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She lifted her bag and tossed it into my boat then jumped in and I caught her. There was nothing else I could possibly do.
I wrapped my arms around her waist and dragged her into me. “You’re killing me, Alison.”
“I love you so much.” Her voice was ragged and her eyelashes starred with tears. “Besides, if I didn’t I would have after you gave me fireworks for God’s sake.”
“Go big or go home, baby.”
She lifted her arms around my shoulders and went on her tiptoes. “I really like the idea of going home.”
Jessica made a whoop-whoop call and everyone clapped on the pier. I settled her in the seat beside me and throttled back away from the dock and waved.
JT curved his fingers around his mouth. “Lucky bastard!”
“You’re damn right I am,” I called back.
I sat down and dragged her close as I opened up the motor again and raced across the cove to my house—our house. We couldn’t talk above the wind and waves, but I didn’t need words right now.
I just needed her by my side. It only took a few minutes to get to the dock by my house and to moor the little speedboat. I tied off and jumped out to help her up on the dock.
She wouldn’t look at me as I handed her the oversized knapsack she forever carried.
There was no way I was going to stand for that. Not now. I dragged her close and lowered my head to catch her mouth in a swift, hot, heavy kiss. I poured everything I couldn’t say into her. She made a little squeak and gripped the front of my shirt.
“I swear you’re all I’ve ever wanted. I was just too stupid to actually say it out loud. All I could think about was fucking things up between us and losing you forever. I’m still going to have nightmares about it,” I said with a harsh laugh against her mouth. “But it’s better than not having you be mine. And most of all, being yours.” I touched my forehead to hers. “It’s scary as hell to know you could break me into pieces.”
“I’d never.” Her voice was a sandpaper whisper.
“I know. That’s what I figured out. I trust you.”
Her fingers twisted tighter into the dress shirt I was wearing. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Just you.”
“Well, you got me. And you’re never getting rid of me, baby or not.” Ally would always be enough, even if a small part of me wanted a baby to make it just that much more amazing. “And if you want, we can practice all night long. Laurie’s at my dad’s place.”
A little hiccup bubbled up in her bubble of laughter. “Yeah, about that.” She dug her hand into the endless bottom of her purse and she came out with a little white bag.
There was ju
st enough illumination coming from the solar lights that lit up the dock and the path to my house for me to see a telltale logo through the plastic. My chest tightened. I pushed it back and my breath stalled. “Are you?”
“I wanted to wait for you to do it with me.”
I lifted her into my arms, her canvas bag and the test crunching between us. “Can we do it now? Is it too early?”
She laughed. “It’s a little early, but this test is made for that.”
I blinked away the quick prick of tears. I didn’t want to ask, but I knew I had to. “Is this okay? I mean it’s okay if you’re not. We can wait until we get married. You know, make it all official. And if you want to do the school thing…” I swallowed down the nerves. I didn’t want to wait, but I would for her.
I’d do anything for her.
“I don’t remember saying yes. Or you really asking.”
My breath stalled. “I mean, you’re going to say yes, right?”
She tried to keep a straight face, but her lips kept twitching into a smile. Her fingers slid up my chest and around to the nape of my neck, then finally to the longer part of my hair where she could grip me tight. “I just might.”
I looped her legs around my waist and kept on walking. “Well, then I’m just going to have to convince you.”
She giggled. “Put me down, you idiot.”
