46. Chapter 46
Dream home for dream girl
“Are you sure you don’t want to have a big extravagant wedding, babe? We can always do it after the babies come.”
Smiling over at him, I turn my voice into a tease. “Are you trying to get out of marrying me tomorrow, Mr. Swain?”
He rolls his eyes. “Psssht, you know I’m not. I just don’t want you to regret it.”
“For the millionth time, I don’t need ice sculptures and shoes that cost more than Betty to get married. I just need a groom. A willing one.”
“I’m more than willing, dream girl. I wanted to make sure I’m not rushing you, but I’ll shut up about it now.” He slows to take a curve and protectively crosses my body with his thick forearm—even though I’m wearing a seat belt—before dropping his hand to my belly.
It’s really sticking out there now. I’m almost four months along, and I’ve had to start wearing maternity clothes to contain my baby bump. Reno can’t keep his hands off it. Or off me. I’d worried the changes in my body would make him see me differently, but he’s as voracious as always.
“It was nice to see the Pineapple Island crew at lunch today,” I say. “Thank you for inviting them to surprise me.” Fourteen of our vacation friends arrived today to witness our nuptials, including Kat and her husband, Jevaun .
Reno slides his hand up and strokes the side of my face. “I thought it would be nice since they were like our own personal cheerleaders when we were there.”
Strong oak trees line the packed dirt road, and sunlight dapples through them, forming patterns on the dusty surface. It’s an unseasonably warm day in early December, and tomorrow is going to be just as beautiful.
A perfect day for a wedding.
Reno proposed at a Brewers’ home hockey game… after he served his two game suspension for beating the crap out of my ex.
The twat muffin had threatened to press charges, but Reno’s agent, Carly, put a stop to that right quick. She told him if he insisted on pressing assault charges, then she’d be happy to inform the world that Collin Shively enjoyed long walks on the beach and domestic violence.
He quickly declined that generous offer and shut the fuck up.
Carly is scary as hell, and I’m glad she’s on our side.
Reno turns the vehicle onto a concrete driveway that swoops up toward a house on a grassy hill.
It’s a beautiful log structure that’s too large to call a cabin, with a wraparound porch that makes me want to drink lemonade and listen to windchimes.
A huge stone fireplace rises to the sky on the right side.
“Reno, what is this?”
He drives slowly so I can take it all in. “It’s our new home, if you want it.”
“For real?” I squeal. I’m already halfway in love with it.
“For real. It sits on fifteen acres, about half of it wooded, so the kids will have plenty of room to play.”
He stops the van in front of the house, turns it off, and comes around to help me out. “Let’s go inside and look around.”
The home is laid out in an open floor plan. We enter into a spacious living room that stretches all the way to the right wall with a kitchen straight ahead. On the left side, there’s a formal dining room and a hallway leading to the back .
Reno taps the hardwood floor with the toe of his loafer. The wood is a gorgeous honey color that’s rich and warm.
“This is quarter sawn oak flooring that’s newly installed. There’s porcelain tile in the bathrooms. I’ve talked to a contractor, and he said his crew can make any changes like cabinets or countertops within a month if there’s anything you don’t like.”
I wander into the living room, my eyes falling on the gray stone fireplace. I can picture our little family sitting on the hearth for Christmas photos beside a ten-foot tree decorated with strands of popcorn and homemade ornaments.
By the time we finish touring the four bedrooms upstairs, I know it’s destined to be our home.
“What’s down that hallway?” I ask when we come back down the stairs.
Reno leads me through the dining room and down the hall. “Ah, the pièce de résistance,” he says in a French accent that’s almost as bad as his Scottish one.
He opens the large mahogany paneled door to reveal… a library.
“Wow,” I breathe, taking in the natural light coming through the transom windows at the back. The other walls are lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves. There’s even one of those rolling ladders that makes my librarian heart go pitter patter. I skip over and step up onto it.
“Babe, be careful,” Reno frets, behind me in an instant with his hands on my waist.
“I’m only on the first step.” I wiggle my butt. “Give me a ride.”
