by Ash, Nikki
“You guys don’t have to leave on my account,” Ian says, his brown eyes never leaving mine.
“Yes, they do,” I tell him, making them laugh. My time with Ian is limited, and I can see Lexi and Georgia any time I want.
“Yes, we do,” they agree.
“We’ll see you tomorrow at the graduation,” Lexi adds.
The second they’re out of the room and the door is shut, my lips connect with his and butterflies tickle my belly.
“I’ve missed you,” he says once we separate.
“I didn’t think you’d be able to make it.”
“I made it.”
“I can see that.” I kiss him again.
Ian pulls me off his lap and moves us down the bed so we’re lying on our sides and facing each other. “I couldn’t miss your big day.” He moves a wayward strand of hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. “I put in for it months ago, but I wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m surprised.”
“Good.” He pulls me toward him and kisses my cheek.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” I say, shocked and excited that Ian was actually able to make it to my graduation. “How long are you here for?”
“I have to be back Sunday night.”
Ian was one year ahead of me. We met my freshman year in Algebra II. We hit it off immediately and he asked me out. I knew the first time we kissed, Ian was the one, and four years later, we’re still going strong, despite the distance between us. When Ian graduated last year, he signed up to become a Navy SEAL. It’s a grueling program that can run anywhere from a year and a half to two years. Most don’t even make it through, but he’s already made it through boot camp, BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition SEALS training), and is in the final stage—SQT (SEAL Qualification Training). If he makes it through SQT, he’ll officially be a Navy SEAL, and shortly after, he’ll leave for his first deployment. Ian has wanted to become a SEAL his entire life. His father and grandfather were both Navy SEALs.
“Are you staying with your parents?” I ask, running my fingers along his shaved head. Every time I’m around him, I find myself having to touch him in some way, knowing when he leaves it’ll be months before I get to touch him again.
“Yeah, Mom asked if you want to come over tonight for dinner since we’ll be here tomorrow night for your graduation party.”
“Of course.” I kiss his cheek then trail more kisses along his jawline and neck. “But right now, I need you inside of me.” I reach for the button of his jeans, but he grabs my hand and stops me.
“Your dad is right downstairs.”
“So, we’ve snuck it plenty of times, and in case you forgot, I’m eighteen years old.” I roll him onto his back, and when I straddle his hips, something hard pushes against my leg. “Are you happy to see me?” I joke, getting off to see what it is.
Ian laughs and sits up. “I am, but that’s not what you felt.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small red box.
“Is that… what I think it is?” My heart picks up speed at the thought of Ian proposing.
“Maybe.” He smirks playfully. “First, tell me again about our five-year plan.”
I want to snatch the box out of his hand and open it, but instead go along with his little game. “Fine.” I huff, making him laugh. “Our five-year plan ends with us married. The end.”
Ian chuckles. “Nope, tell me all about it.”
“You already know it,” I whine. “Let me see what’s in the box.”
“Once you explain the plan.”
I cross my arms over my chest and pout, but he just smiles. “You graduate from high school and spend the next couple years becoming a Navy SEAL. During that time, I finish my senior year of high school and start college at the University of Las Vegas. Once you become a SEAL and are assigned to one of the locations, we’ll get engaged and I’ll transfer to the college near the base so we can live together. We’re hoping it will be in San Diego so I can apply for the internship with Scripps, so I can study marine biology while I finish up my degree. Once I’ve graduated we’ll get married.”
Ian’s lips, which were curled in a wide grin, turn down. “There’s just one problem with that plan.”
“What?” I ask, the organ in my chest tightening. We’ve had this plan since before he graduated from high school. Ian knows how important my plans are to me. Whether it’s making a plan for a project or a plan for my future, I need them. Without them, I feel like I’m spiraling out of control. “What’s the problem?” I ask, my hands beginning to shake.
Ian opens the box, and nestled inside is a beautiful diamond ring. “The problem is that I don’t want to wait until you move to San Diego to get married.” He climbs off the bed and gets down on one knee. “Micaela Lizbeth Michaels, will you marry me?”
“But… what about our plan?” I ask stupidly.
Ian laughs. “We can write up a new one. Everything else can stay the same. The only change will be your marital status and last name.” He winks, and my belly does a flip-flop.
“Yes!” I squeal. “Yes.” I jump from the bed and into his arms, tackling him to the floor. “Yes, I will marry you.”
* * *
“You’re not getting married,” my dad says. “You’re too young. You had a five-year plan. What the hell happened to the five-year plan?” He looks at my mom with wide eyes. “She had a goddamn five-year plan.”
“We tweaked it,” I tell him calmly. “The plan is still the same, only we’ll be married a little sooner. You and Mom got married when she was only a few years older than me.” I glance from my dad to my mom, silently begging her to help me out here. She had me when she was only twenty-one, and shortly after, they got married. At least I’m doing things the right way.
