Jyn

The restaurant we walk to looks beautiful from the outside, with flowers and vines surrounding the door. We park the stroller next to a couple others already outside, with Noah assuring me no one will take it. Inside, the smells nearly make me pass out.

“After this meal, I may need you to push me in the stroller while carrying Cari.”

“I can do that.”

“You’re too good to me,” I tell him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips.

“Not possible.”

The hostess takes us to a window table on the second floor, overlooking Noah’s favorite park. She’s friendly, but I get the feeling she’s not happy we’re here. I wait until she walks away to mention it.

“What’s the deal with her?”

“I couldn’t help her land a future king.”

“You slept with her?”

“Yes, and just so you remember, this is a small island, so you’re likely to run into a few more of my previous lovers.”

“You say that like it’s not a big deal.”

“It really isn’t. I wasn’t a saint before I met you.”

“You’re not really a saint now, either.”

“True, but I wouldn’t ever cheat on you.”

“Same.”

“Well isn’t this sweet?” a woman who looks like she stepped off a runway says, coming to stand next to our table.

She has brown hair that’s expertly curled, perfect makeup, and an elegantly tight dress. If I wasn’t surrounded by some of the most beautiful women in the world every day, I might feel a little intimidated. Instead, I give her a bright smile.

“Can we help you with something?”

Ignoring me, she turns to Noah. “Have you forgotten your manners, Noah? A gentleman stands when a lady approaches his table.”

“The only lady at this table is already sitting.”

Okay, then. This woman is more than a past fling—or lover. And right now, she looks like she might stab Noah. Not going to happen on my watch.

“We’re trying to have a quiet family dinner, so I’d appreciate you walking away right now.”

“He’s got no sway with the palace. You know that, right? He’s not even the spare.”

“Royalty holds no interest for me. Noah is one of the best men I know, and I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my daughter’s father.”

“Commoner.”

“Jesus, Fae. Can you just try to act like a decent human being?”

“I’ve had just about enough of your insults!”

“Then walk away, because the last time I saw you, you were under an Earl, and if I remember correctly, he was old enough to be your father. And, said act was taking place in my bed. So, if you’re expecting me to be happy to see you, you’re obviously more delusional than I already thought you to be.”

What the hell? This woman is one ugly piece of work. No matter how beautiful she is on the outside.

“The bed belongs to Jenysis, not you.”

This is just too much. “I cannot believe you actually had the nerve to walk over here.”

“I didn’t get an invite to the Christening tomorrow.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I was important to you, Noah.”

Okay, we’re done here. “We don’t know each other, Fae, so let me make something clear to you. I work in security, and I know how to use every type of fight technique as well as most weapons known to man. Right now, I am holding onto my temper by a very thin thread. I suggest you move on before that thread breaks, and so does every bone in your beautiful face.”

“You dare threaten me?”

“To protect my family, yes.”

She looks between Noah, Cari, and I. I’m not sure what she’s going to decide, but I’m ready for this to go any way it has to. After a few tense moments, she tosses her hair, and walks away.

“I’m sorry,” Noah tells me, looking down at his plate.

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I should’ve told you about Fae. We were together for almost two years when she cheated. I thought…I thought I’d marry her one day.”

“We all have secrets that aren’t easy to share.”

“Do you have any I should know about?”

“Yes. One.”

“You can tell me anything.”

“My heart believes that, but my head is having trouble allowing me to say the words. Soon, though. I promise.”

“I’ll be here when you’re ready.”

“Thanks for understanding.”

“Right back at you, beautiful.”

The rest of our dinner is uneventful, and the food is delicious. When we walk outside, a small crowd has gathered, and we happily show off Cari until she starts to fuss. I know she’s hungry, and while I don’t feel embarrassed about breastfeeding in public, my dress isn’t really designed for it. Noah effortlessly works the crowd, and gets us moving. He may not be a royal, but there’s no doubt nurture has won out over nature where his charm is concerned.

* * *

Noah

Things could’ve gone so much worse tonight. I was hoping for better, but Fae showed up, hoping to get her way, and she left without what she wanted. As angry as I am at her, if it’d been just me and Cari she encountered, I may have put her on the guest list just to get her to leave. As it was, I sat there like a robot while Jyn took care of things.

Funny thing is, it didn’t really bother me to let her handle Fae. For all my talk of wanting a housewife, I also want a badass woman by my side. I am such a mess of contradictions.

“Penny for your thoughts, or whatever currency we use here.”

