Page 92 of Dirty Pucking Tease

"I hope they figure it out." She sighed. "I hate seeing both of them so sad."

"I actually came out here because I wanted to talk to you." I swallowed, and Kaia raised a brow as she twisted to face me.

"If you're not ready to tell everyone yet," she smiled, "we can wait."

"What?" My brows pulled together before I shook my head. "No, that's not it. I'm ready. I'm ready to share this," I gesturedbetween us before pointing down to her stomach, "us, with everyone."

Her gaze softened, and a small smile pulled at her lips. "Okay, then what is it?"

I cleared my throat and reached for her hands, holding them in mine. "I know the plan was to come out here with our family and friends to surprise them with the baby news, but I was hoping we could surprise them with something else, too."

She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. "Like, what?"

"That we are engaged." Her brows snapped together in confusion, and her gaze followed me as I dropped down to one knee in the sand. "Kaia Cruz, will you be mine forever?" I released her hands, pulled the black box out of my pocket, and opened it.

Her lips parted as her gaze shifted from me to the ring and back to me. "I..." She was rendered speechless. "Are you sure because if this is because of the bab?—"

"It's not," I cut her off. "You are mine, and this makes it official. I love you, Kai, and I want you to be my wife."

Tears pooled in her eyes as she started nodding frantically. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you." I pushed to my feet, working the ring out of the box before sliding it on her finger. Her arms wrapped around my neck in excitement.

Cheers erupted, and still embracing, we turned to see the crew on the second-floor terrace chanting for us. They watched the whole thing.

"Cats out of the bag." She laughed.

Our parents showed up, surprising us that night, and sitting around the bonfire, we shared our news with everyone.

As I stood back, watching my soon-to-be wife, the mother of my child, my chest swelled with happiness, and I smiled at the thought of how it all started.

EPILOGUE

One year later...

"Twist your shoulders this way,"the cameraman directed Jax. "And hold the hockey stick out." My lips involuntarily curled into a smirk as I stood off to the side with my arms crossed, wearing a white robe with very little underneath, trying not to let the nerves get the best of me.

Jax twisted and turned shirtless in front of the white backdrop, smiling as people shouted orders and cameras flashed in his face. He was a pro at this. I was not. He enjoyed the spotlight, and I preferred hiding in the background.

Our lives looked so much different this last year. We moved halfway across the country for Jax to play with one of the best teams in the world, The Red River Renegades, leaving our friends and family behind three days after our wedding. Jax's career took off pretty quickly, and we welcomed our perfect baby girl, Kailyn West, into the world on the same day Jax was voted the sexiest man in sports. I'd found a passion for working with troubled youth who had a passion for skating, but I hadn't quite mastered WAG lifestyle. I didn't fit in with most of the wives andgirlfriends. I hated all the extra attention, and I refused to sit in the box. I wanted to sit in the stands with the fans because that's what I was. I was Jax's biggest fan.

But today was Jax's sexiest man-in-sports photo shoot for the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, and somehow, he'd talked me into being a part of it mostly naked with our new baby. The magazine didn't want me. They wanted him to pose with America's sweetheart of sports, Brooke Davis, who was at the top of her game in women's volleyball. She was young, beautiful, and fit. She was who should be on the cover of this magazine naked, not me.

Jax refused the offer to pose naked with another woman, and I loved him for that, but that left me standing in a robe waiting for Jax's solo shoot to end.

"That's a wrap," the cameraman shouted, lifting from kneeling. "Bring out the wife and kid." My stomach churned with anxiety as I let my insecurities get the best of me.

"You ready?" Syn whispered, strolling up beside me with Kailyn bundled snuggly in her pink blanket, sleeping peacefully in her arms.

Three months ago, Syn moved to Red River to escape a toxic relationship and get a fresh start. She moved in with Jax and me with the expectation that she would only be there for a month or two until she got on her feet, but Syn had been the blessing we didn't know we needed after we had Kailyn, and now I wasn't sure we could live without her.

I still giggled, thinking about the craziness of the entire situation. I would have laughed if someone had asked me six months ago if I would leave my newborn daughter alone with Syn. Not because I thought Syn would hurt her or be irresponsible but because I didn't think Syn had a maternal bone in her body. She was wild and careless, which was okay because she was young and single, but her love for Kailyn changed her.She was still young and free, but she loved being with Kailyn, and sometimes, we had to remind her that she didn't have to stay home. We encouraged her to get out and date. She always replied I'd rather be here. I assumed she just wasn't ready to date again after her last relationship, so we didn't push it.

During the day, Syn helped around the house with Kailyn, and at night, she worked in her brand new tattoo and body piercing parlor that Jax invested in to help her accomplish her goals.

"Kai," Syn said, bumping my arm with her elbow. "You okay?"

"Kai," Jax shouted, waving me over. "You ready?"

Swallowing hard, my heart pounded wildly against my rib cage.

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