Chapter 37
“Sex counts as cardio. I will die on this hill.” ~ Maya
Maya
“C aleb!” I call as I enter my house. No, not my house. It’s our house. Caleb has been living here for nearly a month now.
It hasn’t been all smooth sailing. Caleb still wallows in guilt at times and misses his career in the Army. But we make it work. We will always make it work.
I love waking up in his arms every morning. I love telling him about my day when I get home. I love hearing about his day. And I especially love spending the nights wrapped up in each other. It’s a romance lover’s dream come true.
I frown when I realize Caleb hasn’t responded. I dig my phone out. Maybe he’s working late. Sure enough. There’s a message from him.
I’m at the library doing some research. Meet me here and we can walk to Smuggler’s Cove for dinner?
Sure. Be there in thirty minutes.
See you soon. Love you .
I probably have cartoon hearts in my eyes as I stash my phone in my purse. I can’t help it. Caleb loves me. The man I’ve loved since high school has loved me all along. Squeal!
I don’t need romance novels anymore. I’m living my romance story. Although, I still enjoy those sexy scenes when a vampire drinks the blood of his paramour for the first time or when the werewolves realize they’re fated mates.
Okay, fine. I still need romance novels. They’re especially good for providing inspiration in the bedroom. I’ve started to read the juicy parts to Caleb in bed. It’s all the foreplay we need.
Enough with the reminiscing. I need to get changed. I made the mistake of teasing Paisley about Eli and she threw a mug of beer on me. Her patience with the situation is gone. I admit I’m having more fun than I should be ribbing her.
By the time I shower, change, do my face, and wrestle my hair into control, it’s been nearly thirty minutes. Shoot the mermaid! I’m late.
I nearly run to the library. It’s only five minutes away since Smuggler’s Rest isn’t very big, but I’m gasping for air by the time I arrive. I should probably do more cardio. Sex with Caleb is apparently not enough to get me in shape.
I round the corner and slow down as the library comes into view. I frown. The lights are off. The library should be open until nine. I check my watch. It isn’t yet seven. What’s going on?
I try the door and it opens. Why is it dark inside if the library isn’t closed?
“Caleb!” I holler .
He steps out from behind the circulation desk. I can barely make out his features since the exit sign is the only source of light in the room. “Maya.”
“Why is it dark in here? What’s going on?”
“There was some sort of power surge. They’re working on it.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“I’m glad you asked. I promised one of the guests I’d bring him a book but I can’t find it in the dark.”
“What are you doing promising guests to bring them books? You’re supposed to be the head of security.”
He chuckles. “My Maya, always ready to come to my defense.”
“Sorry. It seemed odd is all.”
“Wesley, the front desk manager, asked me to pick it up as a favor.”
“What’s the book?” I can probably find it in the dark. I spent nearly as much time in the library as Paisley did, which is saying a lot.
“It’s about the Pythagorean theory,” he begins before giving me the exact title.
“I got this. I’ll be right back. And then we can go to dinner.”
I switch on the flashlight of my phone and march toward the mathematics section. I locate the aisle I want and run my finger down the books until I find the one I’m looking for. I grab it and whirl around to return to the circulation desk but nearly bump into Caleb .
I clutch my chest. “You scared me. I didn’t realize you followed me.”
He chuckles and holds out his hand. “I wouldn’t let you run around the library in the dark without me.”
We reach the end of the aisle and Caleb tugs me toward the back exit.
“Where are we going? We can’t sneak out the back with a book.”
He continues to lead me away from the front. What he doesn’t do is answer my question.
“I’m serious, Caleb. I may have done a lot of bad things when I was in high school, but I don’t steal books.”
He chuckles. “Stealing books is where you draw the line?”
“Yep.”
“You couldn’t draw the line on stealing the car from driver’s ed?”
“I didn’t steal the car. We got lost.”
“You left the island and didn’t return for eight hours.”
“There wasn’t a GPS in the car.”
He barks out a laugh. “And you didn’t have a phone with you?”
