I’d never been the type of man to care about having a woman by my side, having a partner for life.

That was until I saw Josephine.

Until then I didn’t care about any of that shit. Hell, I didn’t even care about getting laid.

I stepped through the front door and saw her bent over cleaning the coffee table. During the last half year she’d been staying at my house more times than not. I wanted her here permanently.

I walked up to her, my dick already hard, my mind working up filthy images of what I’d like to do with my woman right now.

She stood up, still not aware of me standing right behind her. I reached out, wrapped my hand around her waist, and spun her around. She gasped and fell into me, and I let out a pleasurable grunt when she pressed right up against my chest. I walked us backward a few steps and sat down on the couch.

She straddled my hips, and if my cock hadn’t already been hard, it would have gone rock solid in that moment. I lowered my face to her neck and inhaled deeply. “You smell fucking good, baby.” I ran the tip of my nose up the side of her throat. “Fuck, yeah, you smell good.”

She made this sweet little moan for me and pressed her pussy down harder on my cock.

“You smell like you’ve been working in a garage all day.”

I grinned after she spoke. “You like the sweat and grimy scent that clings to me.”

She breathed harder. “Yeah, I really do, Gabe.”

“Come closer and give me a kiss.” She braced her hands on the cushions, leaned forward, and kissed me hard. I loved that Josephine ran her tongue over my bottom lip.

I wanted her right now, but reality set in. I could fuck my girl afterward. At this time I needed to get serious.

Really fucking serious.

I reached out and cupped her cheek, and her expression changed. She could see how intense I was, that I didn’t doubt.

“What’s wrong?”

“Give me a minute, baby. I’ll be right back.” I stood, left her alone in the living room as I went into the bedroom to grab what I’d need; then I came back. I didn’t sit next to her, and instead dropped to one knee. I was going to do this right, even if it wasn’t the most romantic proposal. When I lifted my arm and produced the little gray velvet box, I saw her eyes widen. I took one of her hands in mine. “I love you, so damn much I can’t even imagine a world without you.” I popped the lid, seeing her throat work when she saw the ring inside. “I’m possessive, coarse as fuck, and pretty territorial when it comes to you, but you’re mine, and I want that official, baby.” I pulled the ring out of the box. “I know I border on obsessive and out of control where you’re concerned, and although you and I know that won’t change, I love you with everything I am.”

She smiled, her happiness clear, making me feel pretty fucking incredible.

“I don’t want to change you, don’t want to hinder anything you want to do in your life.” Damn, I wanted to kiss her right now. “You’re strong and successful, independent and fierce. And I love you so much because of all of that.” I did kiss her then. I didn’t stop myself. “You’re the only woman I want to spend my life with, to carry my babies, and the only person who can put up with my shit.” I’d never felt bared before, but right now this was real. I slipped the diamond on her ring finger, refusing to let my nerves control me. “Baby, I love you, and I know you love me. I want you to be my wife.” I looked at her face again. “Will you marry me and make me complete?”

She didn’t say anything for long seconds, just stared down at the ring. And then she launched herself at me. I held her in my arms, her momentum causing me to fall onto the ground. But I didn’t care.

“Yes, Gabe. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

I held her tighter, then pulled back and looked at her face. I cupped her cheeks, leaned in, and claimed the fuck out of her mouth. She’d always been mine. Now it would just be official.

* * *

I loved the way he watched me, the way fire blazed in his eyes when he was close. He looked at me from over the hood of a car, whoever was speaking with him not even getting a fraction of his attention. I held up the brown bag, his lunch, which he’d forgotten on the counter this morning.

He said something to the man speaking with him, and then came over to me, his walk powerful, stalking me almost. When Gabe was a foot from me, he pulled me in, had his hand on the back of my neck, and kissed me right in front of everyone. The paper bag crinkled between us, but I wasn’t about to stop him from showing some PDA. I loved when he got all possessive on me.

When Gabe pulled away, I was breathless, and I felt several of the guys who worked for Gabe staring at us. With breaking eye contact with me, Gabe said, “Get back to work and stop gawking at my wife.”

I grinned but also blushed.

“Come on, let’s go in the office.”

I followed Gabe past all the mechanics. They smiled or lifted a hand in greeting when they saw me. We’d only been married a few months. It hadn’t been a big wedding, just a few of his closest friends, a few people I’d been acquainted well enough with in college, Lilly, and my mother had even shown up. The ceremony had been intimate, beautiful, and I wouldn’t have changed it for anything.

Once in his office he shut the door, and I set the brown bag on the desk. I turned around to face him, and Gabe instantly had his hands on my cheeks and placed his mouth on mine. The kiss he gave me was soft, sweet, and very possessive. When he pulled away, I smiled.

“What was that for?”

He ran his thumb along my bottom lip, his focus on my mouth. “Do I need a reason to kiss the love of my life?”

My heart started beating a little faster at that. And then he lowered himself to his haunches, framed my slightly rounded belly, and rested his forehead on it.

“How’s my baby doing today?” he whispered.

I smiled. “He’s been active.”

Gabe looked up at me, pride and love on his face. He lifted my shirt slightly and kissed my exposed skin.

“My woman, my baby growing inside of her.” He looked at me again. “The loves of my life.”

I ran my fingers through his hair after he spoke. Who said happily ever afters were only in books? I was living proof that sometimes taking a chance and jumping feet first into the unknown can be the most wonderful and perfect thing in the world.

* * *

Since the moment I first saw Josephine I knew she was it for me. I might be a possessive fucker, territorial to the point I got on her damn nerves, but she’d always know I loved her.

She’ll always know she has someone at her side.

I stared at my wife, the mother of my son, the woman I’d spend the rest of my life with. Some days I had to ask how I’d become so lucky. I certainly didn’t deserve her.

I tossed more wood into the fireplace, stoking it, keeping my family warm. The sound of the baby cooing had my chest aching. I looked over at her and stared at my son in her arms.

A piece of both of us wrapped up in this tiny being.

I scrubbed a hand over my jaw, my beard full, just like my heart.

“He’s perfect,” she whispered, running her finger down the bridge of his tiny nose.

“You both are,” I said, my throat tight, my voice gruff. I walked over to them and picked up Michael from her. He was so small, so tiny in my big arms. I stroked the dark hair atop his tiny head. My grease-stained hands seemed bigger than his entire body.

“You ready for more?” I asked, slightly joking. When I lifted my gaze and looked at her she had the sweetest fucking smile on her face.

“You say that now. Wait until he starts moving around and getting into everything.”

I shook my head. “I’ll take it all. I want a whole house of little ones, Joey baby.” I sat on the couch next to my wife, and used my other hand to pull her in close.

“Are you happy?” My voice was gruff with emotion.

“Always,” was her reply.

“Are you?”

I looked at her. “More than I could ever explain in words.”

I was complete, but only because of them.

The End