was showering, Beckett packed his own bag for our little getaway.
“Ready?” he asks after I zip up my bag.
“Yep,” I say, popping the P as I accept the kiss he drops down to give me.
“Let’s go. We’ve got somewhere to be,” he says, winking at me.
Our drive to Stockholm is beautiful. I spend the entire drive just taking in the beauty that surrounds us. Everywhere Beckett has taken me is just breathtaking. I have so many plans to return and explore this gorgeous country even more.
“So, where are we going first?” I ask once we hit the city limits.
“Nice try, sötnos,” he says, a smirk on his sexy face.
“Oh, come on. Give me som
ething!” I plead with him.
“Our first stop is the hotel. We’ll check in, drop our things off, and then head out to our next stop for the day,” he says, giving me basically nothing.
“Humph,” I protest from the passenger seat. I cross my arms, really trying to sell my disdain with the lack of information. I look over and Beckett is biting his lip, doing his best to hold back his laughter. I can’t hold my fake irritation any longer and burst out laughing, just as Beckett does the same.
“Just be patient, sötnos,” he says from the driver’s seat as he expertly drives us to our destination. “All will be revealed when it’s time.”
“Fine,” I protest once more. “I’ll be patient.”
We arrive at the hotel just a short time later, and it’s a fancy hotel. I almost feel out of place in my jeans and casual top as we step out of the car at the valet stand.
“Mr. Karlson, so nice to see you this afternoon. We’ve got your room key and welcome packet at our VIP check-in desk,” the valet tells him as he stands next to the driver’s door.
“Thank you,” Beckett tells him.
“Can I take care of any bags for you and the missus?”
“The two bags in the back can be brought up, thank you,” Beckett says before rounding the front of the car and grabbing my hand. He escorts me inside and we head straight for a door that is labeled VIP.
“Welcome.” We’re greeted by a hotel employee as soon as we enter the room. “Mr. Karlson, we’ve got the room you requested ready, with everything set up on your reservation.”
“Thank you so much,” he says, reaching out to accept the packet with the room keys.
“Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to make your stay perfect. You have twenty-four-hour access to a private concierge, so please don’t hesitate to reach out about anything.”
“I think we’re good for now.”
“Of course. Enjoy your stay,” she says as we step back from the counter and head to the elevator. He slips one of the keys out of the holder and waves it in front of a pad. Once the light turns green, the penthouse button lights up and the elevator starts moving.
“You reserved the penthouse?” I ask, looking around once we step off the elevator. We’re standing in a little foyer with large double doors that lead into our suite.
“I did. I wanted tonight to be special,” he tells me, spinning me into his arms and planting his lips on mine. We break apart only when we hear a knock at the door. Beckett steps back, and attempts to discreetly adjust himself before answering the door.
“I have your bags, sir. Where can I put them for you?” the bellman asks as he steps inside the suite.
“In the bedroom is fine,” he tells the man, then steps aside. I walk over to the windows and take in the view we have of the city. It’s breathtakingly beautiful. I can’t wait to look out over it tonight, when it’s dark and all the lights are twinkling.
“Are you ready for our next stop?” Beckett asks, coming up behind me and pressing his front to my back. I bite back a moan when his cock pushes against my backside.
“Yes,” I say, a little breathlessly.
“None of that now, or we’ll never make it out of here,” he growls against my neck as he nips at it.
“You’re the one that brought us to the hotel first,” I remind him.
“Yeah, not a smart move on my part,” he muses. “Come on, sötnos, let’s go.” He links our hands together and leads me back out to the elevator. “Here’s this if you need it.” He hands me the second key as the elevator takes us back down to the lobby.
“Where to now?” I ask a few minutes later, as we pull out of the parking lot.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he says, a smirk back on his lips. He lifts our clasped hands and kisses the back of my hand. “Patience, sötnos.”
“Patience. Not something I have much of today,” I say on a laugh.
“I can tell,” he replies as we pull into a botanical garden. “You don’t have to wait any longer, as we’ve reached our second stop of the day.”
“This place looks gorgeous.” I slide out of the car and slip my hand into his as we make our way to the ticket stand. Once our admission is paid, we enter through the iron gates. It’s a stunning place, filled with so many beautiful displays. We slowly stroll from one area to the next, then walk down some stone steps where I see a gazebo off to my left.
Once we’re at the bottom of the steps, I notice a table in the center of the gazebo, and it’s set for two. “I wonder what’s going on over there?” I say to Beckett as we walk down the path.
“Let’s go check it out,” he suggests.
“No, we can’t interrupt someone’s private event.”
