REAPER WAS SO AMAZING and loving in his care of me while I finished my recovery. It had been two months since I got home. I was pretty much healed up, though my scars were still pretty dark and angry looking and the scar on my abdomen still hurt if I moved wrong sometimes. Not too often, but it still happened. My doctor said that would be normal as I healed on the inside and the scar tissue within healed and stretched or pulled loose. Adhesions he called it.
Reaper refused to have sex with me for fear of hurting me. He was also afraid of traumatizing me after what Michael had done to me. What this all amounted to was me being undeniably, incredibly, sexually frustrated. I had been seeing a counselor as well, and though it was painful emotionally, she was helping me let go of the trauma I carried in my mind. Reaper stayed with me often at my parents’ house, and he would hold me when I woke up in a panic after my nightmares. He would kiss me, hug me, and stroke me gently, but all that did was whip my emotions and sexual tension into a frenzy. I’d been given the okay by my doctor to resume sexual activities and had decided I was going to have to take drastic measures.
Remi and I were moving in with Reaper this weekend. He had brought me by his house, and I instantly fell in love. I could see the changes I wanted to make in decorating and painting, and I couldn’t wait to get started. When he admitted to me that he had bought the house with me and Remi in mind, I couldn’t help but to throw my arms around him and kiss him. The gruff, biker bad-ass was a secret softy, and I loved him.
My dad, brothers, and Reaper had been working every free moment to make the changes I wanted to implement down at the Oasis. My plan was to change the look of the interior to resemble an old time pub, complete with green glass lights and brass rails on the bar. I had been working on a unique bar and grill menu as well. I was so excited for the “Grand Re-Opening of The Oasis Pub” scheduled for about a month and a half from now. I had decided to leave the name mostly intact for posterity and continuity.
I had arranged for my parents to watch Remi tonight, and I convinced Reaper to drive up to Fairmont, Minnesota to have dinner. I ordered some sexy lingerie complete with a garter belt and sheer stockings to wear under a figure-hugging black dress that dipped down low over my back with three rope-like strings that held the two sides from falling down. As I looked at my reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of my childhood bedroom door, I smoothed my hands over my belly. It was still fairly flat, but I was early in my pregnancy. Thankfully, my morning sickness had been minimal this time.
I slipped on my new black heels and cautiously descended the stairs. Sheesh, I should have waited to put them on until I got downstairs. I could hear Remi chattering in the kitchen with my mom. Reaper would be here any minute. My heart skipped a beat at the thought of seeing him. Would the thought of him ever stop affecting me this way?
“Momma pwetty!” Remi clapped her hands with joy and displayed her devastatingly precious, dimpled smile as she saw me enter the kitchen.
“Yes, she certainly is, my princess.” The low voice behind me startled me, and I jumped, placing my hand to my heart as if I could actually slow its racing pace with a touch. Reaper stood there with his hands behind his back and a sly grin on his face, torturing me with his sexy dimples. He had shaved, bringing them to their full glory. Evil, evil man. He wasn’t playing fair with my heart and body. When he pulled a bouquet of deep red roses tied with a burgundy satin ribbon from behind his back and presented them to me, I almost cried. Oh yes, he was pulling out all the stops. Hmmmm, what did he want? I knew what I wanted, but were we on the same page? I raised an eyebrow as I grinned from ear to ear.
“Well, well, look at this handsome man. I don’t know if my boyfriend will appreciate you bringing me flowers like this. He’s a big bad biker, you know,” I teased him as I buried my nose in the velvety petals, breathing the rich scent in deep. He was dressed in a dark pair of jeans and a dark blue, long-sleeve button-up shirt that made his eyes look like midnight blue. Even the button-up shirt couldn’t disguise his ripped body. Yum. Just then, Remi raced to her daddy, plowing into his legs with a squeal. Playfully growling, he scooped her up and she kissed him then leaned over to kiss me. God, I loved our little family.
“I’ll have to kick his ass if he shows up then.” The dimples flashed again.
“Kick his ass!” Remi hooted. My mouth dropped open in horror, and Reaper had the nerve to laugh as he covered Remi’s mouth with two fingers, telling her little princesses didn’t say that. Oh Lord, help me.
