Page 48 of Cruel Love

His deep voice, so steady and sure, sounded like a sonic boom in my ears. “Married? I’m sorry.” I shook my head. “Did I hear you right?” My hands were suddenly in his, the connection snapping through me like an electrical current.

“We both have a lot of hang-ups about marriage. It wouldn’t be perfect. No relationship is.” He drew a breath. “And then there’s the NFL. If I get drafted, it would mean moving somewhere else. Would you be willing to move with me?”

He made me happy. I trusted and respected him. The drive he had, and his loyalty to those he cared about, resonated with me. “Yes.” It was a huge commitment, but I believed we could make it work. Tension eased from his face as if I’d removed a huge weight from his shoulders.

“I’ll always listen to your thoughts, feelings, and dreams. I’ll be there for you and our baby if you let me.”

I nodded once. It was all I was capable of in the moment. He got down on one knee, and I barely held myself back from throwing myself at him.

“We’re both driven. It’s something we understand about one another. You with surfing and your artwork, and me with football. We have what it takes to make this thing between us great. You’re all I ever wanted before I even knew what that was. Marry me, Aspen. Let me have the honor of being your husband.”

The tears started. I couldn’t hold them back any longer. “It’s crazy. Almost reckless.” They breached my eyelids and rolled down my cheeks in a river of happiness. “And utterly us. Yes, I’ll marry you, Phoenix.” Then I launched myself at him. His arms wound around me, and his mouth crashed over mine in a soul-searing kiss.

Our connection was unsurpassed, and I suspected it always would be. From the moment we’d seen each other at the cove, I’d wanted him. There had been an electrical charge in the air between us, and one touch was all it had taken for everything to fade away until it was only the two of us. I didn’t know what the future would hold, but what I had with Phoenix and our baby was beyond my wildest imagination.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ASPEN

Second Semester

Fiery light spliced across the counter from the sunlight hitting my diamond-channeled wedding band. It was hard to believe Phoenix and I were married. One month after everything happened with his grandfather threatening me and his brain aneurysm, he’d proposed. It was sweet and followed a long discussion about our futures. The business that I was growing with my artwork and custom surfboards was his top priority, and he promised to help me make it happen. I needed a lot of help with lifting the boards because of the pregnancy. Other than that, I was enjoying the way things were progressing.

Phoenix had a plan to get drafted in our third year and to get his bachelor's, eventually, in sports analytics with a minor in communications. His advisor had him on a fast track, and I helped him with anything that involved reading—no more tutor with a crush on him.

I would go with him wherever he was contracted by an NFL team. Ideally, that would be in California, but if not, we would work it out. The good thing was he and his coach had a plan in place to make Phoenix as golden to the California recruiter as possible. I didn’t really understand how that would change anything. He was already on everyone’s radar. But I had hope, as surfing was drastically important to me and something he was well aware of.

It would be my third year, too, when he planned to go into the draft, and I planned to talk to the art director to see how I could finish my degree remotely if need be.

The ceremony was simple, just a judge and our families present—minus his grandfather, of course. And now, we were moving into the off-campus housing for married students that his coach helped us get.

“Where do you want this?” Riley held up a small hand mixer.

I glanced around the tiny kitchen and decided on the cabinets under the peninsula. “Let’s put any mixing bowls or baking things down here.” Phoenix and I didn’t have much, which was fine. We could both handle cooking. But he had an athletic dining card and had managed to get a regular one like I’d had before for me as well. He still snuck me onto his all the time anyway. It was easier that way, but I suspected I wouldn’t want to do that once the baby arrived, because I wouldn’t want to take her there. School, my new business, and Phoenix’s games would already compete with giving her my undivided attention, and I wanted every opportunity to be with her.

“Are you guys going to move in with us next year?” Riley set the mixer and a large bowl in the lower cabinet.

Cole was purchasing a house not far from campus for all of us to live in while we were at school. He and Damon had money because their dad was a billionaire. And they had trusts, but they weren’t accessible until they turned twenty-one. Phoenix and I hadn’t talked about it that much.

“We’ll have a baby. I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.” I shrugged. “She could keep you guys up at night, and then everyone would have to be quiet if she napped during the day. And what if you wanted to have a party?” My life wasn’t theirs to deal with, and I didn’t want anyone to resent us, or the other way around.

Sky laughed. “I am not at all interested in hosting parties. No thanks.”

Riley leaned a hip on the counter, holding a stack of plates she’d just unpacked. “We want to be a part of her life, too, and help out.” She shrugged. “I thought you realized we’re all family. None of us are going anywhere.”

It was tempting. “I’ll talk to Phoenix about it.” It would be great to have so many people involved in our baby’s life.

“Take it seriously,” Riley said. “If anyone gets drafted early, we may only have a year or two where we’re all in the same state together. I don’t want to miss out, and I bet no one else does either.”

“Yeah,” Sky said, “and it takes a village, you know?”

“I didn’t think of it like that. Phoenix would want to live with Shane, Cole, and Damon. And you both are like sisters to me.” I had to laugh because Regan and I had talked about this very thing the other day. “My sister is jealous. I know she would jump at moving in if she went to school here. With Dane, of course.”

“How are they doing?” Sky put the last glass in the cabinet by the sink. We were almost done. Phoenix and I didn’t have a ton of stuff.

“She’s so excited about moving to New York with Dane. I’m excited for them too. And I would be surprised if they wait until graduating college to get married.”

“Aspen,” Phoenix called, “where do you want your surfboards to go? I was thinking of putting some wall mounts along this side.” He motioned to one of the walls. “We could display them from floor to ceiling.”

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