“Maybe it’s for us,” he suggests with a wink, and I realize he’s set this up.
“You did this,” I whisper as we walk over to the gazebo. I look around at all the flowers decorating it. The table has two small place settings with a bucket of ice in the center that holds a bottle of champagne.
“I did,” he confirms as he takes my hands and pulls me against him. “I wanted today to be special for you.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, not really sure why today needs to be special, but I’ll just roll with it. He walks over to a little cart I didn’t notice at first glance around and pulls off a tray. Uncovering it, he brings it over to the table and sets it down. It’s filled with meats and cheeses, as well as some fruits and breads.
We both take a seat and fill our plates. Beckett takes the bottle of champagne from the bucket and pops the cork. He pours us each half a glass and holds one out to me. Once it’s in my hand, he holds his up, then sucks in a deep breath, as if he’s calming himself.
“A toast. To today, to us, to the future. Cheers,” he says, then clinks his glass against mine. I take a sip of mine, the bubbles tickling the back of my throat as I swallow it down. Once both of our glasses are back on the table, he leans over and drops a quick kiss to my shoulder before doing the same to my lips. “Eat up, we’ve got more stops to make.”
We eat somewhat quickly, both finishing off our one glass of champagne each. With Beckett driving, there’s no need to go overboard.
“Shall we continue?” he asks once we’re both finished.
“I’m following you today.”
“I promise you’ll like everything I have planned for you today,” he says, leaning over to kiss me once more before we continue on down the path, making our way to the exit a short while later, off to our next stop.
We pull up and park near the water’s edge. I look out and see tons of boats lining the harbor’s edge, as well as bobbing around in the water. “Are we going out on one?” I ask, pointing to all the boats.
“We are.”
“Eek! I’m so excited!” I exclaim as we get out of the car.
Beckett leads us to the boat docks and onto a semi-largish boat.
“Welcome.” We’re greeted by a staff member.
“Thanks,” we both tell her.
“Make yourselves at home, head on up to the sun deck, and we’ll bring some drinks out shortly. We’ll start the tour of the bay in just a few moments.”
We head upstairs to the sun deck and find a seat, watching as the boat pulls away from the dock. A few minutes later, we’re greeted by another staff member, who serves us some drinks.
“This is so beautiful,” I tell Beckett as I lay against his shoulder. We’re stretched out on a large, padded lounge area that gives us a wide-open view off the front of the boat. We cruise along as the tour of the bay takes us around, and Beckett points out all the landmarks we pass by along the way. “I want to come back and plan an entire week just exploring Stockholm sometime. There’s so much to see here.”
“There is, and we can definitely plan another trip here,” he says, kissing my temple.
We fall into a comfortable silence as we coast through the water, returning to the port about two hours later.
“We’ll h
ead back to the hotel now to get ready for dinner,” Beckett tells me as we disembark the yacht.
“Sounds good,” I reply as we walk back to the car, wondering how this day could possibly get any better.
Chapter Twenty-One
Beckett
I stand in the bathroom doorway, my suit on, tie hanging around my neck, as I watch Julia finish getting ready for our dinner tonight. I’ve received a text from both her dad and mine, confirming everyone is here and ready to surprise her at the restaurant. After talking with my dad last week about how Julia is my future, I made the call to her parents, asking them first, for permission to ask their daughter to marry me and second, if they’d drop everything and fly to be here in Sweden, so I could do it with all of our parents here. They agreed on all counts and had flights booked within a few hours of our conversation. They arrived yesterday and are staying at the same hotel as we are, so we’ll be seeing them shortly.
“How much time do I have before we need to leave?” Julia asks as she applies mascara to her eyelashes. I look down at my watch, then back up to meet her gaze in the mirror.
“You have fifteen minutes until we have to leave.”
“Okay, tell me when I’m down to five, please,” she says, and I set a timer on my watch so I don’t lose track of time.
“Of course, sötnos.” I make quick work of my tie as I watch her move so efficiently. She’s standing there in her bra and matching thong, with a very see-through robe on that’s doing little to hide what she’s got going on underneath. I suck in a few deep breaths through my nose and blow them out of my mouth, willing my cock to settle down in my slacks. In a few hours, I can peel off her dress and undergarments and have my way with her.
“This is your five-minute warning,” I tell her as I watch her slip into her dress.
“Can you zip me up?” she asks, walking over and turning to give me her back. I slide a fingertip up her exposed spine, watching as a shiver rolls through her from my touch. I drop a kiss to her shoulder as I zip up the back of the dress.
The Hardest Shot: Indianapolis Eagles Series Book 7 Page 17
