Page 148 of The Rebel

“Anything?”

I gently elbowed him. “If I don’t fall asleep the second I hit the bed tonight, then, yes, anything.”

He growled in my ear, his hands pushing harder, sliding to my hips and past my sides. “Come with me.”

He held out his hand, waiting for me to grasp it, and he walked me through my house and out the door, locking it with his key.

When we were in the car, his hand settled on my thigh, heading out of my driveway, I asked, “What do you have up your sleeve, Spade?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re not taking me to dinner—you know I won’t be able to eat without getting sick. You didn’t give me time to grab my purse or phone. So, where are you taking me exactly?”

He lifted my hand to his lips, pecking the back of my knuckles. “I can’t have you all to myself for a couple of hours?”

My eyelids narrowed. “I know you better than that.”

“Enjoy the ride, Rowan. It’s going to be a short one.”

We weren’t going in the direction of restaurants—that much I knew. We also weren’t headed toward any shops. This was the area of town where our houses were located, and we were only getting deeper into the residential section.

But as he continued to weave through the Hollywood Hills, a thought came to me. My birthday was in a couple of days … he wouldn’t.

He couldn’t.

“For the record,” I said, “if you’re taking me to a surprise party or anything that even remotely looks like that, I will kill you.”

“And give you that level of attention that you’d absolutely hate?” He grinned. “I wouldn’t dare.”

“But Sky would, and if the two of you are up to something—” I cut myself off when he pulled through an open gate, entering a driveway where he parked not far from the front door.

There was another car in front of us.

One I didn’t recognize.

He turned off the engine and tilted his body so he faced me. “Let’s talk about your thirtieth for a second.”

I glanced from the house to his face. “We’re going to talk about it here?”

“What do you want for your birthday?”

My hand went to my stomach. “I have everything I want.” I sighed. “Okay, I lied. I would give anything to have the dirtiest martini and some sushi. And to stay twenty-nine because I just don’t love the idea of turning thirty.” I deflated into the seat. “Since none of that is possible, I swear I don’t want anything.”

“I’ll drink one for you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course you will. Dick.” I winked.

He cupped my neck. “I’ve thought a lot about what I want to get you. What feels right, given the way our lives have recently changed. We haven’t talked about the next steps of our relationship and what that looks like. I want to.”

I studied his dark blue eyes. “You mean … marriage?”

“Yes.”

“Cooper, we don’t have to?—”

“Hear me out.” His thumb grazed my lips. “We’re bringing a human into this world, and we’re going to be that human’s parents. I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone in this. That there’s anything you have to do by yourself. I will be here, always.”

“I know,” I whispered, the emotion already nagging at me.

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