Trouble in Loveland
Page 31
He was so quiet and still, I thought perhaps he had fallen asleep. I knew I felt like doing the same. Sleeping in his arms was like heaven to me. But then, in the still of the night, I heard the most beautiful words ever spoken against my ear, “I love you, Charlee Jensen,” he said in almost a whisper.
“Did you say that because you thought I was sleeping?”
He laughed quietly. “No. I said it because I mean it. I should have told you a long time ago, but I was afraid of moving too fast like I did with Victoria. I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“And let’s not forget embarrassing me today.”
He pulled me closer to him. “I’m not going to apologize for that. It was the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
I looked up into those smiling eyes of his. “Ok … I’ll give you that one, but only because I love you.”
“Say it again.”
“I love you, Ryan Carter.”
Epilogue
I
rushed home from Krissy’s baby shower at the Lawtons’, a shower that I threw in conjunction with her sister, to get ready for my Valentine’s Day date. I’d had the two most handsome men ask for the pleasure of my company tonight, and I couldn’t wait. I wanted to look fabulous, so Krissy and I had spent the previous weekend picking out the perfect outfit. She was now waddling and was to the point where she was really tired of being pregnant. I think she had a twinge of jealousy as I tried on non-maternity clothes.
“You’ll be back in regular clothes before you know it. Just enjoy it, and your large chest.”
She threw a red dress at me. “I never thought I would say it, but I think your boobs can be too big.”
“Well, I’m sure Chance is enjoying it.”
She blushed, and we left it at that. Thankfully, she didn’t feel the need to discuss that facet of her relationship.
We decided we better go more flirty than sexy since Josh was part of the date. Valentine’s Day fell on Saturday this year, and it was one of Ryan’s nights. Thankfully, Ryan was getting more nights now with Josh. Ryan was now insisting that the original terms of the custody agreement be in force, and that meant they switched off every other week getting Josh for four nights. I liked that arrangement much better. Victoria, not so much. But like she said, she’d made choices.
I chose a very flirty belted pleat dress in berry that hit me just above my knee. It was fun, child appropriate, and I felt pretty in it, so we went with it.
I don’t know why I was so excited; I knew we were just staying in, but it was our first Valentine’s Day together and everything had been going so well. We had practically been inseparable. I had even gone back to working at the office on my work days. I’ll admit, I kind of threw out the whole “I won’t make-out in the office” rule, but I had a feeling my dad and Felicity had thrown that one out too, so I didn’t feel too guilty.
As I went to put on my lip gloss, I glanced at the two dozen white roses Ryan had already had delivered to me earlier that morning. I couldn’t help but pick up the card that came with them. I opened the pink colored card almost reverently.
Charlee Jensen,
I’ve been trying all day to come up with something witty or clever to say to you, but as you know, my gems are usually inadequate. So I hope you will settle with me trying to express the depth of what you mean to me, what you’ve meant to me all along. I knew I was in trouble from the first moment I laid eyes on you in your dad’s truck that first day you came back. I couldn’t believe how incredibly beautiful you had grown up to be. I know you hate it when I say grown up, and I know I was an idiot to keep saying it to you, but I was trying my hardest at the time not to be attracted to you. It was the one thing I’m glad I failed at.
One thing I wish I hadn’t failed at was letting you know how much I cared for you right from the beginning. If I could go back, I wouldn’t let a day go by that I didn’t tell you what you meant to me, how beyond lucky I felt that you found me worthy to be by your side. I wish I would have told you the moment I knew I loved you, that night as we danced in the crowd at the mall.
Charlee, I just want to say thank you for sticking it out with me, for loving me like no one ever has, and for showing me what real love is. You’ve made me a better man and father. I hope someday I’ll truly be deserving of you. Until then, I hope you’ll choose to stay by my side.
Know that I ardently love and admire you and I plan to, every day, show you how I feel about you.
Please be my Valentine.
With all my Love,
Ryan
I set the card down and dried my eyes again. I had read it so many times I practically had it memorized word for word.
I looked at the time and quickly threw on a sheer layer of lip gloss. The doorbell rang and I had just enough time to grab Ryan’s card with a gift certificate to his favorite running store. I practically ran to the door and opened it. There stood my men, decked out in suits and ties, looking oh, so fine. Josh looked so stinking cute in a suit and Ryan … let’s just say the butterflies were back to swearing and making me feel like I was going to puke. I loved it.
“Well, hello,” I said.
Ryan started to hand me a large bouquet of white roses, but his son beat him to the punch.
“I made you this card,” he handed it up with a large heart-shaped box of chocolates.
I took them and admired them both. I bent down and hugged and kissed him. “I love them. Thank you.”
“Happy Valentime’s Day,” he said cutely.
