Anything To Be With You

52. Anything To Be With You

Anything To Be With You

Dani

Four Months Later

"Archer, I told you. I only like being blindfolded when we’re having sexy time."

He laughs, placing a kiss on the top of my head and helps me out of the elevator.

"It’s freezing out here. Take me back inside." I complain. "I want to use you as my electric blanket."

"Almost there."

I am led across the rooftop and into some place warm.

"Okay, Sweetheart, you can take off the blindfold."

I untie the silk ribbon and blink against the sudden light. "Holy…fucking…shit." I gasp as I take in my surroundings.

We’re standing under a massive tent that’s lit up by fairy lights wrapped around the polls. There are gas lamps placed at each corner and a table set up in the middle. A gorgeous floral arrangement in the center with every colour of rose you can imagine along with two white pillar candles flanking the sides of the arrangement. The snow has been shoveled away, leaving nothing but dry concrete under our feet.

I turn to Luke. "You did all this?"

He smiles brightly, popping out those cute little dimples. "Gabe, Mason, and the boys helped with the tent."

"Oh, my sweet boys." I sigh. Luke pulls my chair out for me. "Such a gentleman," I say as I sit down at the table.

"Carrie and Elle decorated," he pulls out a basket, the same basket he used the first time we came up here.

"Remind me to thank them. This is stunning."

Luke starts pulling food from the basket. "Oh, they’ll remind you . Don’t you worry about that." He laughs as he sets the food out.

"That smells amazing." I comment as Luke plates my food. That’s one of the things I have noticed about him. He always serves me first.

Always.

Doesn’t matter if he hasn’t eaten all day, he always makes sure I have my food first before he sits down to eat.

He puts a huge chunk of roast beef on the plate, along with garlic potatoes and carrots in brown sugar. He then pulls out a bottle of Merlot. Luke pours the wine and I wait until he has his food before digging into mine. The roast beef melts on my tongue, it’s so tender.

Never in a million years did I think I would ever be in a relationship like this. I never thought I would find a man that not only accepted me for me but accepted Mason the way Luke has. He treats me like a queen. Like the sun shines out my ass and that everything I do is perfect, and he treats Mason like own his son.

Luke looks up from his plate. "What?" he asks, wiping his mouth.

I shake my head and grin to myself, shoving a piece of carrot in my mouth. "Nothing."

Luke puts down his fork and leans his arms on the table. "I smell bullshit."

"I just—it’s nothing." I wave a hand and go back to my food.

Luke stands and rounds the table. I glance up at him. "What. Daniella." He cups my cheek and brushes his thumb over my scar.

I sigh. "I just never thought I’d be here."

He crouches in front of me. "And where’s that?" he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I never thought I would find someone like you, who accepts me and Mason. The other men I have dated could not understand why I’m a package deal."

"A package deal?" Luke takes my hand in his.

"If you’re part of my life, you are also part of Mason’s."

He nods in understanding. "Mason is your whole world and if I want to be part of it, I have to be part of his too. I know he will always be number one in your life and I'm okay being second as long as I get to be with you."

I blink away the tears that are about to fall and turn away from him.

"Sweetheart, look at me."

I shift my eyes towards him.

"Sweetheart."

I turn to face him fully and fish mouth a few times. "What are…ah, what…did you fall?"

"I didn’t fall, Sweetheart." Luke is down on one knee, with a small velvet box in his hand. "I knew the moment you walked into my office, that you were the one for me. I may not have shown it," he smiles, and I snort, "but I knew," he opens the box, "that you were the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with."

My eyes widen at the size of the fucking rock on that ring. "Luke—"

"I want to marry you, Dani. I want to wake up with you every morning and fall asleep with you every night. I want the good days and the bad days. I want the fighting and the makeup sex."

I laugh as tears well in my eyes.

"I want to be there when Mason goes to college. I want to be there when you meet the family of the man Mason falls in love with. I want to be there when Mason gets married," Luke kisses my forehead. "I want everything with you."

All kinds of thoughts start running through my head but the one that stands out the most is ‘why?’ I start shaking my head. I cannot let him do this.

"How long are you willing to be second in my life, Archer?"

He stands and brings me with him, brushing my hair off my face. "Forever. I want forever with you."

"That’s not fair to you. You shouldn’t have to be second in anyone’s life. You should be with someone who can put you first."

"I don’t want anyone else, Dani. I want you." I open my mouth to argue, but he cuts me off. "And I will always want you. Over and over. Without pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat," he kisses me sweetly, "I’ll keep wanting you."

Oh, God.

Here come the waterworks.

I cover my face with my hands. Luke’s arms wrap around my trembling shoulders, and he rests his chin on my head.

"So, will you?" he says after a moment and I laugh, nodding against his chest. He leans back, lifting my face with a finger under my chin. "What was that? I didn’t hear you."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

I glance up into his smiling face. "Yes, I’ll marry you."

He scoops me into his arms and kisses me deeply as he slips the stunning white gold Halo ring on my finger and surprisingly, it fits. He pulls out his phone and snaps a picture.

"How did you know the size?"

"Erin came shopping with me."

I narrow my eyes. "I don’t like you two hanging out. She knows too much and has a big mouth."

He chuckles and embraces me again. The elevator doors ding and a scream I would know anywhere echoes across the rooftop. Erin crashes into us and if it wasn’t for Luke holding me, she would’ve taken me down.

