Chapter Thirty-Four
Chloe
Chloe is drying her hair after a shower when Axel comes into the bathroom and wraps his big arms around her. She loves being in his arms, she feels safe and loved, and it’s the best feeling in the world.
“When you’re done, I thought we’d go into town?” he presses a kiss to the side of her head and leaves his face there, inhaling deeply in her hair with his eyes closed. He looks at peace, happy, and she feels good she’s made him feel that way.
“Yeah, sure, just give me a few minutes to get dressed.”
“I like you better like this,” he says, pulling at the towel wrapped around her body till it’s off and tossed aside. His eyes roam over her, and her nipples tighten at the feeling of being prey to his predator.
At the beginning, she was uncomfortable being nude around him. Everything is too big on her. Her breasts, her thighs, her hips, stomach, and butt. But the way he looks at her and the way he touches her with his big, strong hands make her feel so damn sexy.
She arches her back so her butt presses against him, and she can feel he’s hard from the rod poking her in the back.
He growls and pushes her shoulders forward gently. She gets the message and braces both hands on the counter and bends over, widening her legs so she’s presented for him.
She hears him unzip his jeans, and he grunts as he takes out his thick cock.
“Tilt for me, baby, yeah, just like that. Let me put my big cock in you, fill you up.”
She feels his cockhead at her entrance, and then he’s pushing in.
Thick and hard, and she feels herself stretch around him.
She clenches, and his hands spasm on her hips before he starts pounding into her.
She loves her big mountain man, and him taking her like this, just because, is one of her favorite things.
A couple of orgasms later, they are both dressed and in his truck heading to town.
She feels good, not just physically from all the mind-blowing sex but also mentally.
Before the loss of a promotion and her quitting her job would have put her into a funk, maybe even a depression.
But now with him by her side, she feels like she can take on the world.
She squeezes his hand, and he laces their fingers together and shoots her a smile.
That’s another thing. She thinks that from everything he’s said, she makes a positive impact on him, too. She loves him and feels so blessed to be with him.
The road is long and lumbering into town, but she doesn’t mind.
The windows are down, and the fresh air on her face makes her feel so at peace.
Back in NYC, she hated long trips. Anything more than fifteen minutes in a cab and she was grumbling.
But now a forty-five-minute trip into town is nice and relaxing.
She’s guessing her company in the truck has something to do with that.
“What are we doing in town anyway? Do you need to go to the hardware store?”
“Just taking my baby to lunch,” he lifts their intertwined hands and presses a kiss to her knuckles, and she smiles to herself.
“We could have eaten together at the lodge. I’m sure you have work to do.”
“Nothing is more important than spending time with you, darlin’.
Work can wait.” She can see the sincerity in his eyes and feels more in love with him.
She thought when she fell in love with him that that would be it.
But the overwhelming feeling of having that love grow more and more from little things makes her heart swell. She loves him so damn much.
The diner isn’t too busy when they step inside. Axel directs her to a worn booth with a hand on the small of her back and then slides his big body into the seat across from her.
An older woman comes over, moving quite quickly for her age, and sets down menus and pours them coffees without so much as a word.
“That’s Pearl, she’s good people.”
Chloe nods and picks up her menu, perusing it. Everything sounds so good, and from their recent sexcapade in the bathroom at his cabin, she feels famished.
Pearl returns quickly, pen and notepad poised.
“Ladies first,” Axel tells her.
With other men in the past, she would feel uncomfortable ordering large amounts of food. Instead, opting to order small dishes like salads and then eating again when she got home. But with Axel, things are different.
“Triple stack of pancakes, two eggs over easy, bacon, sausage, and toast, please.” When she looks across at Axel, there is no judgment. He simply smiles and tells Pearl he’ll have the same.
It feels good that Chloe can be herself around him. She felt like she was hiding from the world for so long, so the fact that she has someone romantically that she can be true around is a breath of fresh air.
“Are you enjoying your time here in Montana? You sure you want to move to my little town?” His voice is clear, but there’s hesitation in his eyes, and she wants to nix that in the bud.
She reaches across the table and takes his hand in hers. “I love it here. I love the trees and the nature. I love the small-town feel, how everyone knows everyone. I love your brothers and your commitment to the lodge. I feel good here, Axel. I feel at home.”
His smile is blinding, and she can’t help but match it with her own. If there wasn’t a table between them, she’d climb into his lap and hold her big, burly man.
“I’m glad, beautiful. I love Silver Lake and I want you to love it too. I’m happy you’re moving here.”
“Me too,” she squeezes his hand, and he brings his other hand over theirs and rubs the back of her hand.
“That has me wondering. I love you, Chloe, and we’re going to be together, and I’m the luckiest man in the world. But what do you think about marriage?”
He’s smiling at her with a twinkle in his eyes, but her mouth drops open like a fish, and she stutters out some intelligible sounds. Marriage? Yes, she loves him, but they haven’t known each other that long. Does he really want to get married? Is he asking her now?
“I’m not proposing Chloe, when I do, it will be when I have a ring that comes only second to your beauty. But I wanted to make sure we’re on the same page. Marriage and maybe a couple of babies. Not necessarily in that order.”
“Babies?” she chokes out.
He laughs a big laugh, eyes dancing.
“Yeah, darlin’. I can’t think of a better life than having you as my wife.
It doesn’t have to be right now, I know it’s soon.
But I want you in all the ways I can have you.
And as for babies, you’d make an excellent mother.
I don’t care if they're biologically ours or if we adopt, but I want to raise a family with you. What do you think?”
Her mouth is still hanging open, and she closes it with a click. She never thought children were a possibility for her. Her life had for so long been focused on work, and after a while, the dream of a family subsided. Now she might be able to have that dream again.
“You want to have babies with me? And marry me?” There are tears in her eyes, and her voice shakes as she asks him.
“Chloe,” he leans forward over the table, and she leans in to match him, “you are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you more than anything. Your moving here is a dream come true. And yes, I want to marry you, I want to call you my wife, and spend every day of the rest of my life with you. You’re the other half of me, and I’m incomplete without you.
The only thing that would be better than being your husband would be being father to your children.
If you don’t want these things, I’ll understand, they are not deal breakers for me.
Getting to be with you is still the best thing in my life.
And I know this is all quick, baby, but I can’t wait to start my life with you. ”
She practically climbs over the table between them and kisses him firmly on the mouth.
The tears are streaming from her eyes, and she can taste them in their kiss, but she doesn’t care.
This big, strong, beautiful man has a heart of gold, and he has made her life infinitely better just by being in it.
“Yes, Axel. I want to marry you one day. And I want kids with you, too. You make me so happy, happier than I ever thought possible. I can’t wait for our life together to begin.”
“It already has baby, it already has.”