Page 4 of Paradox
“I know.” I lean forward, gently placing my lips on his. “I know.”
CHAPTER 1
E SQUARED
***Einstein***
Present
Marry me.
Be my wife.
Ellen, be mine forever.
Shit. None of those sound right. How do I express to Ellen that I want to spend the rest of my life with her in a few words? Nothing I come up with will ever do justice to what I feel for her. I’ve had the ring for a while now. The only reason it’s not on her finger is that I can’t figure out how to ask her to marry me.
“Babe, you ready?” Ellen asks as she exits the bathroom.
Gorgeous. Under my nose all these years and I never gave her more than a cursory glance. She was Gage’s baby sister, Eddie’s old lady; I never took the time to see the beautiful woman underneath those titles. If she hadn’t come on to me at Gage and Raven’s wedding, we’d probably still be no more than friends. Thank God she did.
She walks to where I’m perched on the foot of the bed, wedging herself between my legs. I lay my palms on the sides of her belly, giving it a gentle kiss. Out of all the things I’ve achieved in this life—going to college, med school, becoming a doctor—none of them compare to what I’ve created with this woman.
A child.
A life.
She’s five months along, and I can’t wait for the next four to roll by so I can meet our daughter. Ellen wants to wait to know the gender, but it’s hard not to notice when I can read an ultrasound. She’s forbidden me from telling her or even dropping any hints.
Standing, I slide my hand to the back of her neck and into her silky brown hair, pulling her head back so she’s looking up at me.
“You know I love you, right?”
“Of course.” Her brows knit in confusion, blue eyes glued to mine. “What’s gotten into you?”
“Just making sure, beautiful.”
“You don’t ever have to question thatormy love for you.”
I gently cradle her face. “Good to know. Our life—you, Mikey, our baby—means everything to me.”
She grips my wrists, beginning to tear up. “I feel the same. I love you, Jon.”
I press a soft kiss to her lips, closing my eyes as I lay my forehead on hers. It’s time to man up and truly make her mine. Legally. Gage is already on my back about it, but that’s because he doesn’t know I have the ring. It’s been burning a hole in my pocket since the day after Ellen told me she was pregnant. I intend to change her name before our child is born.
“We should go,” she whispers but doesn’t make a move.
I break our contact, smiling as I tug her out the bedroom door. Mikey spent the night with his grandfather, and as much as I enjoyed our alone time, I’m anxious to get him back home. Once I have her safely in the car, I slide into the driver’s seat, taking her hand in mine. As it rests on my thigh, I stroke the spot on her finger where my ring should be. Where itwillbe.
Ellen is mine, and I can’t wait for her to be my wife.
***Ellen***
Jon is behaving strangely.
Notbadstrange, but I can’t figure out what’s going on with him. I know he loves me; there’s no question there. I wish I knew what has him in this pensive mood. He’s gone quiet, thumb slowly brushing my fingers. I give his thigh a gentle squeeze, prompting him to glance over at me expectantly.
“Are you okay?”
