Page 97 of Endurance
“Like, life plans. Goals!” I gesticulate with my hand.
“Well, fire away.” He sits back against the headboard again, crossing his thick, veined arms over his chest expectantly.
I roll my eyes and reply, “All right, where do we plan to live?”
He shrugs. “Probably your place. Camden thinks he’ll be moving out soon and our lease is up for renewal, so I can come to yours. Or we can go flat-hunting and get our own.”
“I would like to get our own. My father bought my flat and I’m completely over being under his thumb.”
He nods. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“All right. What about jobs? You could get traded or lent out or accept a contract from somewhere far away. I can’t be a doctor in South America, Tanner. It doesn’t work like that for me.”
He frowns. “I know when we first talked about my career, I said I had nothing tying me down, but that’s all changed. You are a game changer, Belle. Truthfully, I’ve never had the Premiership aspirations that Camden did. Tower Park is my home. It always has been. I’d love to grow old and die in that stadium. I think I could be a good manager there if my dad ever heaves off. Or hell, maybe Shirt Off My Back will be something I can focus my efforts on. I’m up for anything. And I love and respect that you’re a doctor. I fully recognise that you need to stay near Dr. Miller. That works for me. I have no desire to leave London. Ever.”
I frown, taken aback by his detailed answer, so I fire a tougher one at him. “Kids?”
This gives him pause. He turns and looks out the window, his jaw firm and strong. “Truthfully, I never thought I’d want kids, but after seeing you hold Rocky the other day, I have to admit that’s changed, too.” He leans forward and grabs my hand, kissing it softly. “I like the idea of having a family with you…down the road. We don’t need a baker’s dozen or anything. But I quite think one or two would be nice.”
I think I ovulate on the spot.
“What about you?” he asks, concern creeping up in his eyes.
I swallow and pull my lips in between my teeth before responding. “I hated my upbringing. It was cold and unfeeling. I was around nannies and staff more than my parents. I worry that I could be like that.”
His eyes slant with sympathy. “You could never be cold and unfeeling.” He kisses my hand again and shifts closer to caress my cheek, tucking messy, dark tendrils of hair behind my ear. “You are fireworks, Belle. You are warm and full of feelings. You’d make a wonderful mum.”
His words force my eyes to close against the stinging of tears. I clear my throat. “Religion?”
My lashes flutter open and he pulls back with a shrug. “I’m Christian but not actively. I’d consider going more if that was important to you.”
“It would be something I’d enjoy doing as a…family I think.” The wordfamilycoming out of my mouth feels terrifyingly incredible.
A half-smirk slides up on his face as if he can tell he’s acing this test with flying colours.
“Okay then, what else?”
So I go for a bit more abstract. “What kind of wife do you want me to be? If we have children, will you want me to stay at home with them?”
“Christ, no!” he exclaims. “You’re a fucking incredible doctor, Belle. You can’t just stop doing that.”
I raise a brow. “So a nanny then?”
He shrugs. “I wouldn’t be opposed to having a nanny, but I’d rather see if we can have a go at it ourselves first. I see us with a fifty-fifty partnership. I don’t expect you to do everything. I don’t want a wife who mothers me or acts like a housekeeper. I want a wife who lets me stick it in her on a regular basis, so if that means I need to do the dishes or Hoover the floor, I will.”
Now I feel like he’s lying. “Tanner, how is it possible that we went through a huge list of life goals and agreed on everything. That is not possible.”
His face crumples in horror. “No…it’s not. And to be honest, it’s creeping me out.”
“Me, too.”
“Quick, pick a fight with me about something,” he says hurriedly.
“What do you mean?” I ask, totally confused.
“This isn’t normal. I want to make sure we’re still us. Do that thing you do where you pick a fight with me about nothing.”
“I do not do that,” I bite back, crossing my arms in a proper pout. “Everything I say is perfectly logical. You’re the crazy one.”