“I’ll give you a ride all right,” he mutters, but he grabs the sides of the ladder and runs the length of the room with me giggling between his arms.
When we get to the end, I turn around to face him, cupping his jaw with my hands. We’re eye to eye with me standing on the rung. “I love this house almost as much as I love you.”
“I’ll make an offer next week.” He kisses me softly before sinking to his knees. “And since the house is almost technically ours…”
He lifts my dress and whispers to my belly. “Cover your ears, little ones. Mommy and Daddy are about to christen our new house.”
“Reno, I’m not sure we should—ohhh.” I don’t finish my sentence because he already has my panties pulled to the side, and his tongue is going to town on my clit.
Looking up at me, he grins wickedly. “I want my bride’s taste on my tongue when I go to sleep the night before I wife her up.”
I groan as he laps me slowly. “Only if you promise to fuck me over that desk. I want to walk down the aisle with my husband’s cum inside me.”
“Mmm, that’s a promise I’m happy to keep.”
Thirty minutes later, we both have satisfied smiles on our faces when we go outside to look at the back yard. I look to the right and gasp when I see the fenced-in enclosure about twenty yards away.
My feet are already moving, and I hear Reno chuckle as he follows.
Unlatching the gate, he swings it open and we walk through. Two pygmy goats run up to greet us. One of them is small and quite young, though not a baby. The other is a little bigger.
“Oh my god,” I squeal excitedly, bending to pet their heads. “What are their names?”
Reno pats the smaller one's side. “This pretty girl is Jean, and the bigger one is Billy.”
Jean lets out an adorable bleating noise and prances in a circle. A pink tulle skirt encircles her waist. I laugh and ask, “Why is she wearing a tutu? ”
My future hubby grins like the cat that ate the canary. “You know how we don’t have a flower girl for the wedding?” I nod, confused, and Reno sweeps a hand toward the female goat. “Meet Jean, our flower goat.”
I cover my mouth and squeal in delight. “That’s the cutest thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Baylor and I rigged up a small container with a fan in it that Jean can wear on her back. It will blow the rose petals as she walks down the aisle.”
“That’s adorable. And what is Billy wearing to the wedding?”
Reno’s expression flattens. “Billy is not allowed at the nuptials because of his attitude and disrespect.”
He looks so serious I have to work hard not to laugh. “Okay, if you say so.”
“Anyway, I wanted you to see Jean’s skirt, but I need to get it off her so it doesn’t get dirty before tomorrow.” He bends and begins to try and get the tutu off the little goat, but she’s not having it. She wiggles and turns as Reno attempts to gently wrestle the poofy garment from her body.
It’s hilarious to watch, but also incredibly endearing because in my mind, I’m picturing my husband trying to wrangle a wiggly toddler out of their clothing for bathtime. He’s going to be such a good daddy.
Hmmm, Daddy Reno . I might have to call him that later tonight. It always gets him going.
Suddenly, he yelps when Billy bites him right on the ass and then takes off across the enclosure, a grin on his goaty little face.
“Billy! Stop biting my ass. I still have a bruise from yesterday when I was trying to put your bow tie on.” The goat merely bleats happily.
I don’t speak goat, but it sounds a lot like a taunt.
Reno finally extricates the tutu from Jean and stands, shaking the garment at her brother.
“And that, mister, is why I’ve rescinded your invitation to the wedding. ”
Yeah, these two rambunctious goats are certainly giving off major twin energy.
“Good use of your dad voice,” I tell him, covering my mouth to hide my smile.
“Thanks. I’ll have a talk with him.”
My big, burly man strides across the grass and squats in front of Billy. He speaks to him for a minute and then kisses his head. My heart flutters with love for this man who buys me ass-biting goats and finds the perfect house just because he loves me.
As we walk around the house to the driveway, Reno tucks me beneath his big arm and holds me close to his side.
“Are you happy, dream girl?”
“I’m ecstatic.”
He chuckles knowingly. “Because of the goats or the library?”
“Neither, though both are great bonuses. I’m happy because…” I stop and turn to face him, kissing him softly on the lips. “Tomorrow I’m marrying my dream man.”