the man you need. The one you wake up to and the one you can’t stop thinking about.”
“You’re crazy,” she blurted, even though she believed every word.
“I’ve been told that on occasion.” He inched off the chair and onto the floor. “I was going to wait until later, but if I don’t do this now…” Levi dug in his pocket and withdrew a diamond ring. The stone glittered in the low light. “Maya, I’ve been more than a little in love with you since the day I walked into the diner. You can do anything you want and have any man out there, but I’d be honored if you’d be my wife. I love you so much. I know it’s fast, but I don’t know how to go any speed besides balls to the wall. If it helps, Peaches gave me her approval.”
Maya dropped the fork. A thousand questions popped into her head. Did she want to be tied down to one man when she’d finally earned her freedom? What if he changed his mind about the baby? What if things fell apart? Did she even want to marry him?
Levi shook his head. “I knew this was too fast.” He placed the ring on the table, then stood. “Take the time you need. My feelings won’t change.”
Her strong man, the steady man who served his country and had become her best friend, wanted to marry her.
“When do you start full time at the shop?” The catch in his voice pricked at her heart.
“I start Monday.” She dropped her hands into her lap. “Levi, if you’re crazy enough to want to marry a world-weary woman like me…we’d better be waiting until after the baby comes.”
His eyes widened. He opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times before he finally managed to say, “What are you telling me?”
She slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. “I’m saying I’ll marry you.” This time, she left her chair and made her way around the table to him. “Aren’t we a pair?”
“The best kind.” He placed his palm on her belly. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Saying the words felt right. No hesitations, no worries. Just perfect. “But we have our own space until we do get married. Separation makes the heart grow fonder, and if our schedules are all funked up, we’ve each got a place to chill.”
“Deal.” He scooped her into his arms and bounded down the hall to the bedroom. “But tonight you’re all mine.”
“You’re going to hurt yourself, carrying me so much.” She threw her arms around his neck. “But I like it. Like Thor and a caveman but with a lot more finesse.”
His eyes flashed. He worked the hem of her shirt up over her head, then kissed her bare belly. She smoothed her hands over his head. The tenderness in his touch, along with the knowledge he loved her, overwhelmed her. Levi slipped off her left shoe, then her right and patted her calf.
“Stand.”
When she did, he eased the elastic waistband of her maternity pants past her hips. The garment landed at her feet. Instead of ripping off her lingerie, he stood and grasped her hand. Maya followed him to the tiny bathroom.
“I thought we’d actually eat dinner, not rush through it.” He twisted the knob to fill the bathtub. Peaches trotted into the room behind them and sat beside the tub. “She likes to watch?”
“We talk while I shower.” Maya sank onto the closed toilet. “Who knew having a baby would take the wind out of a body?” Steam billowed around the room, and her dog stretched out on the rug. Her snores battled with the splashing of the water.
“You’ve got another person inside you.” Levi pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the candles scattered around the edge of the tub. “For you, my love.” He placed the lighter in the sink, then offered his hand. “Come here.” He flicked the clasp on her bra, letting the lacy garment fall to the floor with a plop. The dog sniffed the bra, then huffed and trotted out of the room. Maya exchanged a glance with Levi as he removed her panties. He helped her into the searing water.
“You’re crazy,” she blurted, even though she believed every word.
“I’ve been told that on occasion.” He inched off the chair and onto the floor. “I was going to wait until later, but if I don’t do this now…” Levi dug in his pocket and withdrew a diamond ring. The stone glittered in the low light. “Maya, I’ve been more than a little in love with you since the day I walked into the diner. You can do anything you want and have any man out there, but I’d be honored if you’d be my wife. I love you so much. I know it’s fast, but I don’t know how to go any speed besides balls to the wall. If it helps, Peaches gave me her approval.”
Maya dropped the fork. A thousand questions popped into her head. Did she want to be tied down to one man when she’d finally earned her freedom? What if he changed his mind about the baby? What if things fell apart? Did she even want to marry him?
Levi shook his head. “I knew this was too fast.” He placed the ring on the table, then stood. “Take the time you need. My feelings won’t change.”
Her strong man, the steady man who served his country and had become her best friend, wanted to marry her.
“When do you start full time at the shop?” The catch in his voice pricked at her heart.
“I start Monday.” She dropped her hands into her lap. “Levi, if you’re crazy enough to want to marry a world-weary woman like me…we’d better be waiting until after the baby comes.”
His eyes widened. He opened his mouth and closed it a couple of times before he finally managed to say, “What are you telling me?”
She slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand. “I’m saying I’ll marry you.” This time, she left her chair and made her way around the table to him. “Aren’t we a pair?”
“The best kind.” He placed his palm on her belly. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Saying the words felt right. No hesitations, no worries. Just perfect. “But we have our own space until we do get married. Separation makes the heart grow fonder, and if our schedules are all funked up, we’ve each got a place to chill.”
“Deal.” He scooped her into his arms and bounded down the hall to the bedroom. “But tonight you’re all mine.”
“You’re going to hurt yourself, carrying me so much.” She threw her arms around his neck. “But I like it. Like Thor and a caveman but with a lot more finesse.”
His eyes flashed. He worked the hem of her shirt up over her head, then kissed her bare belly. She smoothed her hands over his head. The tenderness in his touch, along with the knowledge he loved her, overwhelmed her. Levi slipped off her left shoe, then her right and patted her calf.
“Stand.”
When she did, he eased the elastic waistband of her maternity pants past her hips. The garment landed at her feet. Instead of ripping off her lingerie, he stood and grasped her hand. Maya followed him to the tiny bathroom.
“I thought we’d actually eat dinner, not rush through it.” He twisted the knob to fill the bathtub. Peaches trotted into the room behind them and sat beside the tub. “She likes to watch?”
“We talk while I shower.” Maya sank onto the closed toilet. “Who knew having a baby would take the wind out of a body?” Steam billowed around the room, and her dog stretched out on the rug. Her snores battled with the splashing of the water.
“You’ve got another person inside you.” Levi pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the candles scattered around the edge of the tub. “For you, my love.” He placed the lighter in the sink, then offered his hand. “Come here.” He flicked the clasp on her bra, letting the lacy garment fall to the floor with a plop. The dog sniffed the bra, then huffed and trotted out of the room. Maya exchanged a glance with Levi as he removed her panties. He helped her into the searing water.