“No.”

“I really need you to be straight with me.”

He studied her. She hesitated, glancing over to where her father slept. Razor had told her something; Ryker knew it from the look on her face. It had to be something bad too if she was contemplating how to approach him about it.

“Razor brought up Beth being pregnant. Would you leave me like you did her if I were pregnant?”

“Are you pregnant?” He glanced down at her stomach.

“No.”

He thought about his life with Ella. “I think you know the answer to your own question.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“Not a chance.” He laid his head on her thigh. “You being pregnant is not the same as her being pregnant. It’s completely different.”

“Why?”

“Because I love you.” He closed his eyes. “We’re going to get married. I’m not really the marrying type, but I like the idea of you wearing my ring and taking my name.”

He glanced up at her. Ella had curled on her side, watching him. She looked so fragile, and all he wanted to do was make her feel better. His stomach had been in knots while she was with his father. It really hadn’t settled down.

“I like that idea too.”

He reached for her hand and kissed her fingers. “You need to get better so we can have an engagement party and all that crap.”

“Be straight with me. Do you want kids?”

“No.” He laid his head back on her thigh. “Not planned ones anyway. If they’re a surprise, then well, whatever.”

She dropped her head to the side, tired from the events of the day. “I think you’d be a great dad.”

“You don’t know me very well if you think that.”

“You’d take our son out and teach him how to ride a motorcycle to pick up girls. Every girl loves a bad boy on a bike.”

He shook his head.

“And you take our daughter to father-daughter dances at school and dare any of the boys to come near her.”

“How many fucking kids are you planning on having?”

She closed her eyes. “We’d take family vacations and make memories together.”

“Or we could simply forget the idea of kids and spend our lives together.”

She brushed her fingers along his cheek. “For a while. Then we’re having a baby. I want a baby.”

He chuckled softly. She knew he wouldn’t say no. And if Ryker were honest with himself, the idea didn’t sound so bad with her. She was everything he wanted and never thought he deserved. The idea of creating a life with her made him happy. They could write their own story together.

“I love you, Ryker.” Ella ran her finger along his cheek. “Thank you for saving me.”

He wanted to kiss her mouth so bad he couldn’t see straight. Instead, he kissed her finger. “Anytime and every time, babe.”