Page 316 of Kentrell

I smirked. “Maybe.”

Without asking, she peeled the bandage back slow… her eyes going soft and glassy the second the ink underneath revealed itself.

Caldwell

In bold black lettering. Permanent. Right under her name.

Her hand covered her mouth as her eyes filled again. “Kentrell…”

I grabbed her wrist, pulling her hand down, letting her see me… see my face… steady and sure.

I kissed her lips, soft but slow, then tucked her tighter against me.

And just when I thought that was gonna be the end of it… her voice broke through, soft and trembling.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” she whispered, her fingers tracing the edges of both names like she needed the strength.

I blinked, my stomach tensing at her tone.

“What’s wrong?” My hand moved to her face, my thumb catching a stray tear.

She laughed through it… watery and nervous. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s just…”

Her palm flattened over my chest… right over both names… like she was already imagining the next addition.

“Kentrell… I’m pregnant.”

Everything in me stilled.

My whole body locked. My heart stopped… then kicked right back up like it was trying to break out of my chest.

Her eyes searched mine… scared… but hopeful… like she didn’t know what I was gonna say.

I exhaled slow, dragging my hand down my face… then smiled.

Big. Slow. Real.

For the first time in a long time… I felt light.

Without a word, I reached over the side of the bed, grabbing my sweatpants off the floor where they landed earlier. My hand slid into the pocket… found the small ring box… soft pink crushed velvet. One of Zoe’s favorite colors. But now, staring at it… all I could see was that damn clit pillow Mars had sitting in her living room.

I shook my head, smirking to myself as I flipped the lid open.

“Oh my God!” Zoe covered her face, turning damn near the color of the box. The sound of her sniffling followed right after, muffled behind her palms.

I gave her a minute. Maybe thirty seconds. Then I reached up and gently pulled both her hands down, wanting to see her face when I did this right. Her eyes were glassy, wide and shining as I opened the box fully. The little gasp she let out when she saw the ring made my chest tighten.

I slid it on her shaking finger, slow… like I had time to savor this.

She held her hand up to the light, biting her bottom lip, still looking like she couldn’t believe it was real.

“Of course it fits,” she breathed out—one of those random thoughts she always said out loud. Always amazed when I got something right about her she swore I shouldn’t know.

I pulled her down onto me, letting her settle against my chest. She giggled, lifting her head just enough so her face hovered over mine.

“You mine,” I murmured against her lips. “Now… forever… and after that.”

She laughed through more tears, half crying, half giggling as she wrapped her arms tight around my neck. Pulled me just enough for me to roll on top of her, her skin still warm and soft beneath me.

---