Page 37 of The Storms Between Us
thirty-one
Fear and uncertaintyflood my brain. Ember comes back from the bathroom and the nurse tells us the doctor will be here in about ten minutes. Is it possible to be both terrified and elated at the same time? I know this wasn’t the plan. This definitely wasn’t something we were trying for or even discussed. Hell, I never even considered having kids in the first place. But I can’t help but feel giddy and excited to know the results. Panic creeps in as I realize Ember doesn’t know anything about what I did this morning. I have to tell her. If I wait, she’s gonna assume the worst and I need her to know I mean it and that my intentions are sincere, no matter what the outcome of this appointment is.
“I have to tell you something,” I say, a little louder and more aggressively than I intended to. She turns her body to face me full on, her anxiety written all over her face. “I did something this morning. I wasn’t gonna tell you until we got settled in the new house and got our own routine going. But I feel like I have to tell you now because I want you to understand I'm not with you out of any obligation. No matter what the result of that test is, I love you, Ember. I know you’re it for me. You’re the one who makes me want to be better and do better just to make you smile. I’m going to love you in your weakest moments, when you feel like breaking. And I’m gonna love you when you’re strong, because damn, you are so strong. I’ll be here loving you, no matter what comes our way. Each and every piece of you, for the rest of my life.” I see a tear slide down the side of her face, but she doesn’t make a move to wipe it away. “I want you to know I'm ready for whatever comes next, no matter what it is. But I won’t take this step if it isn’t what you want right now. I just needed you to understand that I was ready before today’s surprising turn of events,” I say, placing the decision in her hands.
She closes her eyes, taking a deep, calming breath as a smile spreads across her beautiful face. “Just so I know we’re on the same page here, are you asking me to marry you, Elijah?” She asks without opening her eyes, as if she believes opening her eyes will make this moment disappear. I slide the ring box I picked up this morning out of my pocket and hold it in front of her.
“Open your eyes, Sunshine” I say, suddenly nervous about her response. Her perfect forest green eyes lock onto mine, not daring to look down. “Yes, Ember. I’m asking you to marry me,” I say with confidence. She finally looks down and takes in the delicate emerald and diamond ring I'm holding in my hand. Her hands cover her mouth as she gasps, and I know I did good. I see the tears falling freely from her eyes as she stares down at the ring for several long seconds before meeting my eyes.
“One question,” she says, “I just need to be clear on something. You’re not just doing this because you probably knocked me up, right?” She asks, a sarcastic grin on her face.
“No, baby, that would just be a bonus,” I answer without hesitation. Instantly, she takes the ring from my hands and slides it onto her finger. Before I can think, she’s kissing me. I pull her out of her chair and onto my lap to kiss her back the way she deserves to be kissed. Are we making out in a doctor’s office? Absolutely, and I don’t fucking care who sees us. This is my woman. Soon, she’ll be my wife. And I’ll never be ashamed to show anyone exactly how I feel about her. I thread my fingers through her hair, angling her head so I can slide my tongue into her mouth. The cinnamon taste I love so much explodes on my tongue, and I let out a gruff moan. I know we have to stop before my cock rips a hole in these jeans, but there’s something about this woman that I can never get enough of. She pulls away slightly, leaning her forehead against mine and smiling widely.
“Did that really just happen?” she asks in a soft whisper.
“Yeah, Sunshine,” I say, placing my hands on either side of her face and pulling her in for a gentle kiss. “You’re mine forever now.”
We’re interrupted by the sound of the doctor clearing her throat from the doorway. Ember scrambles to stand up off my lap and I just laugh. She smooths her hands down the legs of her jeans, that sexy crimson blush spreading up her chest and across her cheeks.
“I’m so sorry,” she says, sitting back down in the chair beside me.
“I’m not,” I say, shrugging my shoulders. She punches me in the arm, making me laugh even harder.
“Oh, trust me, I’ve seen far worse in this office,” the doctor replies. “Besides, when you’re in love, you’re in love. And it's so clear that you two love each other.” Her compliment makes me smile. I’ll do whatever I have to do to make sure the entire world knows how much I love this woman.
“We didn’t mean to get so carried away,” Ember says shyly beside me. She reaches over for my hand and I can tell she’s nervous about what the doctor has to say. I’m a little on edge too, but I know either way, we’re gonna be okay.
“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be feeling that a lot more often over the next few months. Pregnancy hormones are no joke,” the doctor says with a grin, laying the positive test results on the table in front of us.
