Page 97 of Single Mom's Navy Seals
“I’ve been holding onto this surprise for two months now. With everything going on—the stress, Randy’s case—I needed time to be sure and wait for the right moment. I wasn’t ready to say anything until I knew everything was okay, but I can’t keep it to myself anymore.” She gestures nervously at the bags. “Go ahead. Open your presents.”
Exchanging glances with Jax and Cole, I step forward first, reaching cautiously into the nearest bag. Inside, my hand brushes something soft and delicate. I pull it out, revealing a tiny white onesie patterned with little pink hearts. My heart jolts in surprise as Jax pulls out a matching pink-and-white bonnet, and Cole lifts a pair of miniature socks, soft and impossibly small.
For a minute, none of us speaks, just staring at the tiny clothes in stunned silence. Cole recovers first, his gaze snapping up to Ava.
“Are you telling us you’re pregnant?” he asks, voice thick with barely contained emotion.
Her smile widens, eyes shining with tears as she nods. “Yes.”
We all whoop, surrounding her, mindful not to wake Eli upstairs. My hands find her slightly rounded belly, a new swell I hadn’t noticed until now. Jax kisses her cheek tenderly, while Cole gently strokes her back, each of us caught up in the overwhelming joy of the moment. Our eyes meet, and a silent decision passes between us. It’s time.
Without a word, Jax jogs upstairs, returning with his hands hidden behind his back. Cole and I step aside subtly, letting Jax pass each of us a small velvet box, rings we picked out together the day after Ava and Eli were safely home from the hospital. We’d been waiting for the right moment, for her to heal, to be ready.
Now, looking into her eyes, we know there’s no better time than this.
Together, we face Ava, the three of us collectively dropping to one knee, each opening our boxes to reveal matching rings.
Cole speaks first, steady and calm. “We wanted to do this already, but knew you needed time.”
Jax continues, voice soft but confident. “But you’re having our daughter, and there’s no stronger bond than that.”
I finish, looking steadily into her eyes. “We've wanted you to be ours from the first weeks of this relationship. Now that you’re safe, now that you’re finally free, we hope you’ll continue choosing us forever.”
We speak the final words in perfect unison, clear and unwavering.
“Will you marry us?”
There’s a beat of silence that feels so loud it could fucking choke me. And then a wide grin spreads over her face, and tears shine in her eyes.
“Yes. I want to marry you. All of you.”
For a second, none of us moves.
“You’re sure?” My voice comes out rougher than I intend, but I need her to be sure. “After everything?”
Her answer’s immediate. “I’ve never been more sure.”
That’s all I need.
I reach for her cheek, thumb brushing along her jaw, and kiss her. Firm. Grounded. It’s not soft, but it isn’t harsh either. She opens to me without hesitation, her body arching slightly into mine, arms sliding around my shoulders like she’s been waiting for this.
She’s trembling—not from fear, but from need. I feel it in the way her fingers curl against my neck, the way her breath catches in her throat as the kiss deepens.
Behind me, Jax exhales low. “Jesus, that’s hot.”
I pull back just enough to speak. “Get her undressed.”
Cole doesn’t hesitate. He’s behind her, lifting her shirt over her head in one smooth motion. His hands are slow but confident, fingers unclasping her bra. He kisses her bare shoulder once before stepping back. Jax drops to one knee in front of her and tugs her leggings down, his gaze already darkening as he gets a look at the wet spot clinging to the front of her panties.
“Fuck, look at her,” Jax murmurs. “She’s soaked.”
He’s not wrong. Her folds glisten, inner thighs already slick, her core visibly pulsing with each breath.
She’s standing in nothing but soft white lace, breathing harder now. She’s not nervous. Just open. Ready.
And mine.
“Bed,” I tell her.
