Chapter 31
31
AIDA N
Six Months Later
“You look like you’re about to hurl, Preach. Do I need to grab the bucket?” Copeland’s laughter at my expense is nothing new, but this time, he might be right. I feel like I’m about to throw up or pass out, or hell, maybe both.
The look on my face must warrant some pity because he smiles sympathetically at me. He’s doing that more than ever lately, and I know it’s because he’s finally let go of his relationship hangups and is happy.
“Come on, Aid. You and tiny have been together like eight months, and you’ve been wanting to propose to her for at least seven of those. Why are you so nervous?”
I scoff. “You mean aside from the fact that we’re about to play game 7 in the World fucking Series on our home field? What if she hates the ring? What if she hates that I’m asking so publicly? What if I ask her, and then we lose the fucking series ?”
Cope’s face splits into a manic sort of grin. “One, we’re going to win. Like those bakery boxes always say, ‘manifest that shit .’ Two, she’s going to love the ring. You literally had it designed based on an old journal you snooped through. Which, by the way, please let me be around when she finds out. I would love to see tiny kick your ass. Three, she won’t. She’s going to love it because it will remind her of your first date.”
He grimaces with a shudder. “Well, the good part, anyway. And finally, so fucking what? If you ask Lyla to marry you and we lose the series, you’ll still be fucking engaged !”
Rhodes startles me when he slaps my shoulder. “I don’t say this often, but he’s right, you know.”
I wave them off and run a hand through my messy hair. I finally got it cut a few months ago, but it’s already getting shaggy again.
The opening notes to Beautiful Soul by Jesse McCartney play over the field speakers on our side for the third time this season, and the Raptors fans go fucking crazy. “Oh god, I’m going to puke.”
Cope hands me the gaudy fake Raptor blue roses and my mitt, shoving me out of the dugout. “No time for vomit, Preach! Go get your girl!”
Coach and all the other guys cheer me on, and I make my way onto the field to sounds of confusion from the fans, especially the ones who saw me do this exact thing seven short months ago. Just like back then, Lyla is in the WAG section behind home plate, and I hop the fence to get to her.
My heart races faster the closer I get, but the second I see her adorably confused smile, the raging storm inside me calms. Her cheeks are ever so slightly sunburned, and the pink stands out on her beautiful skin, making her eyes look even greener than usual .
Stopping in front of her, she grins up at me. “Hey, Aid. Not that I’m, like, complaining or anything, but haven’t we done this already?”
My smile is shaky with nerves as I drop to one knee in front of my girl. Gasps ring out all around us, and a glossy sheen quickly coats her eyes even as her pretty pink lips part in surprise.
I hand her the roses and keep my mitt firmly on my hand, gathering both of her hands in the worn leather and covering them with my free one.
“Eight short months ago, you showed up on my porch hoping to interview for a job and flipped my entire world on its axis. I knew the moment my eyes locked with your gorgeous green ones, I was in trouble, and it turns out I was spot on. I fell for you hard and fast for too many reasons to list, and I find new reasons every single day. You gave Crew a mom, and you gave me a partner in life, but most importantly, you gave me a home. My very own safe haven where I don’t have to have my shit together all the time. For the first time in my life, I was given a safe space to just be me . And as long as I live, I’ll never take it for granted.”
I stand up and signal to Cope, who throws the box in a perfect curveball that lands in my waiting mitt. Taking the mitt off, I drop back down to one knee and open the box, relishing in the gasp from my angel and the titters from the women around her when they see the 2.5 Carat oval cut pink diamond on a rose gold band.
“Even if we win the World Series today, you will still be the most important catch I’ve ever made. Every day, I think I couldn’t possibly love you more than I did the day before and every day you prove me wrong.” I lean forward to nuzzle her nose with mine, making sure the next words are just for us.
“Lyla, angel, my girl. I look forward to a lifetime of you proving me wrong in all the best ways. Marry me?”
Tears are streaming down her cheeks, but her smile is blinding. “YES! Of course, yes, I’ll marry you!”
Her lips crash to mine in a frantic kiss that ends all too soon when the crowd goes berserk around us. After one final peck to her delicious cherry lips, I turn around and thrust both hands into the air. “SHE SAID YES!”
The same words flash on the Jumbotron and if I thought the crowd was wild before, it’s nothing compared to now. The adrenaline from knowing she said yes buzzes through my veins, and I know now that what Copeland said couldn’t be more right. I don’t give a single fuck if we bring home the Commissioner’s Trophy today because I just got the most important win of all.
Then again, I wouldn’t say no to winning the World Series.
After all, my future wife is watching.
“I can’t believe you guys won the World freaking Series!” Lyla squeals between kisses. I haven’t taken my mouth off of her since we got home ten minutes ago, and this gearshift between us is really starting to cramp my style.
Rhodes’s parents, bless ‘em, took Crew tonight so we could celebrate the win on our own. And I plan on celebrating all night long with my soon-to-be wife.
Tearing myself away from the sinful temptation of my girl’s mouth is a near impossible feat right now, but somehow, I manage it long enough to exit the truck and jog to the passenger side . I make quick work of tossing her over my shoulder in a fireman’s carry and booking it up the stairs to our bedroom.
She winces when I toss her down onto the bed, and the heat roaring through my veins quickly turns to ice. “Angel, are you okay? It is your wrist again?”
Ever since her bastard of an ex broke her wrist, she’s been having issues with it, but she shakes her head with a mischievous grin.
“No, I’m just cramping a little bit. I’m fine.”
