Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 201(@200wpm)___ 161(@250wpm)___ 134(@300wpm)
“I can’t believe you just hung up on my dad.”
“Melanie, I might have avoided our relationship because I was afraid of this.” I pointed to the bed. “But I’m not afraid of taking care of your needs, and that includes your feelings. Today is special, and there is a lot planned for today. I won’t let your father’s temper get in the way. I hoped that what we just did would have ended our night, but we can’t change that now.”
“I’m kind of glad it happened now.”
“Why?”
“The anticipation is over.”
“True. He’s calling again.”
“Okay. I’ll take it.” He hands me the phone. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Princess, how are you?”
“I’m fine. Will and I spoke. You were right about everything, and although I had my reservations, we made up and I’m happy. He says he has a day planned for my birthday.”
Will whispers, “They’re included as well.”
“He says you’re included as well, so I hope you’re not upset.”
“No, but I don’t want to know what you were doing.”
“He was showing me our new home.”
“New home? So you’re ready to move out?”
“Well, didn’t you already know about the house?”
“Yes.”
“So then you knew I was more than likely willing to move in with him.”
“What about getting married?”
“He hasn’t asked me.”
I turn around, and Will is down on one knee. Damn these men. “Are you two working together?”
“Well, I’m not going to let him shack up with my little girl without a ring.”
“Bye, Daddy.” I end the call and drop the phone on the desk.
Biting down on my bottom lip, I stare at the love of my life. “Yes, of course.” He slides the ring on my finger and then wraps his arms around my waist, spinning me in a circle.
“Put me down, naked man.”
“I’m not completely naked.”
He does have his pants on, so I suppose he has a point. “This rock is huge.”
“That it is, but you deserve it, and I want everyone in town to know you belong to me.”
“I’m sure they will. So, are we going to wait to marry?”
“I don’t see why. I mean, you can take your time and plan it out with your mom, my mom, and the sisters, but you know, I don’t want to wait forever.”
“Of course, but we have some time since we don’t plan on having any babies any time soon.”
“That’s right.”
“My mom is going to lose it. She’s going to want to hit every boutique in Dallas, maybe even New York and Chicago. If we go together, that would work.”
“You wouldn’t want a girls-only trip? Your dad wouldn’t let you ladies go to either of those places unprotected, anyhow.”
“Fair point.”
“And if anyone is going to protect you, it’s going to be me.”
“Damn you. Like my panties aren’t already a sticky mess. I don’t have clothes here. How the hell am I supposed to go home and change?”
“Well, it’s a good thing that we’re going shopping first. We have a lot to furnish in our home. The bed and the bedspread are the only things I’ve bought, and my mother helped me with that.” My mouth falls open. “Well, she knew damn well I was hanging on by a thread, and she didn’t want to make you suffer.”
“How am I ever going to look your mother in the face again? It took me forever to do it after the incident at Christmas.”
“Oh, honey. Just wait until you accidentally catch my parents walking out of a room together after a few minutes alone. They weren’t talking about anything. Let’s just say if they could, I’d have another dozen more siblings.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah, so don’t worry. She’ll be blushing before you will. Now, get your pretty ass ready because we have so much to do.”
He was right. We only make it back into Steeleville in time to have dinner at Mr. and Mrs. Steele’s home where they have it decked out for my birthday. My entire family is here, and the family room has been covered with presents.
“Sweetheart, you look radiant. Now let me see that ring,” my mother gushes after giving me a hug. Luckily, we stopped at Will’s apartment, a place I’d never been before. I showered and put on a cute pink party dress that cuts off just above the knees. My father scowls at Will all night even though he smiles and hugs me as often as he can, reminding me that I’m his princess.
Chapter Eleven
Will
The first week in our new home has gone well. Most of the stuff in my apartment stayed there because my brother moved in, and I only took my clothes, work and school equipment, and photos of Melanie.
Melanie and her mother packed up her room, taking some of her treasures and her clothes. Beast moved it into the house while I was on a job site. The tension between the two of us has grown. Maybe letting his daughter go is harder than he imagined, or the fact that he knows exactly what I’m doing to her every damn night is driving him insane.