Bad Girl Reputation (Avalon Bay #2)(89)

“We’ve grown as a couple,” she continues. “But I’m hoping we can grow a little more.”

This feels like being blindfolded, as if she’s walking me around in the dark and I’m following her, a little terrified and expectant. She’s up to something. Something both terrible and exciting. It’s like that first time watching her take a running leap off the pier, but this time she’s got me by the hand.

“I’ve been sitting here for a while. And I was thinking …” Gen steps closer and puts her hands against my chest. My muscles quiver beneath her palms. We both know what her touch does to me. “I think you should probably marry me.”

My mouth goes dry. “That right?”

“Make a whole bunch of babies.”

“An entire bunch?” I can’t feel my fingers. The sounds of the ocean turn to a sharp ringing in my ears as my chest expands with a rush of pure, unfiltered joy.

“I’ll run Mackenzie’s hotel, and you can be the stay-at-home dad raising our seven kids.”

Going quiet for a beat, Gen looks up at me through thick lashes.

Then she holds out a red Blow Pop.

“If you want,” she says impishly, though her expression conveys utter sincerity, “this is me asking.”

I’m not even sure if I’m still standing. But I’m not a moron, either. “Yeah, I want.”

Fingers tugging my shirt, she leans up to press her lips to mine. I’m still half stunned for a few seconds before my brain reboots and I wrap my arms around her, kissing her deeply. This amazing, absurd woman who has no idea what she’s getting herself into.

“You’re going to get sick of how much I love you,” I tell her, brushing her hair off her shoulders. “Totally disgusted with it.”

“I’ll take that bet.” She tips her head to smile at me, then tries to kiss me again.

“Listen.” I hold her still. “Don’t get me wrong, I love this plan. Whatever you had for breakfast, let’s stick with that. But what about …” Hell, I don’t know how to say it. “You know, your dad. And your brothers. I’m pretty sure they have a hole dug somewhere with my name on it.”

“What about your brother?” she counters. “Who cares. They’ll come around or they won’t. You’re what I want. The only thing I’ve ever asked for. I think I’m kind of entitled at this point.”

“Well, I have a feeling Cooper will come around sooner than you think.”

For the first time in my life, I can picture my future more than a few days out. A sense of family and security. Permanence. Me and Gen, married and blissfully happy. I’m catching glimpses of what waking up to someone feels like, knowing they aren’t rushing to sneak out with their shoes in their hands.

“Seriously. We’re doing this?” I ask roughly. “Because if you think you had to come up with some grand gesture to get me back, you could have just shown me your tits. I would’ve caved right away. No question.” I chew on the inside of my cheek. “I don’t want you to think we need to get married to prove this is real.”

She flashes a cocky grin. “Trust me, I’ve known I’ve had you whipped since seventh grade.”

“See.” With my arms around her, I slide my hands into her back pockets to grab her ass. “You think that’s an insult, but I don’t mind a bit. My masculinity is entirely intact. I’d follow this ass anywhere.”

This time when she tries to kiss me, I let her. She does me in when she bites my lip. By then, I’ve got no sense left. Instead, I wrap my arms under her thighs to lift her up around my hips as we kiss.

How did I ever think I could live without this? Her skin under my palms. Her taste on my tongue. The way my heart beats almost painfully fast when she weaves her fingers into my hair and pulls. This woman.

As Gen begins to breathe harder, sliding her tongue in my mouth to tangle with mine, I shove my hand up her shirt to grab a handful of her breast. She arches into my hand, grinding herself on me. I’m hard and pushing against the zipper of my shorts as she scrapes her teeth against the stubble on my chin and runs her tongue down my neck.

“Wait.” She lowers her legs to stand. “Get in the backseat of my car.”

I stare at her. “You know, if a cop comes by, this time we’ll both end up spending a night in jail.”

“Maybe. But I’ll take my chances.” She plants a sweet kiss on my cheek. “Gotta be a bad girl some of the time, right?”

Good enough for me. Because I’ll take her any way I can.

Forever.





EPILOGUE

GENEVIEVE

I’ve got my head in the twins’ linen closet looking for an outdoor tablecloth when I’m jolted by a pair of arms coming around me from behind. Evan’s lips brush my neck. His hands travel up my ribs, under my shirt, to sneak their way past my bra and cup my breasts. I feel his erection pressing against my ass.

“I want you,” he breathes.

“So you keep saying.” This is the fourth time this afternoon he’s cornered me somewhere around the house to make his intentions clear. “Dinner will be ready soon.”

One hand slides down my stomach and into my shorts. “I want to eat now.”

A hot shiver rolls through me. He isn’t playing fair. Since we made the engagement official, we can’t keep our hands off each other. Evan’s new favorite game—which I’ve been less than sincere about deterring—is seeing how close he can get to outright seducing me in public before I call a time-out.