Page 70 of Pumpkin
Dosia stuck her tongue out at him, which only made Pumpkin chuckle. “No,” she said with no bite.
“Good. Then we’ll get married, we’ll add your name to SJ’s birth certificate, you’ll move into my house?—”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Dosia tried to stand but Pumpkin kept a firm hold on her. “I haven’t agreed to marry you. And move in with you? Pumpkin, we haven’t even been on an official date yet!”
“Which we are rectifying soon,” Pumpkin reminded her. “I paid a grand for the privilege to date you, so I also expect you to put out.”
Dosia’s mouth gaped open, but then she must have seen the teasing glint in his eye because she smacked his shoulder. “That was mean.”
Pumpkin laughed. “I know.”
Dosia fell quiet, biting her bottom lip. Christ, she was adorable when she did that. “Pumpkin,” she said seriously, “we can’t get married. We barely know each other.”
“We know enough,” he insisted. “And I will never stop wanting to learn about you.” He brushed her hair behind her ear. “I want to spend the rest of my life learningeverything,” he drew his hand down her neck, over her clavicle, and down her shoulder, “about you.”
She shivered, her eyes fluttering closed at his touch. “Pumpkin…”
He moved forward, licking the same path his hand had just taken until he reached the barrier of her clothing.
“Do you love me?”
Pumpkin’s head shot back at her bold question. She wasn’t looking at him, though. Her face, beet red with embarrassment, was turned away and she had her eyes closed like she couldn’t believe she’d just blurted that question out.
Like she thought there was a possibility he would say ‘no’.
Pumpkin carefully touched her chin, drawing her face back to him. “Look at me,” he demanded.
It took a moment for her to open her beautiful, caramel eyes to him.
He traced his thumb along her heated cheek. “Ask me again, baby.” He kept his voice low but encouraging.
Dosia’s ragged breath made her voice sound scratchy as she hastily asked, “Do you love me?”
Pumpkin, though, gave an indirect shrug. “I mean, I don’t hate you.”
Dosia’s face turned redder than a tomato as her eyes widened, her entire expression horror stricken at his words. When she scrambled off his lap, Pumpkin let her, but she didn’t get far. Catching her wrists, Pumpkin stood and spun them around until she was the one with her back to the bed. As he went down onto his knees, he pulled her down to sit on the bed where he had been.
Carefully, Pumpkin balanced himself until he was able to lift one leg, remaining down on one knee. She tried to pull her hands away from him, but Pumpkin kept a tight grip on her. Bending, he kissed her fingertips.
“There are many things in this world that I love. I love my bike and my club, I love my ridiculously high number of nieces and nephews, I love my job—or I did when I was able to work one,” he added offhandedly. “I love our children. Christ, there aren’t words for how much I love them. Me, a father?” He shook his head. “It’s as exciting as it is terrifying.” Dosia had stopped fighting him now and was staring down at him with tear-filled eyes. “The idea of having another child with you? Fuck, baby, it’s incredible. And whether your period comes in three days or not, my question to you is still the same:
“Theodosia Woods. I love our son and I love our daughter. I will love this next baby with every fiber of my being. But most of all, I loveyou. I amin lovewith you. I am entirely and irrevocably yours. I have been since the day we met, even if it took us six years to find our way back to each other. I got my cut on your back, but now I need my ring on your finger. Will you marry me?”
Tears fell freely down her pink cheeks as she stared down at him. “I… I…” Her chin trembled as she struggled for words. Despite the nerves coursing through his body, Pumpkin squeezed her hands reassuringly. “I want to say ‘yes’, but I’m scared.”
It wasn’t a ‘no’ but her hesitation still turned his stomach. “What are you scared of?” He’d do everything in his power, quash all her fears, until he got that ‘yes’.
“It’s too soon.”
“Says who?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I don’t know. Everyone, society, I guess.”
“Is everyone asking you to marry them? Is society asking you to marry it?” Pumpkin shook his head. “No, they’re not, becauseI am. So fuck what everyone and society says. What do youfeel, Dosia? Do you love me? Do you want to marry me?”
Her pupils dilated as her breath hitched. “Yes,” she answered softly. “But you feel too perfect. These past few weeks, they’ve been amazing. You’ve been amazing. But I’ve been waiting for the other shoe to drop. I keep wondering what will make you leave.”
“Nothing,” he vowed. “Baby, I knew at that steakhouse that you were mine. Before we had sex, before I even knew JJ existed, you were mine. I put my cut on you that night, remember? I’ve made my intentions clear from Day One. I always intended to make you mine. As for the other shoe dropping?” He shrugged. “That’s life. Look at me and everything I’ve had to endure since April. But I promise you, baby, whatever life throws at us, we’ll face it together.”
