49. Hawke
Hawke
I ’m holding Ivy in my lap as we look out at the rain pouring down.
I’ve never once used my back patio, and it wasn’t until she moved in a month ago that we made it a regular thing.
When I’m not at work, and she’s not in what I like to call her “death dungeon,” which is basically the dark little room with an ungodly number of snacks where she works on her freelancing gigs, this is where you can find us.
I couldn’t be prouder of my woman. She works fucking hard, and I wonder how many people might’ve been thrown off by her party-girl persona.
She still enjoys partying, but without drinking now.
I’ve followed suit because I don’t need the buzz or thrill, not while I have her by my side.
And I have no intention of letting her go.
I press a kiss to her temple. Those short little shorts she’s got on killing me. I swear she has a matching set in every color, and she uses them to keep me in a continuous state of needing to fuck her. And I just fucked her thirty minutes ago.
“What?” Ivy asks, looking at me skeptically. I don’t know how I’m looking at her right now, but it’s probably like I’m a big, smitten asshole.
I raise my gaze back to the rain, having a new appreciation for it. I never cared for this kind of shit before. When I was a kid and it rained, it was bad because Ford and I had to find shelter for the night. But with Ivy, it’s a beautiful thing.
“I was just thinking about how nice it is that you’ve moved in without me having to throw you over my shoulder, kicking and screaming.”
She scoffs. “Well, living in a five-bedroom home by yourself is a little excessive. And I can go back to my apartment any time I want, so don’t give me a good enough reason to leave.”
I chuckle as I tickle her ribs, and she flails back and forth. I receive an elbow to the nose, which, to be fair, I should’ve been expecting. I laugh, swearing I taste blood.
“I warned you,” she growls, grabbing a tissue to hold to my nose. I do it to her all the time now, and I haven’t admitted that I’m fucking into it. I like it when she fights me and puts me in my place. I most definitely have some screws loose, but for this woman, I’m completely okay with that.
I’m looking past my nose as she holds the tissue to it. “You’re going to be a good mom,” I say with a nasal voice, and her body locks up on me.
“You really believe that?” she asks quietly.
I remove the tissue so I can look her dead in the eyes.
“Are you kidding me? The best! You’re so cool! Our kids will be so lucky to have you as their mom and me as their awesome-as-fuck dad.”
She chuckles at that. “You think you’re awesome-as-fuck, do you?”
I’m affronted. “Obviously.”
Ivy angles herself so she can keep dabbing at the blood. Her blue eyes flick to mine and then back to my nose.
I know when she’s struggling to say something, so I squeeze her ribs and coax, “Out with it.”
“Stop! Unless you really want it broken,” she chides, trying to treat my nose again. I know it isn’t as bad as she’s making it out to be, which means she’s just avoiding voicing whatever is on her mind. “Would you really be okay if we had children together?” she asks nervously, and my heart stops.
“Are you crazy, Ivy Walker? It’d be my honor to trap you and make you my wife. We have five bedrooms here. We can have a bucketload of kids. If we need a bigger house, we can get a bigger house. Or we can build an addition to this one. Or maybe we can have twins and give them bunk beds and?—”
She squeezes my nose to shut me up. “God, you’re something, aren’t you?” She shakes her head, wrapping her arms around my neck and staring at me lovingly. She dips her lips to mine and kisses me softly. “That’s nice to hear. Because I have a secret for you, but you can’t tell anyone.”
I lean back so I can look into her eyes. And I see it then–the twinkle of mischief. Before, she was wary, but now she’s… she’s…
I glance down at her stomach, and my hand goes straight to it. “Pregnant?”
She bites her bottom lip, and I jump out of my seat, bringing her with me. I jump up and down, screaming as she wraps her legs around me, laughing.
“Are you fucking kidding me, Ivy Walker?” I cup her cheek, unable to contain my excitement.
“Are you fucking serious? Are you going to be a mom?! Am I going to be a dad ?” My voice wobbles on the last word, and she brushes back my hair.
I follow the sweet, endearing touch as she strokes me as if petting me.
“The best and awesomest dad on the block,” she says as tears prick her eyes. “I’ve only known for a few days. I didn’t know how to tell you. I’m sorry.”
I pepper kisses all over her face. This beautiful fucking woman. All mine. Every bit of her. I’ll give her everything, knowing that she chose me. This beautiful goddess of a woman who can literally bring any man to their knees, and she’s chosen me.
“Promise me you won’t tell anyone yet,” she says, holding her pinkie up.
I groan as I throw back my head. “That’s torture, lover.” But when I look at her again, she’s smiling.
“Trust me, it’ll be worth it.”
I wrap my thick pinkie around her delicate one because no matter what, it always feels like it’s us against the world —mischievously getting up to no good.
“Then I guess this is a good time to bring this out,” I say, setting her back on the chair so I can drop to one knee. I fish out the ring from my back pocket, my heart falling for a moment when I think I’ve lost it. But it’s still there, thank fuck.
Her hands go to her mouth.
I pull out the yellow diamond engagement ring, and tears begin to spill down her cheeks. My smile wavers as I can’t help but notice that dust has somehow found its way into my eyes as well.
“Ivy Walker, will you do me the honor of first and foremost becoming my wife, then being the mother of my children?”
“How long have you been carrying that around?” she squeaks as she stares at the ring in disbelief.
“I’ve been carrying it around since the day I told you I loved you,” I confess.
I knew then that Ivy was definitely the one for me, and I wasn’t going to let her slip through my fingers.
Up until now, I’d just been waiting for the right moment.
But every ordinary moment felt perfect, then I’d accidentally fuck her instead, and it began this fabulous cycle of not getting down on one knee.
“You kind of haven’t said yes,” I nervously remind her.
She bursts out into laughter. “Yes, you big oaf,” she says against my lips, and I feel the wave of relief pass through me as I take her breath as my own. Finally, she’s mine.
Not that she ever had much of a choice in the matter.
Her hand is shaking as I slide the ring onto her finger. I can’t stop kissing her. Can’t stop breathing in her scent and that of the fresh rain that seeps through.
I never imagined this for myself, only offering myself brief daydreams of someone accepting me so completely.
But I should’ve known from the start that Ivy was that woman.
I had, but I wasn’t ready to admit it then.
Wasn’t ready to be the man she needed. But I’ve since grown to meet her expectations.
A mischievous twinkle dances in her eyes as she says, “Why don’t we have one more prank together?”