Page 77 of Sinister Red

“A plan?”He had a plan to leave me?I frown as he comes to stand in front of me, his hand deep inside his jean pocket.

He nods, tosses his jeans to the side and crouches in front of me again. “A plan that might have involved oral, but after I gave this to you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Sam shoots me a lopsided grin then nods again, and this time, my gaze follows.

There, in the palm of his fair-skinned, freckled hand, is a small black box, opened and facing me, nestled against the velvet cushion is a ring.

A simple, though beautiful—andhuge—square cut diamond set in a white gold band.

“Marry me, Cookie.”

I blink up at Sam as a few tears roll down my face.

“I didn’t want to ask you like this, and I don’t want you to think I’m asking because you’re having my baby.” He smirks as a lone tear slips down his cheek. “I mean I am, but only because I’ve had this ring burning a hole in my pocket for almost three months now and knowing that you’re pregnant…” He shakes his head. “I was going to ask you on your birthday. Had a whole thing planned even though waiting was going to drive me nuts, but I wanted it to be special. We’ve been through hell and back, the least I could do was ask you to marry me in some sort of grand gesture or some shit.”

I snort. “Orsome shit?Such a romantic.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not the one that blurted I was knocked upimmediately aftergiving outstanding head.” Sam reaches out and catches a tear with his thumb. “You thought I was going to be pissed you kept it from me.”

Not a question because Sam knows the answer to that, but I nod anyway. “I didn’t want you to think it was like before.”

“I know, Cookie. I understand, I know, and I’m not mad.”

“Not even a little?”

He smiles softly. “Mad? No. A little bummed that you didn’t tell me when you found out, I won’t lie about that, but just because I feel like I would have been able to be there for you in ways I didn’t realize I needed to be. Assuming all of the stealthy puking you’ve been trying to cover up and the other shit I’ve been asking you about are symptoms of the pregnancy and not your endometriosis.”

“They are.”

“Sofie…” Sam sighs. “I get why you didn’t say anything, Cookie. You wanted to be sure everything was ok, that you and the baby were ok before you told me. After last time, after everything that we’ve been through, I really fucking get it, but we are in this together.Iam in this with you and there is not one damn thing you could do to get rid of me.”

“Sammy…” I sniffle. “I’m so— “

“You don’t have to apologize, Sof. I understand, and I swear I’m not mad. I just want to be with you, I want to marry you, and I want to raise our baby with you. Me and you, just like we were always supposed to be.”

I look down at the ring again, my tears falling freely. I know my fear was justified, the worry and concerns about the baby one hundred percent valid, but why I ever doubted Sam… I guess, maybe I wasn’t doubting him. Maybe our past is just so complicated, so complex and full of time that should have been ours together, that I can’t help but worry about history repeating itself.

There’s so much history between us, not all of it’s good, and I think that is exactly where my worry and fear has been rooted all along. And while those roots are important because it’s where our love, our life together started to grow, they can’t be the only thing tying us together.

Sam and I have a past, but that’s not who we are. We are the present; two people in love, soulmates that will always find a way back to each other because being together is what makes us whole. And we are the future; soulmates who will let the roots of our past stay buried while we grow together in the present, nurturing a future that will only be bigger and better than what either of us could have ever imagined.

My gaze lifts to the expectant look on Sam’s face and I smile. “Me and you, Red. Let’s get married and have a baby.”

“Fuck.” Sam sighs with a small chuckle. “Way to keep me in suspense, Cookie.”

I giggle as he kisses me. “I love you, Sammy.”

“I love you too, Cookie. So goddamn much.” Then he growls against my lips. “Now take off your panties and let me eat your pussy.”

This man.

I am so grateful that this man is my soulmate.

Mine; past, present, and future.

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