When Stephanie asked if we could have dinner and the evening alone, she played right into my hands and had no idea. I had been planning a night like this for about a week now. Lying next to her each night and holding her close to me was sweet torture, but I was not going to push myself on her until she was ready. I was fucking greedy, but I wasn’t a total bastard. We needed this night together, just us. We had a lot to talk about, and I had a surprise at the house I wanted to show her.
Dinner was good at the little family steakhouse, and I was so damn amazed at how easy conversation flowed between this woman and me. We never had uncomfortable pauses in our conversation anymore, and when silence did enter the picture, it was comfortable and enjoyable. We fit together like a perfect fucking puzzle. This past month had been the best of my life. Granted, my cock felt like I was punishing it, and I went through a shit-ton of soap in the shower, but I wasn’t going to fuck up the healing Stephanie was working on both emotionally and physically. There was no time limit. I would wait for as long as it took for this beautiful woman. I fucking loved her. Completely and totally.
We pulled up to the house as the sunset and the sky was a brilliant watercolor blend. My girl’s smile when she looked at her house—’cause yeah, it was totally her fucking house even if she didn’t know it yet—made my heart swell with happiness. Who would have ever thought this would be my life? Hollywood still gave me shit about being all “domesticated,” but I knew he was happy as fuck for me. I loved him. He had saved me when I was at my lowest, and if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be here enjoying this amazing view in the cab of my truck.
“I have something to show you, baby.” I got out of the truck and went around to open her door and help her out. I fucking loved watching her sexy-ass long legs step down from the truck to the ground. I had a fucking hard-on just looking at her legs, for Christ’s sake. She was gonna be the fucking death of me.
I held her hand and led her into the dark house, flipping on lights as we walked through. When I reached the master bedroom door, I turned and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close. The feel of her body against mine sent damn shockwaves up my body. After all this time, she still affected me. “Close your eyes, baby.”
“What are you up to?” She looked at me with a suspicious smirk.
“You’ll see.” I waited for her to close her eyes before opening the door and leading her in, watching her closely as I told her to open her eyes. Her pleasure and surprise were worth all the skipped lunches this week. I had finished the bedroom and master bath with her in mind.
The walls were a soft tan with a dark chocolate accent wall. The bed was a king-size four poster with thick carved posts in a light oak. The floors were a darker oak with plush throw rugs in brown, tan, and aqua, which accented the damask comforter. Okay, I fucking cheated and her mom helped me pick it out. I was no fucking Martha Stewart here, but the results were worth all the secrecy and trouble. The master bath had a deep soaking tub, a separate double shower, and his and her sinks. Candles flickered around the room and in the bathroom. No, I didn’t try to burn my fucking house down, give me some credit. Her mom came over and lit them when I sent the text we were almost home. I laughed when we passed her on the road and Stephanie didn’t even notice.
“You did this for me?” She was stunned, and I grinned like the Cheshire Cat. Fuck yeah, I did this, and everything in my life, for her.
“Do you like it?” Redundant question. Her expression told me everything I needed to know.
“Oh my God, Reaper, this is amazing! I absolutely love it!” She slipped off her heels and ran like a little girl to check out the bathroom. I heard her squeal and knew she found the tub. She ran back out and threw her arms around me. “I love you, Reaper. You are amazing. This is amazing. I just love you.”
“I have one more thing for you. Look in the top drawer of the bedside table.” Her curious expression had me trying not to laugh. My fucking stomach started to flip. Fuck, I hoped I did the right thing. She opened the drawer and pulled out the single folded sheet of paper. She looked up at me, and I saw her eyes get shiny with unshed tears.
“Do you mean it? You want your name on Remi’s birth certificate?” Her breathless whisper was sexy as fuck.
“Yes, I do, but I want it to be a little more than that.” I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous as fuck. I reached in my pocket and pulled out the little velvet box as I got down on my knee and looked up at her, taking her hands in mine. I placed the box in her shaking hand as I opened it. She pulled her lips between her teeth and tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched me.
“Stephanie, baby, I fucking love you. You are my world, you and Remi and now this new little precious gift.” I touched her still flat belly reverently. “You have made me into one happy sonofabitch, but I want us to be a real family. I need you all to be mine forever. Please marry me, baby?” I held my breath, waiting for her answer. Oh God, don’t let her break my heart. I was afraid it was too soon and she wouldn’t be ready for this step.
She dropped to her knees, with a choked out sob, and kissed me, framing my face with her soft hands. “Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Oh, my God, yes! I love you so much!”