Page 115 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

With axes in hand, Kaine and Logan set out up the trail toward the ridge. Charlie trudged behind them, dragging a blue sled so she could collect her own mini tree for her bedroom. I waved at them all, then closed the door before too much cold air could seep inside.

“How are you doing?” Thea asked as I sat on the couch beside her.

“Good.” I rubbed my obliques. For once in my life, they were rock solid. “Things are starting to get tight though, and I can’t tie my shoes anymore. Kaine’s been sweet and puts them on for me.”

“Has he kept up with the proposals?”

I smiled. “He asks me at least five times a day. He even upped his game last night and produced a ring.”

“What!” Her eyes got wide. “Where is it?”

“I’m not sure. When I said no, he pouted and hid it somewhere. But it is gorgeous.”

He’d bought me an eternity band. The entire thing was made up of diamond halos set in rose gold, and it was truly a piece of art. The stones weren’t enormous and the ring wouldn’t weigh heavily on my finger. I didn’t need a huge jewel to flaunt or dazzle people with its brilliance. It was the perfect ring because it was just so . . . Kaine.

It was understated but powerful, much like his furniture. It was simple and beautiful, much like our relationship.

“So he keeps asking you to marry him,” Thea said. “He loves you. You love him. He bought you a ring. Remind me why you keep saying no?”

“We need time.” I shifted on the couch, trying to get comfortable.

“Just to play devil’s advocate here, is that because you don’t think you’d accept after you got to know him?”

“Logan is rubbing off on you,” I teased. “He thinks playing devil’s advocate is the best job ever.”

“Right?” She laughed.

“But no, to answer your question. I want to marry Kaine. I love him more than I’ve ever loved another person.”

This real love, this deep and profound feeling of being with the one, wasn’t something I’d understood with Adam. We hadn’t had true love, we’d had convenience. It had been easier to stay together than break apart. Adam and I had been content but never truly happy. Never truly in love. We’d never had the passion I had for Kaine.

I wanted to make an everlasting commitment with Kaine.

Just not yet.

“I want time for things to settle.” I blew out a long breath as one of the babies pushed against a rib. “There is no rush. I’m not walking down the aisle pregnant, so we can enjoy this time together and just . . . be.”

I didn’t want any new labels slapped on us right now. Wife. Husband. We’d get to those in time. First, I wanted some time to just accept things as they were. Label-free. Then, we’d tackle being parents. After that, we could decide what was right for our family. Together.

The past month since Kaine had confessed everything about his brother had arguably been the best thirty days of my life. And without secrets looming and me pushing Kaine too hard to reveal them, it was the best month the two of us had ever had together.

Kaine laughed and talked to me while we made dinner. He touched me and kissed my hair while we were watching TV. He held me in his arms at night with one arm under my head and another resting over my belly.

He was proving to me his love, whether he knew it or not. His simple gestures, like taking out the trash or making me bedtime tea or massaging my lower back when it ached, were more meaningful than any of the marriage proposals.

“I know it seems crazy,” I told Thea. “But things between Kaine and I have gone so fast from the beginning. When I was with Adam, we dated for years before we got married. I knew all about him. And that didn’t turn out well, but there’s something to be said for knowing what kind of toothpaste your partner likes best. Or how much cereal they eat in the morning. Or how long it takes them to shower. I just want to know Kaine and settle in together before the boys are born.”

Thea nodded. “That makes sense.”

“We’re getting there. And it’s been nice living together.”

A few days after Kaine’s confession, I’d come home from working the morning at Logan’s to find everything from the cabin here. The coffee table from the cabin was in the living room, the one I’d bought now at the cabin. His clothes were in my closet, his tennis shoes and boots were next to my heels. And he’d declared the garage was now his domain.

He hadn’t asked me to move in, he’d just done it. Because this was our life. Our home.

“Has he told you more about his brother?” Thea asked.

“Some.” I nodded. “It’s hard for him to talk about.”