by Lila Kane
“No, wait. Hold on. Don’t say anything yet, please. I’m trying to fix this—and trying to say what I should have said last time we talked. Or the time before. I’m trying to be open and make this right.”
I release a breath, aware that his hands are still on my arms. “I’m listening.”
“Just two things,” he says, then lowers his gaze. “The first one is hard…it’s not something I’ve ever told another woman because I’ve never been at the point where it mattered. But with you, it matters. Even though we’re not there yet—and we may never be there—I still want you to know even though it seems like Liv might have already told you. I can’t have kids.”
I touch his cheek, bringing his eyes back up.
“I was sick when I was a kid and…it’s a long story,” he says, “but I can’t have kids. And, like I said, maybe we won’t ever get to that point, but that’s why I didn’t think we could be together.”
“I understand.” I rub his cheek, loving the way he leans into my palm. “And it’s not a make it or break it kind of thing for me. It’s a partnership and we’ll figure it out together. When I’m with the person I love, we can have kids, adopt them, get artificially inseminated—whatever—as long as we figure it out together.”
“Which brings me to the other thing,” Michael says.
“What other thing?”
“I love you.” He takes my hand and squeezes it. “I couldn’t say the words before because I didn’t think we had a chance together, but now that everything else is out there…I love you, Brianna.”
I wait a long moment, savoring the words. Watching as his face grows worried again. “I love you, too. I—”
He stops me with another kiss, making me laugh. “Please, please don’t take it back. I couldn’t stand it. I love you, Brianna, and if you love me, too, I want to make this work.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight. “God, Michael…is this real?”
“Completely real. I can put it in writing if you need me to.”
“No.” I pull back. “No more contracts. Just us. Let’s figure this out together.”
He kisses me again. “I agree. No contracts. Just us.”
I kiss him again, and it’s the lightest I’ve felt in a long time. Just me and Michael.
Together.
EPILOGUE
“I’m exhausted,” I say, pulling off one stiletto.
Michael steps from the closet in his bedroom and smiles at me. He crouches down to remove my other shoe. “What can I do?”
I glance down, so much love in my heart for him I can hardly stand it. “Nothing. You did so much tonight—the whole event…”
He’d helped organize the opening of my new office. Finally, my own company. It had happened so fast, but business boomed and suddenly, I needed employees. A place to run my business.
We’d spent the entire evening dressed to the nines and enjoying ourselves with friends and family.
He caresses my calf, rubbing the tired muscles. “It was a good night.”
I nod, suddenly emotional. “It was. It’s…Michael, please stand up.”
He gets to his feet and wraps his arms around me. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“I’m…” I fan my hand in front of my face, but it still doesn’t stop the tears. “I’m happy.”
“Oh?”
“Yes.” More tears slip out. “Everyone was there and your family—they make me feel like I belong.”
He brushes his thumbs on my tears to clear them from my cheeks. “Don’t cry. There’ll be a lot more years like this. I promise.”
I lift my chin to kiss him. “Really?”
“As many as you want. Just say the word.”
My stomach flutters. “I want forever. With you.”
He grins, as if he wasn’t expecting anything less. “Then let’s do it.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a velvet box. “Brianna…”
I cover my mouth with my hands, completely caught off guard. “Oh my God.”
“Don’t cover your face, sweetheart,” Michael says, smiling. He sinks to his knees again while my heart bursts. “I’m trying to ask you to marry me.”
I drop my hands, letting him take one. He gives it a squeeze and then looks up at me. “Brianna.”
“Yes.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes. Yes, yes!” I let him put the ring on my finger and then try to drag him up.
With a laugh, Michael gets to his feet and wraps his arms around me. “I was worried.”
“Why? I love you so much.”
He kisses me and nods. “I know. I really do. Are you sure this is okay, though? Kids—”
“It’s perfect. I’m right where I want to be.”
His eyes lock on mine. “You are?”
“Yes. I’m going to marry you and we’re going to adopt a thousand kids and be happy.”
He laughs. “Maybe not a thousand.”
“No, not a thousand. But as many as we want. Really, Michael. I wouldn’t have this any other way.”
