Page 111 of His Gentle Omega
“We think,” Lucas looked at his dad and Shay nodded in agreement, “that we should make this a ‘pecial day for our family every year.” My heart still warmed anytime someone called us a family. “Since it’s the day you kept us.”
Oh, my heart! Blinking the happy tears from my eyes, I gasped loudly when Shay slid off the bed and down on one knee.
“What–?” Mouth gaping, all I could do was stare at him wide-eyed.
“Wait.” Standing back up, Shay moved the tray of food to his empty side of the bed, then resumed his previous position. Lucas, to my amazement and joy, mimicked his dad, also getting down on one knee.
Shay swallowed hard, clearing his throat, then took my hand in his warm one.
“Ask him, Daddy!” Lucas impatiently tried to hurry Shay along, and I thinned my lips to keep the hysterical bubble of laughter from escaping and breaking the mood.
“Bennett,” he cleared his throat once more, clearly nervous, “I–we–love you more than we can put into words. You are the kindest, most gentle, and understanding man I have ever met, but also the fiercest when you are protecting your family.”
My mind flashed back to that awful day when Edward had shown up and glanced briefly at the thin red scars on my arm from his claws. I would do it again, without hesitation. I would protect Lucas and Brodie with my life. And Shay too. Because he needed protecting just as much as the boys did, some days.
“I can’t give you a mate claim bite,” he looked sad when he said it, and I wished he wouldn’t. I was being honest when I told him I really didn’t need us to claim each other to feel like I was his. “And I might not ever be able to, but I want to. And I promise you, I’m working hard in therapy to be able to give you that. Someday.”
Shaking my head, I gave his hand an encouraging squeeze. “It doesn’t matter, I told you that.”
“It matters to me,” he admitted softly. “I might not be able to give you a claim bite, but I–we–” he tilted his head at Lucas with a wink, “we can give you this.”
From somewhere–I had no idea where–he pulled his other hand from behind his back revealing a red velvet ring box. To my surprise, Lucas took it from his dad, opening it and thrusting it towards me. Diamonds glinted from the velvety interior of the box, dazzling in an infinity pattern against a band of white gold.
“We want you to keep us forever,” Lucas whispered, “please.”
No amount of rapid-fire blinking was going to hold back my tears of happiness. My heart swelled with love.
Shay swallowed hard, “Bennett Maxwell, will you marry us?”
“Yes!” I shouted, startling the baby. Brodie jerked, swinging his arms, then settled back to sleep. Poor baby was truly exhausted. Lowering my voice, I whispered, “Yes, of course, yes.”
Shay took the ring from the box, and with trembling hands slid it onto my ring finger. Did the silly man honestly think I was going to say no?
Bending, he captured my lips in his, in a soft kiss that seared my soul. Pressing his forehead to mine, I cupped his cheeks with both hands and stared into his gorgeous blue eyes. “You mean it?”
Smiling, I asked, “Are you mine?”
He nodded, forehead to forehead, “Yes.”
“And am I yours?”
“For eternity.”
“And is Lucas mine, as much as Brodie?”
“He’s yours.”
“That’s all I need, Shay,” I whispered, “You, and our boys, is all I will ever need. I love you.”
Small hands and arms wrapped around us, hugging, and we broke apart enough to let Lucas join in. Worriedly, he nibbled on his lips, and I cupped his cheek much like I had Shay’s.
“Bennett?” he whispered, looking much less excited and more apprehensive.
“What’s wrong, Lucas?”
“Do you promise that you’ll keep us forever?”
This boy was going to be the absolute death of me. Swallowing around the boulder sized lump in my throat, I whispered, “I promise. Do you know what this symbol means on my ring?” Rubbing a finger across it, I held it up for him.