"I’m so happy!" she squeals in my ear, jumping up and down.

"Took you long enough," Gabe says.

I break away from my little group to find my family and closest friends strolling in our direction.

I whip around to face Luke. "They all knew?"

He nods, taking my face in his large hands. "They were waiting for the text." He kisses me again; this time we have applause to accompany it.

"My eyes!" Mason groans. "Ma! You’re such a pervert."

I giggle against Luke’s lips.

"Don’t hog the future Mrs. Archer," Gabe says as he moves his brother out of the way and picks me up. "Don’t tell Luke that I hit on you because he’ll kick my ass."

"Don’t piss me off and I won’t."

"I can’t promise anything." He winks and places me on my feet.

I make my rounds, getting hugs and kisses and congratulations from everyone. Mom’s a blubbering mess and Dad is misty eyed.

"He’s a good man, Dani," Dad says, kissing my hair. "All that man wants to do is love and take care of you. Let him."

Before I say anything back, Elle jumps in with a huge hug. "Do you like the set up?" Elle asks.

"It’s absolutely beautiful." I answer.

"I knew you’d like it." She squeals.

Another table is added to ours and more food is brought out.

"What’s all this?" I question as Luke walks over, wrapping an arm around my waist and looks down at me, smiling.

"Our engagement party."

After dinner was done and everyone went on their way, I changed into my pj’s and flop onto the couch. I am exhausted. With the proposal and the impromptu engagement party, I am done for the night.

Luke sits next to me, grabbing my legs and putting them on his lap, running his fingers slowly along my skin. I love having my skin touched. It’s the only thing that can relax me other than sex. His hand moves north slowly.

"Archer."

"Daniella."

His grin turns wicked as his fingers slip under my sleep shorts. I grab his wrist, stopping his movement.

"We need to talk about something first," I say.

Luke leaves his hand on my thigh. "What’s that?" his thumb goes in idle circles on my bare skin.

"Living arrangements. You own, I rent. However, this place is way too small for three people."

He moves me into his lap. "It’s not that small."

"Let me rephrase that. It is too small for two adults and three teenage boys."

He raises an eyebrow. "Three?"

I nod. "Mason, Axe, and Clay. Those boys practically live at my place."

Luke’s hand roams up and down my back. "Then it’s a good thing I bought us a new place."

I jerk back. "You what?"

He smiles. "I bought us a new place, which is currently being renovated."

I fish mouth a few times. "Uh…" I throw my hands up. "I’ve got nothing."

He laughs, pulling me against his chest. "Holy fuck, I rendered you speechless."

I smack his chest. "Shut up. I’m not speechless, I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that you bought us a house. A house!" I smile to myself. " Archer!" I kiss him hard. "You bought my family a house," I say against his lips then start to cry.

"Sweetheart. Oh, baby don’t cry. It kills me when you cry." Luke holds me close, and I sniff.

"They’re happy tears, I swear." I give him a shaky laugh.

Luke runs his fingers through my hair. I wipe my face and turn in his lap, straddling his legs and taking his face in my hands.

"There’s something you need to experience first before we get married though," I say smoothing my hands over his stubbled cheeks. "It might make you change your mind."

"If it’s couch sex, we’ve already done that. And that won’t change my mind," he says with a wink. "In fact, I’m buying us a bigger couch, so we have more room."

"No, not couch sex."

His hands run up my back, pressing my chest to his. "What is it then?" he asks, kissing my nose.

His phone rings on the coffee table and I reach over, hitting nine to open the main door without saying hello.

"Who was that?"

I smile as I climb off his lap. "You’ll see."

A knock sounds on the door moments later and I rush to answer it.

"Hey, Ma," Mason says as he walks in with the boys in tow.

"Ms. C, you’re killing me in those shorts." Axe groans as he passes by me.

"Thank you for inviting me, Ms. Carter." Clay mutters, his cheeks flushing.

"You know you’re welcome anytime, Clay." I smile and his cheeks darken. "Axe, not so much."

"Low blow, Ms. C."

"Sweetheart, what’s ah…what’s all this?" Luke asks with a look of confusion on his face.

"This is what it’s like to live with me." I wave my hands at the boys.

Mason’s already in search for food, Axe is trying to sneak a beer from the fridge and Clay is cleaning up after them.

"Axe, put the beer back. Mason, there’s snacks on the coffee table, and Clay, you don’t need to clean up after them." I point to the living room. "Now march."

All three of them make their way into the living room. Mason flops next to Luke on the couch, Clay takes the loveseat and Axe stretches out on the floor. I take a seat on the other side of Luke and flip on the TV. I find a movie that I know will keep them entertained and press play.

Luke drapes his arm along the back of the couch, and I cuddle into him.

"So, this is your life, huh." He whispers after a moment.

"It is." I look up at him. He kisses me deeply until the boy’s groan.

"PDA, Ms. C." Axe groans from the floor.

"Yeah, Ma. You two suck face too much." Mason adds.

I smile against Luke’s mouth. "This is going to be your life, are you ready for it?"

Luke smiles, popping those dimples. "I’m ready."

"It will get weird; it will get messy and it will get worse." I warn him.

"Bring it on, Sweetheart. Because I’ll do anything to be with you."