Page 47 of Knuckles (Dragon Riders MC 4)
Children. I might become a father someday.
And while I’d never seen something like that in my future, I saw it with Simone. I saw it every time her eyes locked with mine. I saw my bride, and my lover. My best friend and my confidant. And maybe even one day, I’d see the mother of my child in her eyes while her body swelled with my seed.
Whatever was destined for us, it was worth protecting. It was worth fighting for. It was worth risking everything if it meant getting everything else in return.
So, I buckled my soul down for the fight ahead of us.
Because it sure as hell wouldn’t be an easy one with the plans, we had ready to put into motion.20SimoneDespite what most people might have thought, the two weeks I spent with JayJay and everyone else at that campsite were wonderful. Every night, we stayed up with the moon hanging over our heads while we roasted steaks, hot dogs, and hamburgers over an open fire. Every morning, it was s'mores for breakfast while coffee percolated in every trailer we had. It felt like a dream, waking up to JayJay every morning. It felt fantastic, wearing myself out beneath him every night before we both passed out in a flurry of our own sweat and heavy breathing.
But once we got back to his place, things only got better.
Despite the chaos that was his current residence, I saw potential there. And our first night home, there wasn’t even a question of where I’d go. Or where I’d sleep. It felt natural to be there with him. It felt natural to be at his side.
And I never wanted to be anywhere else.
“I’m sorry this place isn’t any nicer right now,” JayJay said.
I dropped my bag of things in the foyer before I closed the door around me. I took stock of the popcorn ceilings and the carpet that had been half-peeled away in the living room to my right to reveal the beautiful hardwood floors beneath it. To my left, a staircase with a beautiful banister that just needed some stain and a bit of wax. And the crooked chandelier that hung above my head would look beautiful with a nice shine and a straight hang.
“It’s really not that bad,” I said.
He snickered. “Yeah. Right.”
My eyes found his. “No, really. It’s not terrible. If anything, it’s a blank slate.”
He furrowed his brow. “You know, that’s exactly what I thought before I bought the place.”
I smiled. “We were always more alike than not.”
He walked toward me. “Could you be happy here?”
I snickered. “What kind of question is that?”
He took my hands in his. “An honest one. And I want an honest answer. Could you be happy here back in our hometown? With me?”
I closed the distance between us. “I wouldn’t care if we were stranded on a desert island. So long as I’m with you? I’m just fine.”
He grinned before capturing my lips and my heart exploded with joy. I threaded my arms around his neck as he dipped me back, his tongue invading my mouth. I loved how he did that. He just charged straight on through knowing damn good and well I’d take it anytime he had to give it. And as our lips finally parted, he set me back onto me feet.
Before gazing deeply into my eyes.
“I love you,” he said.
I smiled brightly. “I love you, too.”
He drew in a deep breath. “I say the first thing we do is hire a contractor to tackle the upstairs.”
I nodded. “I agree with that. Get the rooms and bathrooms situated while we bunk down here. Then, we can switch off.”
“Exactly.”
“Do you know how you kind of want the place? Or do we need to get an interior designer or someone like that to give us some pointers?”
He shrugged. “I don’t give a shit about that kind of thing. I just want this place to be sturdy and safe enough for it.”
I slid my hands down his chest. “Well, then it’s a good thing I’m a sucker for decorating, huh?”
I stood on my tiptoes to capture his lips once more before his cell phone rang. He sighed, his eyes closing as he slumped softly against my body. I wrapped my arms around him and held him close. He dug around for his phone in his pocket before he stepped away.
And with one last wink tossed in my direction, he picked up the phone.
Heading into the kitchen while I stood there, imagining what our new home might look like.
As his voice wafted down the small hallway, I began to paint a picture in front of me. Plush microfiber furniture filling the living room with shining, all-natural hardwood floors. The baseboards and crown moulding stayed crisp and white while the walls themselves turned as brown as the floor, allowing the white furniture to pop. The ceiling, with its popcorn studs removed with a scraper, was even painted brown, giving us a dark landscape to fill with brightly colored pictures and lamps.
