She was almost bruise-free.
Another two or three days, and you’d never know that she was beat so badly that she didn’t have an inch of skin on her left side that wasn’t covered in the purple mottled bruising.
Hair once again fell into her face, and I smoothed it back just as she said, “I’m okay with it as long as you’re okay with it. I’m not a super fan of going to the beach, but apparently the UV score there is always ‘fabulous’ and she was super excited when Searcy off-hand mentioned needing a vacation to the group.”
I studied her face for a few long seconds before saying, “If you’re going to be in my life, you have to know that the UV index is something Eedie mentions at least twice a day. I want to make sure you know what you’re getting into.”
She scrunched up her nose. “I tan really easily. I can be outside for an hour and I have a tan that’ll look like I’ve been out there for a week. I’m not sure what I’ll look like if I spend four days in Mexico on the beach all day.”
I chuckled. “I’m sure that you’re going to look beautiful and hot. Plus, vitamin D is good for you. I’ve heard getting the D is life changing.”
She scoffed. “I’m not sure we’re talking about the sun with that last sentence.”
“We’re not,” I growled, ready to place my lips against hers.
Eedie popped up beside us before I could feel her lips on mine.
“Dad,” she said. “Can you give me some money to go to the mall and get some new bathing suits?”
And get her out of the house for long enough to fuck my future wife properly?
That was a no-brainer.
“You can take my card,” I said as I pulled out my wallet and extracted my debit card.
Her eyes lit with glee. “What’s my spending limit?”
“A thousand,” I answered. “Chevy, could you and Aella drop Eedie off with her boyfriend at the shop so he can go with her to the mall?”
“Absolutely.” Chevy downed the rest of his beer. “Or Aella can.”
“I can,” Aella beamed. “I’m so excited for this!”
After everyone said their goodbyes, and I shut the door on Chevy, I turned back to my woman to see her walking into the bedroom, already shedding her clothes.
And because I lived with my kid, and I had no clue how long we’d be and didn’t want to feel rushed, I picked the clothes up on my way to her.
By the time I got into our—and I was so fucking happy to say our—bedroom, I had her bra, panties, t-shirt and leggings.
Closing the door behind us, I locked it for good measure and took in the woman that I would soon make mine in the official way.
Speaking of the official way…
“I stopped somewhere on my way home,” I murmured. “That’s what took me so long.”
Which was why Chevy had gotten to my place and drank most of my beer before I’d gotten there.
“Oh, yeah?” she asked. “Where?”
“Yeah.” I nodded.
“Well, don’t leave me hanging,” she ordered.
I tossed her clothes onto the dresser that was piled high with clothes that I needed to put away and reached into my pocket.
Her eyes took in the box that I’d revealed, and her breath hitched.
“I know it’s soon,” I said. “I know that this is crazy, and that we’ve been together officially for all of half a month, but I don’t need any more time to know what I want. And what I want is you. I want to give you the life you always wanted, and I want to grow old and die with you right there by my side.”
