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“Okay?”
“I don’t haveanybills, June,” he repeated softly, his lips turning upwards. “I want our house and I want all of this. I want us with every fiber of my being. I want you ranting at me for rough-housing with the kids inside while you are working. I want us to walk the neighborhood together trick-or-treating, and I want to put up Christmas lights. Do you get what I’m saying?” he whispered intently, holding her gaze with such an intensity that she felt tears sting her eyes – and nodded.
“I really want the picture you keep painting for me,” she breathed thickly, trying to hold back her fears. “That’s why I wanted to put everything from my place into the house. The payments will be high, but I think it’s manageable…”
“June,” Ian began again, and sighed heavily – making her heart sink. “Give me your hand – please.”
She reached over the desk, careful not to mess up the paperwork she’d be preparing all morning long, and took his hand.
“Other one too,” he smiled – and she obliged.
They were sitting there, at her desk, the documents and papers all over beneath their elbows as his half-eaten donut sat on a napkin before him. Their cups were just out of the way, and she stared at him as he held her hands, savoring the warmth and recognizing the calluses on his thumb and fingers, knowing he worked hard for a living.
“I want you to know how much I truly appreciate what you are saying, but I don’t think you are getting what I want out of this,” Ian said quietly, not holding back. “I wantyou. I want to provide for you, to take care of you, to give you time to fall for me, and let me hold you close. I want our place and all of the memories I can see us making…”
“You said that – which is why we are doing all of this,” she interrupted, and he cut her off, shaking his head.
“I’ve been in the Army for fourteen years,” he smiled. “I’ve never bought a car, had a credit card, taken extravagant trips, or spent much money.”
“Ohhhh…” she whispered in understanding. He didn’t have anything in his name, which meant he had no credit established. Yeah, that might be a problem with a lender. “I see. Okay. I’m glad you told me, and we can work with that. On the loan we’ll just put my name first and add you on there so we can build…”
“June,” he chided, giving her hands a little shake, and laughing. “Hon, forfourteen yearsI have made a few thousand a month andnever spent a dime. I don’t want a loan hanging over our heads – I want tobuythe darn house.”
Her eyes widened and he grinned.
“Now you get it,” he teased. “Sell your place and tuck that money aside for children someday, or keep it in an account for yourself. I’m not filthy rich, but I can manage to pay for our home outright, and still have a nice nest egg for emergencies. I’m not afraid of hard work and like my job, plus with you working, then we can put back again, you know?”
“Are you sure?” she whispered in disbelief, stunned and humbled that he was talking about building a future with them as a couple –comfortably.
“I want to do acashoffer,” he murmured, looking at her. “I want to set our lives up in a way that we don’t have the same struggles that other couples have. I’m enough to handle – and I know it. People fight about money, sex, and the kids… and I don’t want to fight with you – ever.” He gave her a knowing look. “Let’s just focus on two of the three, okay?”
His words touched her – as outrageous as they were. She was doing the mental calculations of what he was saying, and what a difference it would be to realize that they wouldn’t have some massive mortgage hanging over their heads.
“As long as we choose each other, all the rest can fall to the wayside,” he said softly. “I’m choosingyou. This is me, betting half of everything I own or have, on the fact that we’re gonna be happy together for a very long time.”
She choked out a tearful laugh at the truth of his words and how strange they were.
“I’m serious,” Ian smiled tenderly. “So, let’s do the paperwork for the cash offer, do the wire transfer or whatever we need to do. Can we tell the other realtor that we need an answer fast so I can get the money moving, and then let’s round off our day properly? I want to kiss you again this evening in our house.”
He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckle sweetly.
“I should get started,” she breathed, staring at this amazing man.
* * *
Two hours later,she was on the phone with the realtor and Ian was on the phone with his bank; they were both talking in separate conversations, totally different, but both driven to accomplish the same goal.
“Ian, if it’s cash, we can close in three weeks.”
“I can’t be back in three weeks,” he countered, covering the mouthpiece of the phone. “Can I sign today, and you make sure the contract is good?”
She nodded, biting her lip, and was humbled that he was putting that much faith in her. As the day wore on, she was still making arrangements for the house to be inspected and other details, when Ian stood up.
“Hon, let me have your keys. I’m going to go let Gigi out and will be back.”
She nodded, dug out her keys, and marveled at the ease between them as he leaned forward to kiss her softly. Smiling, she realized that she really could get used to this, and wondered if they just needed to get everything out of their system – her system. She had fought against this so much, resisted his attentions because she was afraid, but now that they had seemed to just let everything out… she felt better, unburdened, almost free.
Watching him leave to go let out the puppy, she couldn’t help but admire what an amazing person he was – both on the inside and the outside. Oh, he was completely ornery at times, a huge flirt, obnoxiously wonderful, and stubborn as could be… but that was paired with a devilish smile, eyes that let his soul shine through, and a glow that seemed to resonate with her.
