Epilogue
PAIGE
“Hey, you! No stealing food.” I swatted his hand away from the ice cream. It was the third time I’d had to do it in the last five minutes. Tomorrow we were officially opening the education center, and we were knee-deep in preparations. “I will ban you from the kitchen if you keep doing that.”
“No, you will not. You want me to distract you. You just don’t know how to say it.”
He had some nerve. Homemade ice cream required attention.
Of course I didn’t want him to distract me.
Except… now that he’d said it out loud, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
I turned to face him, and as I often did since he’d handed over his badge, looked for signs that everything was all right.
He’d assured me that he was ready for this new phase, and he’d thrown himself into our new life together with such passion that I didn’t doubt it.
I dipped my forefinger in the small bowl of leftover ice cream and smeared it all over his cheek.
Will grinned, and then the game was on. He hooked an arm around my waist, keeping me in place while he smeared ice cream over my lips. Then he drew his tongue sensually over them, licking it off. We might have a lot to do for tomorrow, but we always had time for a sexcapade. Oh, yeah.
“I’ve been watching you dance around this kitchen for hours, moving those hips. I’ve fantasized about bending you over this counter and sinking inside you.” His gaze was smoldering. The arm around my waist had moved lower, and his hand was splayed on my ass.
“So what held you back?”
He let out a low growl, and his palm pressed me into him so I could feel how hard he was. Sweet heavens, how long had he been so aroused? And I’d been wasting my time making ice cream?
“I’d better take care of this,” I whispered, shimmying against him.
He touched my earlobe. “Yeah. Needs thorough attention.”
“What if I’m not… thorough? Will I get some of your deliciously sexy threats?”
“Only if you insist.”
“I do.”
“Well, then… how can I not play along?”
He scooped me up in his arms, and I flailed my legs in the air, grabbing his shirt for support. Will distracted me right until dinnertime, when Maddie and Landon dropped by unexpectedly with their daughter Willow.
Landon had offered his support in our joint venture, and while Will and I were grateful for it, we were doing just fine on our own.
“Won’t keep Landon from insisting,” Maddie had warned me the first time the subject had come up. And as the two of them helped themselves to some ice cream, Landon brought it up again. Maddie and I exchanged amused glances. We’d adopted the Connor betting habit, and I’d lost this round.
“What’s that?” Will asked suspiciously when I offered Maddie a five-dollar bill.
I figured it was best to come clean right away. Looking between the brothers, I said, “We just made a bet on how long it would take Landon to bring up the subject of investing.”
Both brothers glared at us. Then Landon turned to Will.
“Is it just me, or are our girls getting more and more daring?”
“Nope, not just you,” Will agreed.
“Maddie won this round, obviously,” I said.
Will tilted his head to one side. “This round? There are more?”
Ah, I’d shared too much. Maddie threw me a warning glance.
“Yep, but they involve girl talk, and I remember you clearly telling me you want to be kept out of it, so….”
Will grimaced. Landon held up a hand. “Say no more.”
Truthfully, our other bet had been a more elaborate business. Maddie, Hailey, Lori, and I had made a bet on what kind of man would steal Val’s heart, but there was no reason to share that with our men.
Maddie and Hailey were betting on some sort of Hollywood hunk. Hailey in particular was very excited at that prospect. Lori and I veered toward a businessman.
We chitchatted about everything under the sun, and when Will held Willow, I furtively snapped a few pictures. He was expertly holding Willow on one arm, and she sighed adorably, snuggling up to her uncle.
Later, after Landon, Maddie, and Willow had left, Will caught me looking at the pictures as we were doing one last check to ensure everything was in place for Monday.
“What’s this? I thought you kept all images here.” He tapped his temple.
“Some should be photographed. You look cute with her.”
“Cute?”
I nodded with conviction. “Don’t get your boxers in a twist. You’re still all muscly and manly, but also… cute. I can’t explain it.”
Will flashed me a smile. Wait a second… that was an unusual smile, as if he was harboring a secret. Hmmm, what could it be? He came close enough that I only had to lean a few inches to kiss him, but I was no closer to guessing the secret.
“How do you think I’d look with one of our own? Or more? Personally, I think we’d do great with more. Of course, we could luck out and have twins. Two in one shot.” He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear.
I was stunned that he’d envisioned our future in such detail. I tried to keep my composure, but his words touched me deeply, and my voice wobbled a little when I spoke next.
“You’ve been giving this some thought.”
He dragged the tip of his nose across my cheek to my jawbone. “Since the condom scare.”
“You’ve been keeping secrets from me.”
“Just waiting for the right time.”
“I think you’re forgetting something.”
“I am?”
“We’re not married.”
He pulled back a little, and his secretive smile morphed into a teasing grin. “Paige Lamonica, are you proposing to me?”
I felt my cheeks heat up, then my neck. I decided to take out my embarrassment on him, and poked one of those superb biceps. “I was hoping you would propose to me, but if you don’t, I’ll reconsider a few things.”
His gaze was intense. In a fraction of a second, Will had an arm around my waist, keeping me against him.
He kissed me deep and hard, and when he pulled back, he said in a gruff voice, “You can’t very well do that if I’m kidnapping you next weekend, can you?”
Everything around us seemed to still. I was only aware of my thundering heartbeats, and how impossibly warm Will’s body felt against mine.
“You… are planning to propose?”
“Yes. Down on one knee, with a ring and a very romantic speech.”
My heartbeat was out of control right now. Then I remembered a particular conversation and started laughing.
“Sorry, I just realized that’s why Hailey was so curious about the trip. Kept asking if we had some fancy dinner reservations.”
Will groaned. I kissed just under his jaw, then rested my nose in the crook of his neck, inhaling that delicious masculine scent.
“You really want to be tied to me?” I checked. “For the good and the bad?”
“Legally and forever,” he confirmed. I shimmied against him.
“That sounds lovely.”
He pulled back a little, bringing a hand to the back of my head. His mouth close, he feathered his lips over mine. “So you’ll say yes?”
Warmth unfurled in my belly. I felt my pulse thrum in my ears as I placed my palms just under his broad, strong shoulders.
“Depends,” I said coyly, fighting to maintain my seriousness as I lifted a brow. “Are you okay with a huge wedding?”
“Yes.”
“I want all the bells and whistles. I’ll also want a huge dress.”
“It’ll be my pleasure to take it off you during our wedding night.”
He brought his other hand from my waist to my hip, as if he wanted to lift up my dress. I pushed his hand away. “I already know you’re good at taking off my clothes, William Connor.”
“Thought you need more convincing—an incentive to say yes.” His eyes flashed. “Any more conditions?”
“Just one last thing. I want to officially be part of any ambushes and interventions your sisters plan.”
“That’s negotiable.”
“I’ll take it as a yes.”
He cocked a brow.
“What? I have solid proof that my negotiation skills are sharp enough to win you over.”
“Is that so?” He made another attempt to slide his hand under my dress. I pushed it away. Again.
“Uh-huh. Every time.”
“That’s not how I remember it, but I’ll let it slide.”
“Out of the goodness of your heart, or as another incentive to get me to say yes?”
“Both. Did I succeed?”
“I promise to love you, and torment you, and reward you with scorching-hot sex my entire life, William Connor. How is that for a yes?”
He grinned, leaning in for a kiss. “Makes me want to marry you right now, future Mrs. Connor.”