Page 65 of Forever Ink

Rhys had run ahead, and I could hear his gasps of surprise and pleasure. I found him in the master bedroom, the dual aspect windows looking over the garden and down towards the coast.

“Holy cow, can you imagine waking up here each morning?” Rhys’s tone was wistful. He leant against the window sash, staring out.

I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around his waist. “So, you like the place then?”

“I do. It’s amazing. But why’d you bring us here?” Before I could answer, there was the sharp yip of a puppy, and Rhys turned with huge eyes. Before I could grab him, my boy was off like a rocket, and I barely had the chance to tell him to take it slow going down the stairs.

I made my way downstairs at a much more sedate pace, mindful of the low beams that threatened to bash me if I took my eyes off them. Sometimes being tall was a fucking curse.

I found Rhys at the front door gaping. Mouse was standing in the yard with a wiggling bundle of border collie pup in his arms.

“Is that Ollie?” Rhys squealed, running across the yard with his arms extended. Mouse held the puppy out for Rhys, who scooped the wiggling mass of black and white fur up into his arms.

“Did you get Oliver for me?” Rhys’s eyes shone as he clutched the puppy to his chest.

“Well, big yard like this seems perfect for a pup. Mind you, you’ll have to take him to obedience lessons and walk him each day.”

“I will, I promise—wait. What do you mean about the yard?” Rhys stopped peppering the pup’s head with kisses and gaped at me.

Suddenly I was feeling muddled for words. Mouse, the little fucker, just grinned while Rhys looked on expectantly at me. “I um, er. Okay, here’s the thing. The flat’s really too small for the both of us, and so I maybe kind of bought this place.” I shrugged, feeling like a bit of an idiot.

Rhys handed Oliver back to Mouse and walked slowly towards me, a smile spreading across his face. He stopped just in front of me, looking up. “Did you buy this cottage for us?”

I looked down at my boots feeling oddly shy, which was a bit of a turnaround for me. “Um, yeah?”

Rhys placed his hands on my chest and stretched up on his tippy-toes to kiss my cheek. “Did you buy me a home, daddy bear?”

“Yeah, I did.” I smiled, catching Rhys’s gaze as I looked, seeing the same goofy, lovestruck look in his eyes that my brother and Cal accused me of wearing most of the time. “Do you like it?”

Rhys slid his hands around my neck, climbing me like a tree and peppering my face with kisses as I reached around to steady him. “I love it, Daddy. And I love you.” A sly grin crossed his lips as he leaned in further. “And I can’t wait till we can fuck in every room, and make it really ours.”

“Mouse, mate. I think it’s time you left. Take the pup and I’ll come pick it up later.”

Rhys cackled in my arms, while Mouse gave me a flat look, knowing very well what was going to transpire.

“I’d tell you both to get a room, but this big oaf’s gone and bought you a house. Fine. I’ll take your dog. Come on Oliver, you’re too young to witness the depravity of these two.” Mouse laughed, walking off.

I stood there for a moment just hugging Rhys before he lifted his head from my shoulder. “You bought me a home.”

“Yeah, baby. I did.”

Our home. A home for my boy, and one day soon, my husband.

Fuck. We were going to have to organise a wedding soon.

But with Rhys nibbling on my neck, I decided that I’d worry about that another day.

The End

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