Love Undefeated (Unexpected #5) (37 page)

Her hands flew to her mouth. “Did…does she…wha...”

Right up there on my crown of achievements, on the same level as Master Beer Pong-er, was this moment – leaving Tanya speechless.

“No, she doesn’t know yet,” I said. Nalee was now laughing with Sedona and Zander, who both looked refreshed after arriving late because they had to tuck the kids into bed before attending the party. Zander’s mom was on babysitting duties tonight. “I haven’t asked yet.”

“Are you going to soon?” Her green eyes glimmered with affection as she watched her best friends having fun. “I just want her to be happy. You may not believe me, but I’ve never seen Nalee this way.

She’s always been cheerful and funny and happy but you make her – more, I don’t know what it is, just more happy, alive,
more
.”

I nodded. “I get it. She does the same for me. I’ve made a shit ton of mistakes and I’m trying my best to be worthy of her. I expected her to slam me down and slap me around and just constantly throw the shit

I’ve done in my face but she doesn’t. She hasn’t. Instead when she welcomed me back into her arms, she just let me be me. She makes my mistakes disappear.”

From my peripheral vision, I saw Tanya touch her hand to the side of her eyes, her voice took on a much lighter tone when she said, “That’s what love does.” She looked over to John, an uncommon show of tenderness in her expression appearing. “You love them just the way they are.”

“Wazzz that, baby doll?” John’s sleepy and slighty slurred speech sliced through the longest conversation that Tanya and I’d had since I’d broken Nalee’s heart.

“Nothing,” Tanya said, a smile burgeoning on her face. “Xavier was saying he loves you.”

“Pssshhhaww, I knew that already,” John muttered. “How about you?” His drunken eyes on Tanya, he definitely was going to need help getting into the cab. Zander could help haul his ass there since they were staying at the same hotel. “You love me, too?”

Tanya’s smile grew bigger and her shoulders shook. “How can I not love you, my dear big John?”

I laughed along with her because John was ridiculously drunk. It was too bad Dom couldn’t make it or we’d have so much fun with the big guy.

Tanya must love John.

There was no way she’d put up with his insane antics if she didn’t.

Who knew that it would take the Hulk to tame the witch?

“Thank you for a great birthday party,” Nales said as I cradled her head on my chest.

It was a hell of a night.

I was happy that our closest friends made it. I’d even invited my lacrosse brothers and Nalee was more than excited to see Kassandra Evans show up with Correa. Ava and Tanya both fawned over Kassandra, who in return, took everything in stride. Apparently, being ranked number four in the world meant that the women loved you. She was completely down to earth, and she won over the ladies’ hearts without a doubt.

Devon also showed up with a small gift bag and a hug for Nalee.

I approved the gift, but not the hug.

He was a good guy, smart, and had great taste in women.

There were gorgeous women at the party, but for some reason, when I caught his eyes, they were always on Nales.

If I wasn’t so confident in Nalee’s love for me, I’d feel threatened. I just hoped Devon found his own lady too so he’d stop pining over mine.

Kendy Weister, I had to admit, had done a great job creating a Hello Kitty themed party without making it look superfluous and too over-the-top that it bordered on cheap. She’d created an elegant, well-coordinated flow from the entrance to the bar to the dining area that had small, cutesy Hello Kitty touches.

“The cake was delicious. The decor was amazing.” Nalee whispered. She’d kept the cake topper in her purse, and I’m sure that as soon as we got home tonight it would occupy the top shelf in her Hello Kitty collection.

“I’m glad you loved it,” I said, my hands roamed over her back. She’d worn a silver chiffon halter dress that hugged all her curves perfectly. “Did you talk to your mom and dad today?”

Technically it was tomorrow already.

It was 1:35 in the morning and we were sitting in my car by the waterfront. I’d driven here after the party, we were both too keyed up from the excitement that I knew we wouldn’t be able to go to sleep.

“Yeah, I talked to them. Dad’s in front of the TV as usual and Mom was in the kitchen. They’re excited that we’re going there for Thanksgiving.” I could tell she was smiling. She was rubbing slow circles on my thighs, and if she didn’t stop, my dress pants would become snug and we’d need to continue this show back at the house.

“We’re spending Christmas with my folks, it’s only fair we fly there for Thanksgiving. Didn’t Geniah say she was going home for Thanksgiving this year?”

