Right. She knew he was a bit of a bad boy with that cute charm of his. She picked up her coffee, sipped it. It had a slight chicory flavor and she swallowed. “Yum. What did you want to discuss?”
“I’d like for you to marry me.”
She coughed, and her hands shook. Perhaps she misheard. She quickly put the coffee down, her lips parted, certain now she hadn’t heard right. It took her a few seconds to gather her wits and then she squeezed his fingers. “Galen, last night was wonderful and I’m looking forward to our third date tonight. You don’t have to offer a wedding ring.”
He pushed her hair off her shoulder to better see her necklace. She reached up and slipped it under her blouse. Galen sat closer. “It’s not just about our explosive chemistry, Natalie.”
Now there was that, but there was no way she’d guilt him into a wedding. She’d chosen to follow her heart and body with him. “You feel it too?”
He picked up her hand and brushed his lips against her skin, sending a thrill throughout her. “Good, I thought you were going to deny it.”
Marriage was a whole other level though. They were from different universes and a few dates weren’t enough to know if she could even imagine living in his world.
A ring echoed from below stairs and she realized it was the doorbell.
Neither of them said anything. She took a deep breath and pointed toward the bedroom door. “Someone’s here.”
He placed his phone on the table, swiped it and saw his servants answering the door as he showed her the screen. “It’s my mother and brothers, Mitch and Damien.”
Family. Right. She wasn’t ready for any of this. She jumped out of her chair and hugged her waist. “I should go. I have to go to the hospital to see my parents. I’m sure there is a way for me to slip out.”
He stood, took both of her hands, and stared down his regal nose and into her eyes. “I want you to think about marrying me.”
Rattled by nerves she said, “You were married once before, and it didn’t work out. Why would you want to do that to yourself again?”
Galen held her hands close to his heart and didn’t move. “Natalie, I want to marry you.”
No one else had ever asked her before, but this seemed so fast. She shook her head and took her hands back, though she was still an anxious mess as she hugged her waist. “Why? You can have anyone. One night doesn’t change anything.”
“It does for me.” He spoke like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The tone in his voice was so sure. She patted his hand and took a deep breath. She needed to sound calm. “This doesn’t make any sense. We were good,” She was great, but she kept that to herself and finished, “but let’s just take this one step at a time.”
His eyes darkened, but he nodded. “Look, I’ll drive you to the hospital, after I talk to my brothers and mother. There has to be a reason they came this early and they won’t stay long. Please relax.”
Meeting the parents after the best sex she ever had struck her as strange. She walked with him off the patio and through the bedroom, but as he opened the door, she slowed down.
Galen gently nudged her arm. “My mother is waiting for us.”
This was too much. It would be easier if she avoided his family until she was sure about everything, including that proposal. Why would he propose? “She’s waiting for you. I could just stay here until they’re gone.”
He met her gaze. “They know I went out with you last night.”
“You told them?” Her lips parted. She hadn’t expected that he’d talk to his family about her.
He massaged the goosebumps on her arm as he kept his voice low. “I asked you to marry me. It means I like you, so of course I told them.”
Like wasn’t enough to marry. Her ears burned, and she lowered her head. If he’d said that without the proposal, she’d be walking on clouds right now. “I like you too and I told my parents about you and last night’s date, but we’re not getting engaged, Galen. I can’t. Tonight, we go out as I planned.”
He kissed her cheek. “Fair enough, now don’t be nervous.”
Right. She walked with him again and this time they made it to the living room with the high ceiling. Two men and a woman sat on a couch, all drinking coffee. Galen kept his arm around her, but walked right into the group that all quieted as they joined them. “Mom. Mitch. Damien. What’s going on?”
His mother’s lips didn’t quite close as she looked at Natalie. She’d met Mitch, his blond brother, many times in the office because he was the company banker. He cleared his throat. “You’re still on your date?”
“Yes.” Galen answered fast and without embarrassment.
His mother then lowered her lashes and stared at her coffee. “Oh, we didn’t realize.”