“Happy Valentine’s Day to you.”
Ryan had been patient enough. He handed me the flowers and then crushed them between us as he kissed me. “That,” he whispered against my mouth, “is for starters, the rest will have to wait until after we put someone to bed.”
I smiled and kissed him once more. “Something to look forward to.”
He groaned and released me.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved dating Ryan and Josh, if you know what I mean, but sometimes it was tricky. There really was something about anticipation, though.
My men walked me back to their place; each had taken one of my hands. We walked in, and the mood had been set. Low lighting and a table set in front of the fireplace filled with a cheese fondue pot, breads, meats, vegetables, and chocolate fondue with assorted fruits. It was perfect. Ryan lit the candles and started the gas fireplace.
Ryan helped me in my seat and whispered low in my ear, “You look like perfection tonight.” He kissed my neck, and the goose bumps appeared. When was Josh’s bedtime again? I thought.
“Thank you, handsome.”
I sat between them and ate the best meal ever. Nothing is better than melted cheese and gorgeous men. They are perfect paired together, and who could forget the chocolate? Not Josh. Let’s just say, we would be getting his suit dry cleaned as soon as possible.
Finally, bed time did roll around and Josh was actually very sleepy. I guess Ryan had purposely played hard with him all day in hopes of him being tuckered out. It worked like a charm. That left his daddy and me to slow dancing and kissing in front of the fireplace. The first song of the evening was the first song we had ever danced to, “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran.
“You remembered,” I said as he pulled me close and we began to sway.
“A man never forgets the first time he dances with the woman he loves.”
“I think that may be the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard.”
From then on, it was a lot of nonverbal communication. That was until Josh cried out, “Cherry!”
Our lips parted and we stopped swaying.
“He’ll go back to sleep,” Ryan said unconvincingly.
“I better check on him.”
“You know he only does this when you’re here.”
“I’m here every night he is.”
“I know,” Ryan smiled.
I kissed him quickly. “I’ll be right back.”
He groaned, but smiled and reluctantly let me go.
I quietly crept into Josh’s room to find him sitting up, crying in bed. He looked so cutely pathetic. I went to him quickly and wrapped him up. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“I had a bad dream.”
I held him against my chest and stroked his head. “What about?”
“Scary dinosaurs.”
I was going to strangle that teenage babysitter Victoria hired last week. Who shows a four-year-old Jurassic Park? I was at least grateful that wasn’t on our watch. Where Victoria was better, she still wasn’t easy to deal with. She would have raked me over the coals for this if it had been our fault.
“It was just a dream, honey. Remember those dinosaurs aren’t real. Dinosaurs don’t exist anymore. Do you want me to sing to you?”
He nodded his head.
I laid him back down in his now full size bed; he had way outgrown the toddler bed. I laid next to him and wiped his tears as I began to sing. He snuggled against me, and I felt this amazing rush of emotion for him. It almost made me forget his daddy’s arms were waiting for me. It took longer than normal to calm him down. Just as I was ready to leave, Ryan joined us. He laid on the other side of his son and faced me. The bed really wasn’t made for three, but somehow we all managed to fit.
Ryan kissed Josh’s head as it rested against me. Then he looked up at me with the most intense gaze. My insides melted as he smoothed my forehead.
“I was just thinking,” Ryan said quietly.
“About what?”
He grinned seductively. “I was thinking about how I would like you to be the mother of my children,” he whispered.
“Like right now?” I smiled.
“I was thinking as soon as possible.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something first?”
“Will you share my bed with me, minus Josh?”
I smiled wider. “Um … aren’t you forgetting something else?”
He rested his warm hand against my cheek. “Charlee, please be my wife, best friend, lover, stepmother to my son and mother to our children? Did I forget anything that time?”
I shook my head no and cried some of those happy tears.
“So what do you say?”
“I say yes, but …”
“But?” He looked worried for half a second.
“We need to think up another name besides stepmother.”
He laughed and thought for a moment. “How about goddess?”
“I can work with that.”
“Perfect,” he said before his lips met mine.
And it was.
THE END
About the Author
Jennifer Peel is a fifth generation Colorado native who currently calls Alabama home. She is the mother of three amazing children who have grown up way too fast. She enjoys the mountains, vacations at the beach, date night with her husband, late night talks with her kiddos, touring model homes, pink bubblegum ice cream … and writing.
If you enjoyed this book, please rate and review it…
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Other books by Jennifer Peel:
Other Side of the Wall
The Girl in Seat 24B
Professional Boundaries
House Divided
The Women of Merryton Series:
Jessie Belle – Book One
To learn more about Jennifer and her books, visit her website at: www.jenniferpeel.com
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Epilogue