Nau ko`u aloha
➸ Ginger ☆
The day before the housewarming party, Cayenne saves my ass by offering to cook up the many Hawaiian recipes I’ve found online. Never handy in the kitchen, I assume cooking for Tana isn’t the best time to start playing chef. Instead, Yarrow and I help Cayenne who absolutely shines when in the kitchen.
Once dinner is nearly ready, I meet Oz, Tana, and the kids at the front gate. I buzz them inside, smiling at the kids while dodging Oz’s feisty hands. Tana looks around, frowning at the security fence.
“Who you trying to keep out?” she asks.
“People don’t need to see our business,” I explain while handing the kids each a Starburst.
Oz nods, surveying the fence and thick brush blocking the view from the street. “I don’t want anyone peeping on you.”
Smiling at how Oz has my back, I gesture for everyone to follow me into my townhouse where Yarrow and Cayenne still work in the kitchen. Tana immediately smells familiar foods and cranes her neck to see what’s cooking.
“I hope we picked dishes you like,” I say, struggling to hide my anxiety. “What were they again, Cayenne?”
“We have lomi-lomi salmon, mahi-mahi, and loco moco.”
“Oh, really,” Tana says, sounding unconvinced we can make anything she’ll approve of.
Terrified she’s right, I focus on the kids and Oz. “Do you want to see the pool?”
“Yes,” Alani says while Makoa nods wildly.
Leading them past the kitchen where Tana sets up shop, I take them out of the sliding glass door to the common yard and pool.
“I like the privacy back here,” Oz says, gesturing to the outer eight-foot metal fence and thick evergreens blocking the view of the pool and yard.
“It’s exactly what I hoped for,” I say and unlock a second fence around the pool area. “It’s private and safe.”
“Perfect for kids,” Oz says while his hand caresses my back.
The kids are nearly salivating by the time they dip their feet into the pool. Nearby in the hot tub, Duffy walks back and forth while Clove sits on the side.
I introduce the kids to Pepper, Bay, and Clove, along with Duffy, who ignores us. Bay chills under the cedar-stained pergola, hoping the insemination yesterday takes. Pepper sits on the side of the pool with her feet in the water. She smiles at the kids who hurried to the shallow end.
“Alani, Makoa, can I show your dad something inside?” I ask.
“Sure,” Makoa says, waving us off while bouncing in the water next to his sister.
A proud Oz smiles. “They really like swimming.”
“Can we go upstairs really quick and talk?”
“Are they cool here?” Oz asks, frowning ever so slightly.
“Yeah, boss man,” Pepper announces. “We’ll watch your offspring. If there’s trouble, I’ll let out a high-pitched girly scream to alert you.”
“That’s all I ask,” Oz says.
“Great,” I say, taking his hand. “Let’s go.”
We walk back inside, setting off the door’s security bell and alerting Cayenne, Tana, and Yarrow to our arrival. I smile at them while still heading for the stairs with Oz’s hand in mine.
“What’s the big reveal?” he asks. “If it’s your bed, I’ve already seen it, and I don’t think this is the time for a quickie?” he mumbles, following me. “Well, I probably could if you sucked me off a little first.”
I ignore his comments and keep walking until we reach the upstairs hallway. Still holding his hand, I struggle to keep Oz from reaching for my breast.
“No fucking, Oz. Now listen up.”
Shaking his head free of horny thoughts, he finally exhales softly. “This better not be bad news.”
“I love you.”
“So far, so good.”
“I want to learn to love your kids.”
“Again, I’m on board for what you’re saying.”
“I want you, Makoa, and Alani to move in with me.”
Oz’s face freezes, and I’m startled to see uncertainty in his eyes. When he doesn’t respond immediately, I start babbling.
“I found a house your mom likes, and your crew will fix it up for her, and she’ll be only a few blocks away. The kids will have their own rooms here, and we’ll be able to spend every night together. It’s perfect really.”
“You planned this all out, huh?”
I open the door to one of the rooms and show him the blue Transformers décor. “For Makoa. Tana helped me get the rooms ready.”
“Do I even need to be involved?” he asks, sounding angry.
Scolded by his tone, I feel my confidence slipping away. How did this man gain so much control over me in such a short amount of time?
“I thought you’d be happy.”
Oz suddenly smiles. “I am,” he says and gives my nipple a squeeze. “Just messing with you.”
“What the fuck?”
“You didn’t really think your sneaky shit would work, did you? I knew all along what you were up to, but I let you think I didn’t. Pretty baller lying, huh?”
“Dickhead.”
Laughing, Oz pulls me against him. “My mom has a big fucking mouth, Ginger. She can’t help it. She has to blab to me.”
“Crap.”
“Yeah. Maybe she’ll learn to share her secrets with friends once she’s in town and I’m no longer the only adult she talks to.”
“Mama’s boy gotta mama boy, I guess.”
Oz lifts my chin and kisses me tenderly. When his lips leave mine, he smiles. “I love you too, Ginger Snaps, warts and all. Wanna see how much?”
Rolling my eyes, I sigh. “There’s no time for a quickie.”
Still grinning, Oz pulls a ring box from his pocket and kneels in front of me. For a surreal moment, I think I’ll pass out. How is this romantic gesture happening to someone like me? I almost take off running down the stairs, but what’s the point? No matter where I run, I’ll always end up back with Oz.
“Will you be Missus Savo?”
“Yes,” I mumble and force my hands out of fists. “Of course. Like duh.”
“Yeah, that’s the Ginger Snaps who’ll ride my dick raw tonight.”
Oz stands and places the ring on my finger.
“It fits,” I mumble, struggling between the urge to either laugh or cry.
“Of course. It was Mom’s engagement ring, and she went with me to get it fitted. Clove told me your ring size.”
“Well, aren’t we all the sneakiest fuckers,” I say, smiling up at him.
Oz wraps me in his arms and kisses me so deeply I start considering the possibility of a quickie. We don’t rip off our clothes. Not right now anyway. Later, though, the future Missus Savo plans to screw this man senseless.