Page 81 of Crow's Haven
“It’s lovely. Though how did you keep it secret?”
I laugh, “It was hard because Scout and Chase were so excited, but I promised ‘em a million sidecar rides if they kept quiet about it.”
Her hand trembles when I slide it onto her finger.
She turns her hand back and forth, admiring it. If her expression is any indication, she likes it a lot.
“Oh Crow, it’s perfect for me. I love it.”
“Thank fuck for that. We wanted to get you something real special, so you’d know how we feel about ya.”
“Mission accomplished, babe. I don’t ever want to take it off again.”
“You gotta take it off to clean it,” I remind her, picking the oars back up.
She glances up at me and replies teasingly, “Don’t try to act all practical now that you’ve outed yourself as a hopeless romantic.”
“Shush woman, do you want the whole world to hear ya?”
She glances at my hands on the oars and asks, “Are we going back so soon?”
I nod, “Got another surprise planned for ya.”
She moves back and sits across from me again. “If you’re not careful, you’re going to spoil me. Then what would you do?”
I fucking love how easygoing and playful our conversation is. I roll my eyes, “Women and babies ain’t about to be spoiled. You’re supposed to give them all your attention and care.”
Her head jerks up from looking at her ring to gape at me. “That’s a pretty profound insight. Where did you learn that from?”
I shrug, as I pull one long stroke after another to get us back to the shore. “It was just something that Rigs said to me when I was struggling to take care of my boys all by myself.”
She’s sitting facing me in the canoe, hand resting lightly on her knee, her brand-new ring catching the last of the light like a slow burn. Admiration for me is shining bright in her eyes, making me feel smart and important, though I know I’m not. Maybe it’s enough that the woman I plan to marry thinks I am.
She glances at me. “You’re one of the smartest, kindest, and most thoughtful men I’ve ever met. I’m glad that you’re going to be my husband. Any woman would jump at the chance to be with you.”
“I didn’t think that bikers were your type, so I wasn’t a hundred percent sure,” I say, trying to sound casual.
“I like that you belong to the Savage Legion. They seem like nice men and they not only helped me clear my name, the brothers are good role models for your boys.”
I already know all that, but I don’t say so because there is something to be said for being humble. I ease the canoe alongside the dock and hop out with water sloshing around my ankles. I hold out my hand and she takes it without hesitation, letting me help her out of the canoe. “I put together a little celebration, just for the two of us.”
“A celebration sounds wonderful,” she says.
“I think you’ll like it.”
***
The sliding doors of the boathouse are already cracked. Inside, warm amber flickers from a dozen flameless candles scattered across the wooden floor. There’s a pallet laid out in the center, covered in thick, soft blankets I bought special just for the occasion. Two big-ass pillows lean against the wall at the head of our makeshift bed. A cooler sits off to the side. There’sno music, only the sound of the bugs outside and the hum of the water nearby.
Her breath catches when she steps inside. “Crow…”
“Figured you deserved a real proposal night,” I say, voice lower now. “Not just a canoe and a sunset. You deserve to be worshiped by your man.”
She spins on her heel and kisses me, hard and quick. Her hands cup my jaw, her thumbs brushing the scruff along my jawline. The way she looks at me is more than just love, admiration, and respect. It’s selfless devotion. For me, a struggling single dad who works hard at flipping houses to earn a living. I know that I’m not what most nice women would choose for themselves, but my Ladybug sees my worth.
“I said yes,” she whispers. “So now I get to have you. All night.”
Heat coils low in my gut. “Damn right you do.”
