“Hey.” I kiss her softly, silencing her argument. As always, one kiss is never enough. I kiss her again and again. I finally force myself to pull back. “If I change my mind, we’ll figure it out, okay?” That seems to settle her.
“Okay.”
Needing her closer, I pick her up and move her to my lap. She melts into me, and I kiss her neck. “So, what do you think about this house?”
She sighs. “I love it.”
“Good. I do too. I’m going to put an official offer in then, if that works for you.”
“Yes.” She fingers the hair at the back of my neck, and I have a hard time paying attention. “We should combine bank accounts soon.”
I lean forward and kiss her. “We will.” She relaxes fully against me, and I run my fingers up and down her spine, unable to refrain from touching her. “I have something for you.”
“You just gave me a ring, Reid.”
I chuckle. “I know, but I have something else for you too. Let me grab it; I’ll be right back.” I set her down carefully on the swing.
“Do we need to leave?” she asks as I walk away.
“Dan said the house is as good as ours if we want it, so he said to take our time.” I leave her and walk back through the house and out to the car and grab the small bag from the trunk and then walk back to where she’s sitting on the swing. I flip on the light as I go, so she can see. I give her the small bag and sit down next to her, close enough that our bodies are touching. She opens the bag and pulls out the stack of cards, four to be exact. She looks down at them and then at me. “I wrote one each year on your birthday after I knew you were my mate. So, there’s one for your fifteenth birthday, sixteenth, seventeenth, and then this year’s. I couldn’t give them to you at the time, but I want you to have them now.”
“Reid, that’s amazing. Thank you.” She opens the first one, and I pull her on my lap once again. I stay quiet as she reads. I know the words like I wrote them yesterday. Each card gives some of the highlights that happened to her that year, and each one ends with me telling her that I love her and will wait for her. A few times, she wipes away tears; but I know they’re happy ones. I can feel her happiness through our bond. When she picks up her card from this year, I run my fingers through her hair. When she finishes, she turns to me and buries her head in my neck. “Thank you for waiting for me.”
“Always.” I turn, so our lips meet. She groans against me, and I stand up, still holding her. It’s officially time to get us home. I get the house locked up and us in the car in record time. Her ring flashes in the light of the car before we close the door, and I can’t help my smile. This girl I’ve waited forever for is finally mine.
“What are you smiling about?” she asks.
I look over at her. “It was worth the wait.” She doesn’t even ask what I’m talking about; she knows. We’re almost back to the house when our phones both ding at the same time. She checks hers. “What is it?” I ask. I know it’s good news, whatever it is, because she’s smiling.
“Tessa sent me a write-up about tonight’s game.”
“Read it to me,” I encourage her.
“It’s not really anything,” she protests.
“Do they mention you by name?”
“Yes.”
“Then read it; I want to hear it.”
“All right. Fine.”
Freshman guard Riley Blackwood led her team to victory tonight with another outstanding performance, finishing as the game's leading scorer with thirty-five points.
But Blackwood's impact extended far beyond scoring. She also led her team in assists and rebounds, showcasing the all-around skill set that has made her one of this season's breakout stars.
Already leading her team in scoring, assists, and rebounds this year, Blackwood has proven herself to be a true triple threat and a difficult matchup for any opponent.
With performances like tonight's, expectations continue to rise for No. 52. If the start to her freshman year is any indication, Riley Blackwood's future is incredibly bright.
She finishes reading, and I look over at her. “Triple Threat, huh? I’m going to have to start calling you that.”
“No, you’re not.”
I pull into the driveway and park. “Come on, Triple Threat, let’s go.”
She laughs, and I smile. Making her laugh will always be my favorite thing. “Let’s get inside. I need to show you how happy I am to be engaged to you,” Riley says in a sexy voice.