“Marco,” Mom says to my dad, and his shoulders slump. “We can’t stop them from getting married if that’s what they want to do.”
“No, but I want you to be on board.” Technically I don’t need either of their permission to get married, but I want their blessing. Their approval means a lot to me. I’m one of the few kids who has a good relationship with my parents. My mom is my best friend, and I’m close with my dad.
“And you can’t make it a long engagement?” Dad asks.
“We could,” Ian says, “but I love your daughter and would like for her to be my wife. And with her being my wife, she’ll be able to visit me on the base.”
“And you’re still going to stay here and go to college?” Dad confirms.
“Yes, Ian still has to go through SQT, and once he’s a SEAL, he’ll most likely be shipped out on his first deployment. I already have a year’s worth of college credits, so I’ll get my associate’s and then transfer to a school near him to finish my bachelor’s.”
“Damn it, Micaela.” My dad’s gaze meets mine, unshed tears in his eyes. “I want to tell you that you’re not thinking rationally, but you’re the most responsible, well-thought person I know.” He sighs, accepting my decision. “This weekend?”
“We don’t know when he’ll be able to come back here and we want both our families there.”
“All right,” Dad says. “If this is really what you want, then we’ll support you.” He puts his arm around my mom and pulls her into his side. “But no babies until you’re thirty.”
I roll my eyes and laugh. “Trust me, getting pregnant is not part of our five-year plan.”
Chapter Two
Micaela
Six Months Later
“We have Chinese or Japanese.” Ian holds up two takeout menus and shrugs a shoulder sheepishly.
“So, pretty much only the places that most likely don’t celebrate Thanksgiving,” I say with humor in my voice. “I guess we should’ve thought this through.” When Ian found out last minute he would be off for Thanksgiving and not have to report back to training until noon on Friday, I booked a hotel room near his base and flew in last night. It would be too much for him to fly over for only one day, but ther
e was no way I was going to let him spend the day alone. Not when I could be here with him.
“Yeah, where are our parents when we need them?” he jokes.
“Apparently at home with all the turkey and mashed potatoes.” I laugh, plucking the Japanese menu from his hand. “Sushi or Pad Thai?”
Ian drops the other menu on the counter and pulls me into his arms. “I’m sorry, babe. I should’ve—”
“Seriously, it’s just food.” I let the menu go and circle my arms around his neck. “Japanese, Chinese, turkey, pizza… None of it matters but being here with you.” I kiss him tenderly, happy to finally be in his arms. Training has been hard on him. It’s demanding and taxing on him—physically and mentally—and when he isn’t training, he’s so exhausted, he spends his time off sleeping or working out. He says it’s because the missions he’ll have to go on will be life-threatening, and if the men aren’t the best, they’ll put each other, as well as others, at risk. I Googled Navy SEALs and was shocked to learn just how dangerous it is. Thankfully, Ian is in shape and has been preparing his entire life for this. If anyone can become a SEAL, it’s him.
“It’s our first Thanksgiving as husband and wife,” he says, giving me a kiss. “It should be special. I didn’t get off until late, and I completely forgot…”
“It doesn’t matter what we eat as long as we’re eating together,” I insist. “We only have twenty-four hours together, so let’s make the most of it. We’ll have many more Thanksgivings to eat turkey.”
“Okay,” he agrees. “How about we order something to eat, and while we wait for the food to get here, I eat you?” He waggles his brows then nips on my chin playfully. “I’m starving.”
“That sounds like the perfect way to spend our first Thanksgiving.”
My Kind of Love
My Kind of Beautiful
My Kind of Perfect
Other Books by Nikki Ash
The Fighting Series
Fighting for a Second Chance (Secret baby)
Fighting with Faith (Secret baby)
Fighting for Your Touch
Fighting for Your Love (Single mom)
Fighting ‘round the Christmas Tree: A Fighting Series Novel
Fighting Love Series
Tapping Out (Secret baby)
Clinched (Single dad)
Takedown (Single mom)
Finding Love Series
My Kind of Love
My Kind of Beautiful
My Kind of Perfect
Imperfect Love Series
The Pickup (Secret baby)
Going Deep (Enemies to lovers)
On the Surface (Second chance, single dad)
Stand-alone Novels
Bordello (Mob romance)
Knocked Down (Single dad)
Unbroken Promises (Friends to lovers)
Through His Eyes (Single mom, age gap)
Clutch Player (Second chance, single mom)
Fool Me Once (Secret baby)
Before I Die (Contemporary romance)
Co-written novels
Heath (Modern telling)
Hidden Truths (Romantic suspense)
Stolen Lies (Romantic suspense)
Torn Apart
Bound Together
About the Author
Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher by day and a writer by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children, to Wuthering Heights, to the latest single parent romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book. While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the weekends!
Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.– Pam Allyn
Contact Nikki Ash
Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Goodreads
Amazon * Website * Nikki Ash’s reader group
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