Landon
By the time we get back to Tina’s house, it’s late. After being interviewed by the police, answering questions, filling out paperwork, and getting checked out by the paramedics, it’s nearly midnight when we get back to her house.
I help her tuck Blake into his bassinet, and then Tina and I sit on the couch together.
“You don’t have to be worried anymore,” I tell her.
“I guess the custody hearing is off, huh?”
“Seeing as Chester will be in jail for a long, long, long time, I think that’s safe to say.”
“You don’t think he’ll come after me when he gets out?”
“Not if he knows what’s good for him,” the idea makes me pissed. “I won’t be as gentle on him next time.” I should have killed him tonight, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Besides, the paperwork on that would have been even more of a nightmare.
“You saved my son, you know.”
“No,” I whisper, kissing her forehead. “I saved our son.”
Tina looks up at me, her eyes wide. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“What do you think I’m saying, princess?”
“That you…that you love me,” she whispers. “That you love us. That you want us to be a family. That you want us to all be together.”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying, beautiful. I love you so much, Tina. I wanted to take things slow because I know your divorce is still so recent. I didn’t want you to feel like I was rushing into anything with you. The idea of hurting you breaks my heart. I just wanted to take care of you. Now I realize I should have told you that first day how I felt. Fuck being crazy. I should have told you that I want to love you forever, that I want to marry you, that I want to help you raise this sweet little boy, that I want us to have more babies.”
“Maybe that would have scared me off,” she whispers. “I think you did just fine, Landon. I think you did just fine. Although,” she adds with a smile. “I was surprised to find out you’re a bear.”
“I’m surprised I didn’t notice your son was a shifter,” I admit. “I should have noticed his scent the first day.”
“Were you overwhelmed by his total cuteness?” She asks, taking my hand. “I know I am.”
“I think I was overwhelmed by his beautiful mother,” I say, and then I kiss Tina. “It’s been too long since I held you in my arms,” I tell her, touching my forehead to hers. “It feels like a lifetime.”
Tina kisses me again, wrapping her arms around my neck. She strokes my cheek and runs her hand down my jaw as she shows me how she feels about me. My heart fills with joy in this moment because Tina is incredible.
I don’t know how I’ve made it a lifetime without her.
Now I can’t stand the thought of being apart from her.
I can’t stand the idea of not being near her.
“Marry me,” I whisper.
“What did you say?” She asks.
“Marry me,” I say again. I’m not going to shy away from the question, from telling her what I want. I’ve spent weeks being careful, being reasonable. I’ve spent weeks coming to terms with the fact that Tina is my mate.
She’s the woman I love.
I’m going to love her forever.
“I want to spend my life worshipping you. I want to spend the rest of my days taking care of you and Blake. I want to help you raise him. I want to be by your side. I want to honor you, Tina. I want to love you. Please, tell me you’ll be mine.”
“I’m yours,” she whispers without hesitation, and she kisses me again. “I’m yours, Landon.”
The way Tina opens her heart to me without fear is incredible. The way she accepts my offer without making excuses about how she’s scared or needs more time or just isn’t sure is amazing.
She’s perfect.
And I want to show her this in a way that’s much more intimate than kissing.
“Come upstairs with me,” I whisper, and that’s when Tina hesitates. “What’s wrong?” I ask.
“It’s just that…” She takes a deep breath. “The reason I sleep on the couch is because Chester…Chester cheated on me upstairs,” Tina says, and I hate the way her voice trembles a little bit as she says it. I hate the way she sounds scared, worried. “I’m nervous about sleeping in that room. I haven’t slept in there since he moved out.”
“What Chester did to you is terrible. He’s a world class asshole.”
“Yeah, I know. It’s just that…I hate knowing I wasn’t good enough. He’s such a huge idiot, you’re totally right, but I can’t help feeling that it’s my fault.”
“Tina, what happened isn’t your fault. You’re incredible. You’re the most fantastic woman I’ve ever met in my life. You’re brave and bold and sweet. You’re lovely. You’re beautiful. Chester has already taken so much from you. Let’s not let him take this, too.”
I stand up, and I take her hand, pulling her to her feet.
“Will you come with me upstairs?” I ask her. “Will you let me reclaim your bedroom? Let’s not let him ruin what we have, baby. Let’s take back that room for us. Let’s claim your house as our own. Let’s do it together.”
“What about…what about Blake?” She looks at the bassinet where her infant is sleeping peacefully. “We can’t leave him down here.”
“Does he have a room upstairs?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a baby monitor?”
“Yes.”
“Come on, princess.”
Carefully, gently, I lift Blake from the bassinet and hold him to my chest. Tina leads the way upstairs to Blake’s bedroom and I lay him down in his crib. We set up the baby monitor, make sure Blake is comfortable, and carefully sneak out of the room to the master bedroom. Tina sets up the baby monitor receiver on the dresser, and then she turns to me.
“Okay, Landon. We’re here. What happens now?”
I walk over to her and kiss her, running my hands through her hair. “Now I’m going to take care of you, Tina.”
“I might be sore,” she whispers. “I haven’t…you know…not since before Blake was born.”
“We can take our time, honey. We have all the time in the world, you and I. Will you trust me to make this good for you?”
Desire and fear wrestle in Tina’s eyes as she tries to decide. Even as she debates with herself, I can see her wanting to be brave, wanting to be bold, and then, after what seems like an eternity, she nods.
“I’m ready, Landon. I’m ready.”