Page 13 of The Mountain Man's Mail Order Surprise
"Morning, beautiful." My voice comes out rougher than intended, and she startles, turning with a smile that lights up her whole face.
"Morning. I hope you don't mind me taking over your kitchen. I found eggs and actual vegetables in your fridge, which is more than I expected from a bachelor."
"My cousin Jordyn stocks my fridge when she thinks I'm not eating enough. Which is always." I move closer, drawn by the domestic picture she makes. "You sleep okay?"
"Better than I have in months." She flips what looks like an omelet like a professional. "You?"
"Like the dead. Having you here..." I pause, searching for words that don't sound completely insane. "It feels right."
"I know what you mean." She plates the omelet and hands it to me, then starts working on another. "I woke up this morning and for the first time in forever, I wasn't afraid."
The simple admission hits me harder than any declaration of love could. She feels safe here.With me.That's worth more than anything else she could give me.
"Good." I take a bite of the omelet and nearly groan with pleasure. "Holy shit, this is incredible. Where did you learn to cook like this?"
"CrimTube university and desperation. Zack had very specific ideas about what constituted proper meals, so I got good at making restaurant-quality food on a grocery store budget."
The mention of her ex makes my jaw clench, but I force myself to stay calm. She's here now, safe, and that bastard is six hundred miles away.
"Well, his loss is definitely my gain." I gesture to the perfectly fluffy eggs loaded with vegetables and cheese. "This is better than anything I've had at Bean & Bloom."
"Bean & Bloom?"
I nod. "Local café. Run by a woman named Sage who makes incredible coffee and decent food, but nothing like this." I take another bite, savoring flavors I haven't tasted since my mom was alive. "You're going to fit right in around here."
"I hope you’re right," There's uncertainty in her voice.
"Gia." I set down my fork and turn to face her fully. "Look at me."
She meets my eyes, and I see the vulnerability there, the years of being made to feel like she was asking for too much just by existing.
"You belong here. With me. For as long as you want to stay."
"Even when things get complicated? Because they will get complicated, Rosco. Zack isn't going to just disappear."
"Let me worry about Zack." The possessive edge creeps back into my voice. "Your job is to take care of yourself and our baby. My job is to take care of you."
"I can take care of myself."
"I know you can. But you don't have to anymore." I reach out to cup her face, thumb stroking over her cheekbone. "When's the last time someone took care of you just because they wanted to?"
She's quiet for a long moment, leaning into my touch. "I don't remember."
"Then it's time you learned what that feels like."
I kiss her then, soft and sweet and full of promises I'm not sure I know how to keep. But I want to learn. I want to be the man who gives her everything she's been missing.
When we break apart, she's smiling again. "So what's the plan for today?"
"First, we eat. Then we drive into town and start setting things in motion to make this offical. We can get a marriage license in town in a matter of minutes, then we can have have a courthouse wedding later this week, or whatever we need to do to make sure that asshole can't touch you or our baby."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that." I pause, then add, "Unless you want something bigger? I know most women dream about their wedding day..."
"Most women don't end up six months pregnant and running from abusive exes." She shakes her head. "Simple is perfect. Simple is all I need."
But even as she says it, I can see something wistful in her expression. Like maybe she did dream about her wedding day once, before life got complicated.