“Stop bringing up my past,” I grumble since I have no defense. We merely ‘borrowed’ the car from driver’s ed but he obviously doesn’t believe me.
“We’re not stealing the book.” He rounds the corner and I notice our favorite study room has light coming from it.
“What’s going on? ”
He’s obviously up to something. I should have realized as much when he asked me to find a book on the Pythagorean theory. But I forget to be logical when Caleb’s around. He scrambles my senses. In the best way.
He leads me to the room and I gasp. He’s turned our study room into a romantic picnic spot. There’s a blanket on the floor with a picnic basket on it, and a bottle of wine is chilling in an ice bucket.
“You made us a picnic.”
He nods to the book. “Open it.”
I notice a card sticking out of the book and pull it out. I flip it open. Marry me.
I lift my gaze but Caleb is no longer standing in front of me. He’s on his knees at my feet holding out a jewelry box. Holy mermaids in the sea! It’s finally happening.
He takes my hand. “Will you marry me, Bunny?”
“You did all this to propose to me?”
“You said you wanted a romantic proposal. I want to give you everything you ever wanted. I’m making up for those years we lost.”
“We didn’t lose those years.” I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this. “If we would have gotten together in high school, who knows if we would have stayed together. This way you had the chance to follow your dream of being a soldier without worrying if I could handle the long separations. And I got to attend the college of my choice without worrying if I was too far away from you. ”
“You might be right but I’m still going to make up for the years we weren’t together.”
“I won’t stop you.”
He squeezes my hand. “Starting with now. Will you marry me, Maya Jenkins? I want this to be the last time you use the Jenkins name. I want to give you my last name. I want to give you a family.”
A tear leaks out of my eye and I brush it away. “You’ve already given me a family. You are my family.”
“Then, let me give you my last name. And, once we’re married, let me give you babies. We can expand our family beyond the two of us.”
My heart skips a beat. He’s offering me everything I’ve ever wanted.
“Yes.”
“Yes? You’ll marry me?”
“Did you expect me to say no? I practically ordered you to propose to me.”
“Bunny.” He slips the ring onto my finger. “I wouldn’t have proposed if I didn’t want to marry you.”
“Do you know how many times I daydreamed about you proposing to me while sitting right there?” I point to the corner. “Except there were chairs in there. I didn’t sit on the ground.”
He chuckles. “My daydreams were a bit dirtier.”
My panties dampen at the promise in his voice. “They were? Tell me more.”
He stands and draws me close. “It’s better if I show you. ”
“Are you going to defile me in the library, soldier?”
“I paid a lot of money for the library to close for the evening. I’m getting all the benefits I can.”
“Such as a happy ending?” I waggle my eyebrows.
Caleb kneels on the blanket before pulling me down onto his lap.
I glance around at the romantic setting. “We’re really doing this?”
“Having sex in the library? Hell yeah.”
“No. I mean yes. We are definitely having sex in the library. But we’re really getting married?”
“As soon as you figure out who your twenty bridesmaids are.”
“I’ll get on the list ASAP.”
“But first,” he mutters before his lips meld to mine. This kiss is as exciting as the first kiss we shared in this very room. Except I know where this kiss is going to lead. And I can’t wait.
I can’t believe this. I’m marrying the man I fell in love with while tutoring him in math in this library. But I’m doing it. I’m never letting him go. He’ll need to start a war to get rid of me.
Caleb eases me onto my back and hovers over me. “I love you, Maya Emerson.”
“You have to marry me before you can call me Maya Emerson.”
“Don’t you worry. We’re getting married. I finally have you right where I’ve wante d you all along.”
“Same, soldier. Same.”
Thanks for reading! I hope you’re enjoying the Smuggler’s Hideaway series. I love this island! It’s so much fun to write about.
The series continues with Paisley and Eli in Beyond the Hate. Paisley has made her opinion of Eli perfectly clear. He should stick to his side of the island, and she’ll stick to hers. But what happens when tragedy strikes and she needs his help? Will she accept it or will her pride get in the way? Pre-order Beyond the Hate here .