Page 108 of Negotiating Tactics

I squeezed him tight, then pulled back again.

“So, what do we do?” I said.

“Be there,” he said.

He squeezed me tight, his voice rumbling out of his chest and into my ear.

“I don’t know what life is going to bring us. But we can be there for each other. Be there together to take on whatever may come. And that’s what I want, Alex,” he said.

He pulled back and looked down at me.

“I want to be there. With you. With our baby. Together. So, when are we getting married?”

I laughed then shook my head.

“We’re not getting married because I’m pregnant, Noah,” I said, my head tilted as I looked at him.

“Of course, we’re not getting married because you’re pregnant. We’re getting married because I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“What?” I glared at him trying to process his words.

He nodded and gave me that patient, borderline condescending look that I should have hated but that made me want to melt. “I love you.”

“You can’t just say that,” I countered.

“Why not?” He got close to me and settled his hands on my waist.

“Because…”

For the life of me, I couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Exactly what I thought,” he said.

“So, the baby…?” I asked.

He had been smiling but went serious in the blink of an eye.

“I’ll be honest. I’m still shocked…” He laughed and seemed more nervous than I had ever seen him. “Really shocked. And…” He trailed off again then met my eyes. “And so fucking happy I’m about to explode. I’m going to be a dad, Alex!”

His eyes were lit up with glee, and I found myself smiling.

“So when?” he asked, pulling me into a hug.

“When what?” I said, reveling in being in his arms, feeling like I could breathe.

He tapped my head as he grinned. “Keep up, Alex. When are we getting married?”

“You really want that?” I asked, part of me still unable to believe it.

“Just say when. Today, tomorrow. Next week. Whatever. Just say you’ll marry me,” he said.

I looked up, met his eyes, smiled.

“I will,” I said as I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him.

Twenty-Seven

Noah

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