Page 266 of Hooking Up
Epilogue
Walker
Iris scoops sugar into her coffee. One spoonful. Two. Three.
Four.
This is getting ridiculous. "You're gonna get a cavity."
"We're celebrating." She fills the last quarter of her mug with milk then looks to Mom. "Thanks for making coffee."
Mom laughs. "Is it still coffee like that?"
"It's perfect." Iris offers me the mug. "Taste it."
I shake my head.
"Afraid it will blow your mind?" Her voice lifts to a teasing tone.
"You can bait me better than that." I stare back into her blue eyes. I still get lost in them. I still want to swim in them.
She lowers her voice to a whisper. "I can. But you can't handle it." She spreads her legs and pulls her skirt up her thighs.
She's wrong—I can handle it. I can get her panting, begging me to fuck her. I should torture her to prove it.
I would. If we were anywhere else. My parents have been through enough of their children horrifying them.
We've been coming to Sunday night dinners for months now. We're usually polite at the dinner table, but before and after…
Mom clears her throat.
Dad chuckles. "They're young and in love. We were worse."
Mom nodstrue. "Have you discussed marriage?"
"Mom!" Fuck, I know Mom adores Iris, but this is getting ridiculous. She drops hints about marriage nearly every Sunday.
Half of me wants to demand she stop. The other half is too enamored with the way the questions make Iris's cheeks flush and her eyes get dreamy. She thinks about it, about us being forever.
I think about it too. I can see it. The two of us on the beach, under an altar decked with purple flowers, proclaiming our love to the entire world.
Yeah, I think a lot about stripping her out of a tight, low-cut dress (hey, it'smyfantasy), pinning her to the wall, and having my way with her.
But I think about the rest of it too. Calling her my wife. Seeing my ring on her finger every morning. Waking up and falling asleep next to her.
We're not ready for that—she's made it very clear she's waiting until she's done with school—but we'll be there. One day.
And after tonight…
"Baby?" Iris runs her fingers over my chin.
"You look gorgeous today. I say that yet?" I ask.
"A thousand times," Bree says. "But it's cute." She turns to Mom. "Aren't they adorable?"
Mom makes thehmmmnoise. "Yes. But we're having dessert. Notdessert."
Dad chuckles.
