Page 95 of Jonny’s Redemption

“I get that but I wish you would’ve called me and told me they were starting a day early. I wanted to be there with you.”

Loyal.

Protective.

That was his Bobby.

The old Jonny would’ve lied. It would’ve been an omission, a blow-off so he didn’t have to answer truthfully, maybe even changed the topic so he could hide. But he’d vowed not to do that anymore and besides, he owed her the truth.

“I needed to do it alone.” Jonny reached up and cupped her cheek, partly to take the sting out of his words but mostly because he just wanted to touch her soft skin. “I needed to forgive them and myself. I needed to let go. I needed to know if I had it in me, and when you’re by my side I believe anything’s possible. So I had to be alone to know I’m man enough to love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

Jonny felt her lips tip up and his thumb grazed the side of her smile, feeling that grin literally and figuratively.

“And now you know.”

It wasn’t a question, but Jonny still answered, “Now I know.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Jonny didn’t need to think about the offer. There was nothing to say, no need to hash out his feelings or process the emotions. It was what it was. Life was just life. Sinners sinned. People forgave. Redemption was found. Pasts were left in the past.

It was time to move on.

“No.”

“Jonny—”

“Straight up, baby, I got nothing to say. And not because I’m holding back or don’t want to share with you. It’s just gone and there’s nothing more to it.”

“What’s gone?”

“That knot in my gut. The poison that polluted my thoughts. The lies I held on to that told me I was a failure.”

Jonny paused thinking maybe he did have something to say, things Bobby needed to know, but before he said them he wanted her closer.

Much closer.

He stood and held out his hand and just like he knew she would Bobby wrapped her fingers around his. She didn’t ask where they were going when he led them through the house. She remained silent as Jonny undressed her. She said not a single word when he helped her onto the bed before he shed his clothes and joined her.

Trust.

“Do you know how much I love you?” Jonny asked and settled his hips between her legs.

“Of course.”

“Good.”

He dropped his mouth to her neck and took his time tasting every inch of her he could reach. When that was no longer enough, his hand glided from her hip, up her ribs, along the curve of her breast until his thumb found her nipple.

“Jonny,” she whimpered.

“When I ask you to marry me, are you going to say yes?”

“Yes.”

Jonny continued to toy with her nipple, pinching and rolling until her back arched and her breaths started coming out in tiny gasps.

“Are you gonna have my babies?”