“Truth?”

“It’s always preferable.”

Why not? She’s already told me what an ass I am for wanting her to stay home. “So, you know I have this crazy idea about you staying home.”

“Unfortunately, I do.”

“It’s weird that I also loved you sticking up for me tonight, then, isn’t it?”

“Kind of, yeah.”

“You didn’t call me an ass this time.”

“Listen, Noah. I don’t mind cooking and cleaning as long as I’m not the only one doing it. I already told you I’ll cut back at work, and I want us to share the work at home, the expenses, and everything else. I’ll stick up for you, and you’ll stick up for me when I need it.”

I don’t tell her I’ve already talked to our friend, Gavin, who owns a cooking school, about taking some lessons. I may completely suck at it, but I want to try. Bray almost burned down his school, but now he’s safely feeding Darcy, so I think there’s hope for me. Maybe.

“I’m going to try. Even when living alone, I had housekeepers who came in to clean up after me, and it’s been years since I did any of that myself.”

“We can hire a housekeeper, and I don’t mind if you order in when it’s your turn for dinner. I just want to see you trying to make this work. I don’t want to be the only one sacrificing things.”

“I promise you won’t be the only one. Hiring a housekeeper sounds brilliant, if you’re sure you’re okay with it.”

“I’m sure. There are ones already screened to work in the apartments.”

“Is it sexist to ask you to hire one? I’ll do it if you want.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “I can hire her or him.”

“Thanks. Things are going to be moving ahead with the C&C building once we get back, and I want to spend any free time I have with you and Cari.”

“Speaking of free time, I think she’s finally asleep enough to put her in her bassinet,” she says, nodding down to where Cari’s asleep in her arms.

“I’ll meet you in our room.”

“Will you now?”

“Yep. I’ll be the naked guy with the massive hard-on, lounging on the bed.”

“And I’ll be the naked woman looking to ride that massiveness.”

I want to throw her against the wall right here and now, but there’s a baby in her arms, and I’m not a Neanderthal. Okay, well, maybe I am, but not in front of my daughter.

When Jyn sashays into the room with no clothes on, I force myself to stay on the bed and wait for her. It’s our first time since she had Cari, and I want her to take the lead. If it hurts, or she’s still too sore, I want her to stop us both. While I believe I’d stop things if I needed to, in the state I’m in right now, I’d take her hard, and it might be too late to stop the pain for her. I definitely plan to make slow, sweet love to her later tonight, but right now I’m on the razor’s edge where she’s concerned.

“You look more nervous than I feel,” she says as she climbs over me.

“Promise you’ll stop if it hurts you.”

“It’s probably going to hurt a little, but I’m not a virgin, Noah. I know it’ll get better once I’m used to you again.”

“Bring your mouth over here, and kiss me.”

She leans over, and I thread my hand in her sleek, black hair, holding her head at the perfect angle. I kiss her over and over again, in all different ways. Soft and sweet swipes against her lips. Rough and demanding presses of lips, tongues, and teeth. Nibbles and licks all combining to make us both ready to combust.

Only after I know she’s ready do I line my cock up to her pussy, and press slowly inside of her. It feels so good to be back inside of her, and I have to force myself to go slow, inch by inch. Once I’m fully inside of her warm channel, and our hips are meeting, I close my eyes and just feel how amazing it is.

“You okay?”

“Better than okay, Noah.”

Thank God. When she starts to move, I meet her with thrusts of my hips. We’re both a little wild as we kiss and fuck. It’s so erotic, and when she arches her back a few minutes later, I know we’re going to come together.

Her nails dig into my shoulders, and I lick her nipples, because they’re right in front of my mouth, and I need to feel them, even if I can’t suck. Her pussy clamps down on my cock as she shudders above me, finding her release. I hold out until she’s almost done, and then I grab her hips, and go. I’m pounding into her from below, and yelling out her name as she screams out a second orgasm.

It’s everything. Jyn is everything. I love her, and know without a doubt I want her forever. There’s a ring in the castle that belongs to me, and I’m going to ask Steve to retrieve it for me tomorrow. It may seem cliched to propose on the grounds of a castle, but I can’t wait any longer to ask Jyn to be my wife.

As I watch her cuddle into me, and fall asleep, I know this is the right decision. And the best one I’ve ever made in my life. Everything I’ve ever wanted is finally coming together for me, and it revolves around this woman, and the little girl in the other room who miraculously slept through what just went down in here. Life doesn’t get much better than this.