My brow furrows as I quickly run through my mental calendar. “But…”
Her grin widens. “Remember when I said I had an appointment yesterday right after the game, and that’s why Wren brought Crew home?”
I nod, my mind spinning with worry and worst-case scenarios.
“I had my IUD taken out.”
There’s a loud record scratch inside my head, but our room is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. “You… had your IUD removed?”
Lyla bites her lip and nods, barely able to contain a grin.
“We’re going to have a baby?”
That gets a hard laugh out of her. “I mean, hopefully. But there’s the whole trying thing we have to do first.”
In the next breath, I’m tackling her to the bed as gently as possible, kissing up the side of her neck to nip at her jaw. “Guess we better try hard then. And as often as possible.”
Her responding giggles are cut through with a moan when I pull down one of the cups of her bra and flick her nipple with my tongue. Circling the tight bud, I nip and suck at it until it’s a stiff peak before repeating the process with the other one.
Kissing my way down her delectable body, I stop at her belly to rain kisses down on the soft skin, saying a silent thank you to the universe for giving me this perfect woman. “Good goddamn, angel. I can’t believe you’re gonna make me a dad again. I can’t wait to see you pregnant with our baby.”
I run a hand across her lower abdomen, my imagination running wild with images of her big and round as she grows a perfect little baby with their mama’s stunning green eyes.
My hands skate back up to her pert breast, kneading them in my callused hands. She whimpers as the rough skin scrapes along her sensitive peaks. “Aidan,” she moans quietly.
I slap four fingers down on her inner thigh, hard enough to sting. “What’s my name, angel?”
Her moans get louder. “Daddy, please!”
“You’re so pretty when you beg, my perfect, sweet girl. You need Daddy’s cock to fill you up?”
She nods frantically, her eyes wide and glassy with desire.
“Soft and slow tonight, baby. Don’t want my girl hurting any more than you already are.” With that declaration, I slide into her on one long thrust, our matching groans echoing throughout the room.
Each thrust is slow, and even as I angle myself so the head of my cock rubs directly against her front wall, hitting the perfect spot on every stroke. “You take me so well every time. Like you were made for me.”
“I was. I was always meant to be yours, Aid.”
I rest my my forehead against hers, my hips picking up pace until we ’re both crying out our releases. Knowing she’s not on birth control keeps me rock hard inside of her, making me not want to leave her wet heat, so I don’t.
I roll us so we’re on our sides facing each other and tuck her long auburn hair behind her ear. She finally admitted she’d been dying it after Sebastian was arrested and stripped it back to her natural color shortly after.
She’s never looked more beautiful than she does right now. Shiny hair spread out around her head like a halo of color, cheeks flushed pink from exertion and lust, mossy green eyes bright with happiness, and a smile on her face wide enough to rival the one she gave me when I proposed.
I run my fingers through her soft hair with a sigh. “I meant what I said this afternoon, Ly. Every day, I think I can’t possibly love you more, and every day, you prove me wrong. I love you with every bit of myself, angel. Down to my very marrow.”
Her deceptively strong fingers dig into the mop of messy hair on my head, massaging and relieving some of the soreness from the two-piece mask I wear during games. “Meeting you was never in the plan, but I feel like the luckiest girl in the world because I did. You changed my life in all the best ways, Aidan. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
My eyes dart up to meet hers, searching for any signs of hesitation. “Then let’s not wait.”
Perfectly manicured brows dip in confusion at my words, but my grin grows with each passing second. Picking up my phone, I start a group chat and add Lyla, Copeland, his girlfriend, Rhodes, and Wren .
*Aidan Black has changed the chat name*
Catching Balls (& Feelings)
Me
How fast can y’all have weekend bags packed?
Wren’s Stalker
We kinda had naked plans man, what’s up? Also, love the chat name, but the rest of us aren’t catchers.
Detective Cope
And I’m sure as shit not catching feelings
Future Mrs. Gray
Rho, Cope, shut up. Is everything okay, Aidan?
Detective Cope
I’m about to have a girl spread out on my countertop covered in frosting. Is this conversation absolutely necessary right now?
Future Mrs. Gray
Oh, hmm… Rho?
Wren’s Stalker
I’ll swing by the grocery store later, Starling.
Me
Lyla and I are getting married first thing tomorrow in Washington DC. Do you idiots want to be there or not?
Angel
We are?
Wren’s Stalker
Future Mrs. Gray
If that’s true we need to leave like, an hour ago. Ly and I need to go shopping.
Detective Cope
I hate you right now, Preach. You owe me
Me:
Jesus Christ, enough. I don’t need to be nauseous before getting onto this damn plane. Y’all do know this is my wedding, too, right? Like, it wouldn’t be happening without me.
Angel
Aww poor Aidan. Sounds like someone’s sad not to be the favorite anymore
Me
Y’all have an hour. Meet us at Ravens Run airstrip, I’m calling in a favor. And Cope? Can you pick up a few of those cupcakes Ly loves?
Detective Cope
Yes, Daddy ?
Lyla looks up from her phone with amusement and excitement brimming in her beautiful eyes. “We’re really doing this?”
I pull her in for a fierce kiss. “We’re really doing this, angel. Let’s go get our boy and get to the airport. Pack a bag while I make the arrangements.”
As my soon-to-be-wife races around the room, squealing excitedly, all I can do is watch her in awe. In less than twenty-four hours, this precious woman will be my wife, and as soon as she’s ready, I ’ll have the adoption papers drawn up so she can legally adopt Crew.
Our lives have changed so much the last year, but I’ve never been happier. And I know without a doubt I’ll take any curveball life throws my way, as long as I get to do it with her by my side.