“Yes, and Mom just revealed that she’s bringing someone with her.”

“Oohh, mysterious.” Geniah didn’t date. She was too busy climbing up the medical career ladder that she thought dating was a waste of time.

“I know,” she sighed. “Geniah’s been too quiet lately. Maybe she’s fallen in love.”

“Falling in love makes a woman become quiet?” I asked, grabbing hold of her left hand. I’d parked backwards so that I could open up the back of my Range Rover and lift up the passenger seats so our heads and backs could rest against them.

“Not really. I mean, I don’t think I’m quieter now that I love you.” Her eyes were closed, the adrenaline slowly dying down, I reached under her legs to lift the quilt I’d brought in case it got too cold and covered her exposed legs.

“How about now?” I asked as my eyes lifted to the black sky.

“Huh?”

“Does this make you quiet?” The excitement steadily built up inside my chest.

“What?” Her neck flexed and her eyes found mine in the darkness. I could barely see the greens and the browns that I loved because this street had sparse lighting.

“Look up, Nales,” I said, my eyes looking up and ahead of us.

Above the dark ocean waters, the twinkling lights served as beacons.

Her breath caught in a gasp and her eyes started to emit tears.

The helicopter above the glowing sign was the only sound that we could hear.

Thousands of LED lights adorning the huge banner that begged the question I’d been waiting to ask.

WILL YOU BE MY WIFE?

I slid the ring onto her finger. It was shaking and not because of the cold.

Before she could even answer, I’d given her my ring.

My promise that she would hold my heart and my name forever.

If she didn’t say yes now, I’d wait until she did.

But the ring would stay.

Whether or not she said yes tonight. Today. This early morning. Tomorrow. Or three hundred sixty something days later.

I’d ask her to keep the radiant-cut diamond ring framed in brilliant diamonds with flecks of emeralds.

One.

Two.

Three
heartbeats.

Her eyes landed on the ring.

My eyes fell to her lips.

Her hands lifted to touch my face.

“It doesn’t have to be now though I’d prefer it to be soon. Your love means everything to me. I see my now and my future with you and I can’t ever imagine my life without you. Nalee Sands, do me the honors. Will you?”

Her lips touched mine and in the deepest part of my soul, it would always be her.

She touched my chest and rubbed the area where I’d branded my skin with her symbol in my blood and she whispered the words that my heart could loudly hear. “Yes.”

One year later

“I’m hom—” Her lips clung to my mouth and her hands were already tearing off my shirt.

“I missed you.” Her husky voice, laced with desire, was loud on my ears.

Nalee had been a hormonal wreck.

Last week she hated tacos and despised oral sex.

She’d gagged when she saw Big X, and I’d never seen a woman run to the bathroom as fast as she had.

Big X was extremely put out that no matter how much coddling and coaxing and kissing Nales did, it took him a long time to wake up.

By a long time I meant eight, ten minutes tops.

After all, Nales’ rack was just as much of turn on as her mouth, so I’d settled on nibbling for copious amounts of time on those strawberry tips before she’d orgasmed in front of my eyes.

Without taking off her panties.

I’d been gone for three days.

Three long-ass days.

Two miserable nights.

We had a lacrosse game in Canada, and as much as I’d wanted to stay, Nalee begged me to go.

She was sneaky.

She managed to eke out a
yes, I’m going to Canada
while she was riding me like a champion bullrider.

I’d argued that I said
yes, I’m going
because I was cumming.

But she’d retorted that I would have said coming instead of going.

Like I said, sneaky lady.

Now she was sitting astride me on our bed, her blouse half open.

I touched the exposed breast and pinched her nipple.

I felt the walls of her pussy tighten around me.

I could come just by watching her take her own pleasure.

I had no reason to because she was doing all the work for me.

She felt so good.

So so
good
.

There was nothing in this world that could compare to her.

I was a happy man before her.

Now I’m at my happiest.

She lifted her arms and I caught sight of her slightly rounded stomach.

My cock rose and I felt my insides threatening to burst.

“I’m comi—” she panted, her hair falling completely over her shoulders. The dark locks longer and curlier at the edges made her face look even more ethereal.

She continued to ride me as I felt the veins in my cock constrict, every time I made love to her, it was always like this.

I let out a big, “Oooohhh fuuck!”

And as I emptied inside of her, I felt the most full.

Filled with so much love for the growing life inside of her.