Brooke is in the kitchen making coffee, and the sight of her in my shirt is one I’ll never get tired of. The shirt drops to mid-thigh, hinting at the lush bottom, which she is wiggling as she rocks to the gentle song by Hozier.

Turning with a coffee cup to her lips, she catches me leaning against the doorjamb with my eyes on her. She reaches behind her and slowly moves toward me offering me a cup of coffee.

Smiling, I accept and curl an arm around her waist, pulling her against my side. I kiss the top of her head and rest there for a moment.

This woman has quickly come to mean everything to me and I don’t even want to imagine my life without her. I love her and want her to be my wife, which she knows, although I’m not sure whether or not she thought I was joking when I’d mentioned it to Ryan. I wasn’t.

“I’m looking forward to meeting your grandparents later today. I’m nervous too.” Brooke rubs her face into my chest. “The rest of your family will be there, right?”

I smile against the top of her head. “They’ll be there and they’ll love you.”

My hand slips down to the curve of her butt cheek and when I squeeze, she jumps and slaps me away.

“None of that,” she teases backing away. “I need the other kind of food right now.” Placing her cup down onto the table, she steps into me and wraps her arms around my neck. “But afterwards, I won’t be opposed to the that kind of food.”

I smile and brush the hair from her face before settling my lips over hers in a sweet kiss. “Love you,” I whisper, brushing my lips back and forth along hers. “I can’t wait to introduce you to the others. Joshua will be there also, which makes me happy.”

“So I’ll get to meet an FBI agent, huh?” She grins.

I tease, “No asking to see his handcuffs.”

She rolls her eyes. “Hmm, do you by any chance own a set of handcuffs?”

Hiding my surprise, I reply, “I’m sure it could be arranged.”

She shakes her head and backs further into the kitchen. “One of your neck ties will be sufficient for what I have in mind later.”

Of course, with that remark, my mind goes totally off breakfast and on to more enjoyable things.

Her deep throaty laugh snaps my eyes up from her smooth legs to meet her amused gaze. “I’m sure you’re thinking of all the ways you can use that idea on me,” she smirks, “and I’m sure you’ll be able to come up with more while you sit there,” she points at the kitchen table, “and I cook us Spanish omelets.”

Groaning, I move toward the table, hissing when my cock knocks against the table as I drop into the chair. I quickly glance at Brooke who won’t meet my gaze, although her shoulders shake with laughter.

I narrow my gaze. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you back for this boner later.”

“Aww, poor baby,” she mumbles, her face alight with laughter.

Coughing, I sit forward and inhale deeply before I slowly exhale, and then the scent of burning reaches my nose. I glance at Brooke who suddenly looks alarmed as she dashes back to the stove.

“It isn’t that bad,” she mumbles.

Breakfast could be a while.

* * *

“My grandparents think you’re so pretty,” Olivia adds, sliding her arm through Brooke’s. “Grandma keeps telling everyone.”

“They’re so cute,” Brooke adds. “I want to have that one day.” She looks toward where my grandparents are sitting. “They look as in love today as I bet they were at the beginning of their relationship.”

“They are,” Paige answers. “All our parents have that too, which means we’re going to have it.”

“Not while you’re still twenty-one, you’re not,” Dylan, my cousin, Sebastian and Carla’s son, interrupts, causing everyone to go silent because it wasn’t said in a pleasant tone.

He’s at the same school as our cousins, Paige, Rachel, and Jaxon, and something tells me there’s a lot going on there.

Paige glares at our cousin, narrows her eyes, moves to get right in his face. “You have to stop this. It’s none of your business.” She turns and slowly moves away.

Madison, his sister, asks, “What was that about?”

“Nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing,” she mumbles beside him.

“Leave it.” Dylan moves away from us.

“Well, that has me even more curious,” Olivia states and turns to Rachel.

“Hey, don’t look at me.” Rachel waves her arms around. “That has nothing to do with me, either.”

“You know though,” Olivia pushes.

Rachel sighs. “Yeah, but I’m not going to say.” She shakes her head. “It’s like having lots of brothers and sisters instead of just cousins.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Joshua drawls.

I smile at my brother, relieved that he’s finally arrived.

My arm tightens around Brooke, as Joshua looks her over, which takes longer than usual so I narrow my eyes.

He eventually laughs. “Don’t worry, I’m well aware she’s yours.” He lets his gaze travel across the garden to where Ryan is talking to his father.

I curse under my breath when Joshua meets my gaze and all I see is mirth. “He didn’t?”

Brooke looks at me. “Who didn’t what?”

“I’ll kill him,” I growl.

Joshua laughs as I hear Brooke groan into my chest. “Please tell me everyone doesn’t know?” she moans.

“Knows what? What are we missing?” Olivia asks, frowning.

“Michael put a dint of sorts into Ryan’s baby,” Joshua adds, smirking as he wraps Brooke up into a hug, pulling her away from me. He holds my gaze but whispers something to my woman before passing her back. “She feels good,” he comments trying to get a rise out of me. It so isn’t going to work today.

“Tell me,” Brooke starts, “do you carry handcuffs?’

I smirk with Joshua caught off guard but his smile soon returns and he replies, “Why, you want me to show you them?”

“In your dreams.” I punch him in the arm.

He backs out of reach while laughing.

“No, but Michael would like to borrow them,” Brooke comments.

Olivia bursts out laughing, Rachel and Madison joining her. “So funny,” she cries. “The look on Joshua’s face.”

“What’s G-Man up to?” Ryan asks, slinging his arm around Joshua.

Those two have always been in cahoots, ever since we were kids, and nothing changes as they whisper together.

Ryan’s eyes light up as his gaze finds mine. “Handcuffs?” he grins. “If I knew you were into kink Brooke,” he wiggles his brows.

“This isn’t funny,” I mumble, starting to lose all humor.

“Cool it, Mickey,” Joshua chuckles. “Brooke’s definitely one of us.” He faces Brooke. “Welcome to the family.”

I look down at Brooke and feel my heartstrings tug in my chest when she meets my gaze. She’s delighted with how my family have taken to her and although I’m not impressed with what’s going to be running through Josh and Ryan’s minds, I’m so in love with Brooke I no longer give a shit.

And now is the time…

My stomach flutters with nerves and all I can think about is her answer. She could say no.

Moving out into open space between where my grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles are sitting, and that of my cousins, I take Brooke’s hand as I go down on one knee.

Her smile slips as she realizes what I’m about to do and tears spring into her eyes.

I kiss her knuckles, before saying, “Brooke, I know this is fast, but I know I have no wish to ever be without you.” I show her the ring. “I love you, will you marry me?”

At her nod, I slip the ring onto her finger, and quickly standing, I wrap her up against me.

“Yes,” she whispers, clinging to me. “Yes, I’ll marry you and I’ll love you forever.”

I pull away and seal my lips over hers while my family cheers and whistles around us.