Page 60 of Wild for the Knight

He scoffs as I press a kiss to his right cheek, in the spot between my thumb and pointer finger. “I want to drive around aimlessly on the back of your bike like the backpack I was always meant to be.” He chuckles this time, the sound sending me the first jolt of happiness I’ve had since he ran me off. “I want to rub your neck in the car while I annoy you with my awful singing.” I kiss his left cheek.

I take a deep breath, pulling at the courage I have left, something we’ve never talked about, but something I want with him so badly. “I want to start a family with you.” His eyes widen as they fill with moisture once again. “You’re it for me, Sunshine. I know it in my bones. Why wait? Just be mine forever, dammit.”

He laughs through the tears streaming down his face, his forehead creased in thought. Our eyes lock on each other as everything slides back into place. My gentle giant, my tender-hearted storm cloud, my love. “Are you going to leave me hanging, or... ?”

He rolls his eyes, pulling me into his chest with a sigh of relief. “I’d marry you anytime, any day, Tink. I just can’t believe your controlling ass beat me to asking.”

The laughter that rolls out of us is loud, unhinged, and utterly ridiculous given the past few weeks. “Can I say no, then ask you tomorrow?” he says through his laughter. I swat him in the chest, then point my finger in his face.

“You say no, I’m walking out the door and not coming back. Don’t play with my emotions.” He grabs my hand and places a kiss on the inside of my wrist, and that's when I see it. I grab his hand and lift his arm until it's level with my eyes.

“When did you get this?” I ask as I trace the pixie that’s tattooed on the peak of his bicep. It’s just an outline, but where the heart is on a human, there’s one on her, too. It's light purple, my favorite color. Our color, the one he painted the sky of our picture in.

Grabbing my hand, he places it over his heart. I feel the speed at which it’s beating. Feeling his heartbeat is a comfort I didn’t know I needed. “The day after I walked out on you.” He looks down at the ground before looking back up at me. “It’s where you slept every night,” he huffs, “I asked while you were half asleep one night why you didn’t put your head on the pillow or fully on my bicep, both would provide more cushion than this spot.”

He steps into me, grabbing my hands from his chest and lacing our fingers together. “You said, and I quote, ‘it would be a crime to damage the guns on you. Plus, that’s where your Brachial pulse point is. I sleep better when I know your heart is still beating.’ If I couldn’t have you physically with me, I wanted something that’d keep me close to you. I’ve fallen asleep with my head on my arm every night since.”

He takes a shaky inhale, closing his eyes before he lets them slowly open and focus on me. “I had every intention of figuring out who was behind all this, then coming back and begging for your forgiveness. I wasn’t planning on the second blow-up. That one’s on me. I needed my little pixie, even when I made you think otherwise.”

I stare at him wide-eyed, the man got a whole tattoo for me. “Wait, you sleep on your back, though.” I run my hand over the little pixie, her hair is pulled into a ponytail, in the exact spot he likes to put mine in before he tugs on it.

He takes my chin between his thumb and index finger, angling my face to meet his, “Not since I left. I’ve been curled around the pillow that still smells like you.” He kisses my temple. “Anytime I’m home, I put on the sweatshirt you always steal from me the moment you walk in the door.” I smile, I do love that sweatshirt. It’s like a dress on me, but it’s old, and the material is super soft. “And my head is attached to my arm when I go to sleep, pretending it’s you I’m cuddled up with.”

Put a fork in me, I’m freaking done.

I place a kiss on the tattoo before I look up at him, “I mean, thanks for agreeing to be my fiancée, but I don’t have a ring. So...”

He stares blankly at me for a second before his head falls back in laughter. God, I will never get tired of hearing that sound. I mean, we could go to town and get one. They have a little wedding chapel, we saw it last time we were there, but I have a feeling Hannah, along with Amy, would combust if we eloped.

“What’s that look for?” he asks. A permanent smile takes residence on his face.

“Just thinking how pissed Hannah and your mom would be if we got married at that little place we saw last time.” His eyes light up, and I know I’ve just sealed our fate.

Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?

Chapter 33 - Tatum

Ring ring. Ring ring. “Tate, what the hell, man, it’s like two in the morning...” I chuckle. I know exactly what time it is. We’ve been a bit preoccupied for the last few hours. I’m officially a fan of the making-up part of fighting with the woman you love.

Hannah’s soft voice filters through the phone as she says, “Why are you calling your brother at this hour? Are you dying?” I stay silent for a second, allowing her to think about it. Then I start to count down in my head, three, two, one... “Oh my God, I forgot you were in Georgia, are you okay? Is she okay? Wait... DID YOU KILL ABBY?!”

Abby laughs from the bathroom where she’s currently braiding her hair and taking off her rings. We’ve been everywhere in this house. She jumped on every single bed while she sang “You Are My Sunshine.” I’ve had her laid out on the kitchen island, the couch, the stairs, the balcony... We had more than one karaoke moment. There was very little talking, but honestly, it’s been one of the best nights I’ve ever had.

“I recall last time we were here, dear brother, you told me when it was my time, you and Hannah would do the same for me.” They gasp at the same time, and I can’t keep the dorky smile off my face. “How fast can you two plan a party?”

Hannah squeals, causing my brother’s deep rumble of a laugh to fade to the background. My heart swells. I always hoped that when my brother and I got married, our wives would be the best of friends, so it wouldn’t be a chore to see each other. I guess God answered those prayers. “Wait, wait, wait. Put me on video.” My eyes track to Abby to make sure she’s okay with that, her smile through the mirror is all the permission I need.

Hannah’s face pops up on my phone, her smile bright, lit by only the phone as she bounces in excitement. “Turn on the light. Please, Grey.” And like the whipped little nugget my brother is, he does it with a smile on his face. Soon they’re both staring at me, who is smiling back at them like a circus clown.

Abby saunters into the room, exaggerating each step, accentuating the natural curves of her body. If I didn’t just spend the last few hours reacquainting myself with it, I might say screw it and toss the phone somewhere. I hold out my hand for her, pulling her into my lap as I lean against the headboard. “Hi guys.” She smiles as she tucks herself into my chest.

“This is so weird.” My brother says, Hannah’s hand flies into his chest as she glares at him. We laugh as a blush blooms on his cheeks. “Sorry,” he mumbles as he kisses Hannah’s head.

“I’m so happy for you two. Honestly, once Abby told me about you guys. I don’t know how I didn’t realize it sooner.” She grabs a piece of her hair, twirling the end of it. “I was mad you kept it from us, but I get it. Just don’t keep anything else from us. There’s no more creepy stalkers or revenge plans, are there?”

My head shakes, I could go my entire life without another one of those. But then, something Tristan said pops into my mind, and I don’t want to move forward with anything until everything is on the table. I clear my throat and meet my brother's gaze through the phone. “Tristan told me something when he was explaining his plans.”

My brother’s head tilts slightly to the side. “He paid Kara to do what she did. He only gave up on “ruining” you when Hannah came along.” His brows knit together, and Hannah’s shoulders visibly rise. Kara was awful to Greyson, but she laid her hands on Hannah, and that’s something none of us can let go of.