Part 29 (2/2)
”I would have killed him.”
”I bet you would.” There was no question about that in her mind.
”And speaking of that a.s.shole, I saw him while I was waiting here.”
She shot him a suspicious glare. ”Did you do something to him?”
”Nope, I figured Mrs. Patty would do enough damage to him the second he tries to get the ring from her. Next time he comes close to you though, whatever f.u.c.king excuse he uses, I'm annihilating him.”
Christy rolled her eyes. ”Such a readiness to use violence is a very commendable trait for a soldier. Not so good for a boyfriend.”
He offered her a crooked smile. ”Me, readiness to use violence? Funny that you'd say that, because Rose is sporting a black eye. Care to explain that?”
”I'm done being rational and avoiding confrontation.”
She hadn't slugged anyone in her life. Now she couldn't say the same.
”So, we're breaking bad now?”
”Yep.” He was hers. It was about time she defended what was hers.
He chuckled and took her mouth again, his big hands cupping her head, his thumbs caressing her cheeks.
”Not that I'm complaining or anything, but if you weren't coming back to kick my a.s.s for the Rose incident, why were you going to chew my a.s.s off?”
”For shutting me out.”
He winced. ”Christy baby, I'm so sorry. I was scared, I saw the bags and... I tried to stop my mother from leaving when I was small. It didn't work. The more I begged, the quicker she packed. At the end she just lied her way out of there.”
It killed her to see the hurt in his face. She hugged him. ”Oh, Cole. I'm not like her. I would never do that to you. You're safe with me.”
”Yeah, I am, baby.”
”Just so you know, though, in a couple of weeks I'll have to go to the state's library convention. Don't freak out on me when you see me packing.”
He offered her a contrite smile. ”I'll try not to. One thing I can a.s.sure you: I will not walk out on you again, no matter how many suitcases you're packing. I'll stick around, yelling and demanding explanations and generally being a pain in the a.s.s, but I won't walk out on you again. Ever.” He cupped her face. ”Just bear with me, sweet thing. I'm not good at communicating. I don't deal too well with situations where I'm vulnerable. I shut down.”
”Don't I know it. Again, keeping your emotions in check is a very admirable trait for a soldier, as is being gung ho. Not so much for a boyfriend.”
He cleared his throat. ”What about for a husband? Would I be considered for the position if I promise to work on these two traits?” Before she could collect her jaw from the floor, he continued, ”And I have other virtues: I'm dependable, I never give up, I'll defend you to my very last breath, and I'll love you unconditionally forever.”
Her breath caught in her throat. ”What are you actually saying?” she whispered, trying very hard not to cry.
He leaned his forehead into hers and took a deep breath. ”I love you, Christy. And I want you back for good. I want to marry you.” He reached for his pocket and took out a velvety box.
Her eyes welled again.
Through her tears she saw a square-cut diamond set in a platinum band. It was beautiful and elegant without being ostentatious. Just perfect. Like the man offering it to her.
”I know I f.u.c.ked up, I let my past blind me, but I will never shut you out again. I need you in my life. I'll be the best husband I know how to be.”
”Are you sure about marrying me? I'd want the whole package, Cole. All the strings. The babies, the picket fence.”
”Bring them on. I can't wait. And I'd be honored to have babies with you. If you'll have me.”
”I have a less than desirable mother. Although in more contained form than before, she's going to be in my life. That means she'll be in yours too.”
”Well, we'll just have to put up with her, won't we?”
”As stoically as you put up with my music, my diet sodas, and my weird eating habits?”
He smiled and nodded. ”Please, baby, put me out of my misery and tell me you'll marry me.”
”I'll marry you, Cole Bowen. Of course I'll marry you.” In a heartbeat. ”Sorry I threw the coffee at your lap. Did I...injure you?”
He laughed. ”Why does everybody keep asking the same thing?”
She was about to ask him who'd been asking about his d.i.c.k, but then he pressed himself against her and she lost her train of thought. No, no injuries of any kind.
”Are we in a hurry?” he said, nuzzling her chin with his mouth.
She shook her head. She'd been in a hurry to get back to him, to Cole. Now she wasn't in a hurry anymore. She had all that she needed here in his arms.
”No. Why? You want to show me how everything always boils down to s.e.x?”
He kissed her lips. ”With you it always boils down to love, sweetheart. Forever.”
Loose Id t.i.tles by Elle Aycart.
Heavy Issues.
More than Meets the Ink.
Elle Aycart.
After a colorful array of jobs all over Europe ranging from translator to chocolatier to travel Agent to sus.h.i.+ chef to flight dispatcher, Elle Aycart is certain of one thing and one thing only: aside from writing romances, she has abso-frigging-lutely no clue what she wants to do when she grows up. Not that it stops her from trying all sorts of crazy stuff. While she is probably now thinking of a new profession, her head never stops churning new plots for her romances. She lives currently in Barcelona, Spain, with her husband and two daughters, although who knows, in no time she could be living at the Arctic Circle in Finland, breeding reindeer.
Keep in touch with Elle by visiting her at elleaycart.blogspot.com..
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