He kisses me again and all I can feel is love for the man who has completely changed my life and given me a family.
BONUS EPILOGUE
“Shopping is exhausting,” I tell Michael as we walk into our Aspen home—the one we bought from the Beckett’s.
It holds special meaning for me because it was our first vacation together. Back when we had the agreement. Our fake engagement.
But now we’ve been married for a year and everything is 100% real—including how much I love him.
Michael takes the bag from my hand and sets it on the counter, peering inside. “What did you get?”
I blush. It’s just a few last-minute things I grabbed at the convenience store for later. Michael pulls out a pregnancy test and holds it up.
“I thought we were going to wait a few more days,” he says.
I shrug. “I know. But the doctor said we might be able to tell today. I thought…”
Michael sets down the test and walks around the counter to wrap his arms around me. “I know you’re excited. I just don’t want you to get your hopes up.”
He’s right. We’ve been doing in vitro since the month after we got married, but it hasn’t happened yet. I know it might take longer—which is why we started so quickly—but still, every single month I rush to take the test. Just in case.
I lift my chin to kiss him on the jaw. “I’m trying not to.”
“Let me help take your mind off of it for a few hours,” he murmurs, kissing me.
I sink into the kiss, massaging his tongue with mine until he groans and takes my hand. “I can’t wait anymore.”
I laugh. “You still have energy after all that shopping?”
He tugs me up the stairs. “I always have energy for you.”
When we’re in the master bedroom upstairs, he takes off his clothes and then mine, kissing every square inch of my naked body. I still can’t believe I everything worked out with Michael. That we found each other when love was the last thing I thought I’d find.
Michael’s thumbs circle my nipples, and I moan. “God, that feels so good.”
“Anything you want,” he whispers.
“You. Just you.”
He eases between my legs, already hard and ready for me, and slides inside. I’m wet, needing—wanting—and he doesn’t disappoint. Michael pumps his hips against mine, thrusting in and out, over and over until my whole body sings with ecstasy.
“Yes,” I whisper, clutching his back, pulling him to me. “Keep going.”
Michael thrusts a few more times and then his body tenses at the same time I shoot over the edge. He groans and then pours himself into me. I hold him close as we both come down from that peak, our hearts racing in time together.
“I love you,” he says softly in my ear.
“I love you, too.”
We stay like that a few more minutes before I stand. “I’m going to use the restroom.
”
His eyes are closed, and I smile.
“Guess shopping took more out of you than you thought,” I say.
He nods. “I’m going to rest a few more minutes.”
After I make sure his eyes are still closed, I sneak back downstairs and grab the pregnancy test. I know it might be too early, but I can’t wait. I want this baby more than anything.
I go into the bathroom on the main floor and pee on the stick. I wash my hands, waiting impatiently for the results. After a few minutes, I hear footsteps. Then Michael’s voice.
“Brianna?”
But then the ink starts to appear on the stick. Something I’ve never seen before. Before, it was always negative. But this time…
Michael knocks on the door. “Honey? Are you okay? You never came back.”
I yank the door open and jump into his arms. “It’s positive!”
“What?”
I pull away from him and grab the test, holding it up for him to see. “It’s positive. We’re pregnant.”
His mouth opens, but nothing comes out.
My stomach twists with worry. “Michael…say something. Is this a bad thing?”
“No.” His gaze snaps to mine. “This is a great thing. I’m—I was surprised. Brianna.” He gives me a tender look. “We’re going to be parents.”
He pulls me into his arms and I hold on tight, my whole body light with happiness. “I love you so much,” I tell him.
“I love you too.”
Up next: Faking It Book Two, The Setup.
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“Will you be my girlfriend?”
That’s all I have to ask. Five little words, find a girlfriend, and get a promotion.
But when my friend says she’s found the perfect woman for me, I had no idea it was the same woman I had a weekend fling with a year ago.
I’d walked away to protect her but only because I wanted her more than I could deal with at the time. Back then, settling down was a prison sentence.
Now, I need someone to pretend to be my girlfriend. But I want her.
The one who got away.
