Page 129 of Third and Ten

“You say that like it wouldn’t be totally insane for us to get married after what, three months of dating?” she protests.

“And you say that like you’re already considering it,” I reply, smirking.

“JD…” She shakes her head in disbelief. “This is crazy.”

But I can already see her resolve fading. I place my hands on both sides of her face and pull her toward me gently. “Just admit you were wrong,” I coax. “I won’t hold it against you forever if you tell me you love me and want to marry me and have my babies. Hell, I might even say it back and take you up on it.”

“What if I’m bad at all those things?” she asks softly, trying to regulate her breathing. “I don’t want to hurt you. Maybe we should take a little more time to make sure I can handle it.”

Wait, so that’s what this is about? The only thing left standing in my way is her self-doubt? Well, I can work with that.

I shake my head. “Babe, you couldn’t be bad at it. I’m sure everything won’t be perfect, but we’ll figure it out as we go, together.” Then I shrug before adding, “There’s always make-up sex.”

She scrunches up her nose, and a laugh escapes. “Is that where this offer is coming from? Is it because I said we should wait?”

“I’d be lying if I said it’s not a factor. But I decided a while back that I wasn’t going to stop trying to wifey you until you gave in. The truth is that I was hoping to ask you and Ethan to move in with me after the custody hearing, before everything got derailed.”

“You were?”

I nod, hoping she can sense my sincerity. “I was, and not just because I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want us to be a family, more than anything.”

“And what if it doesn’t work, and we can’t get Ethan back?”

“Then at least we’ll have each other when we’re missing him,” I reply. “You wouldn’t marry me just to beat this guy, would you?”

“Of course not. Even if I hated you, I could never do that.”

“I know you couldn’t, Ten,” I say, running my hands down her back again. “Just like I know that you’re going to be an amazing wife. And you’ve already proven that you’re a great mom.”

She continues fumbling with her lip as she considers. “I don’t know if you’re right, but you make me want to try,” she begins, and my heart skips a beat. “Getting married, raising kids, and putting down roots in Camellia may not have been part of the life I thought I’d have, but it’s all I want now. Except I only want it with you, and the sooner, the better.”

That’s it. That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.

Her declaration is better than seeing my name on the back of an LSU jersey, better than that phone call I got when I was drafted to the NFL, and better than the time they named me Coach of the Year in my district. This is what I’m built for, and it feels so right to hear Tenley say that she wants it, too.

I groan and lean in to kiss her, but we’re rudely interrupted when my alarm blares. I reach over to silence it and return to embrace her.

“I’m sorry. I think that five minutes might have just turned into twenty,” I admit.

“Hmm. Then it’s a good thing it should only take another minute to wrap this up,” she replies, clasping her hands behind my head.

I furrow my brow, unsure whether she’s egging me on or shutting me down. Then a smile slowly spreads over my face as I figure out what she’s after. “You want me to propose right now, don’t you? But only so you don’t have to stress about when and how I’ll do it later.”

She pulls me down until our lips touch and kisses me deeply for a few seconds, leaving me unable to think with my brain again. “Yes, I’m not a fan of surprises. And although I hate asking you to give up the opportunity to plan some elaborate proposal and wedding, because I know how much you would enjoy all of it, I also want to be married to you, like, yesterday.”

I stare back at her, my eyes heavy-lidded. Is this really happening? Is she actually begging me to propose?

Well, you don’t have to ask me twice, babe.

“Tenley Jean,” I begin. “Even though we’ve only been dating for a short time, it hasn’t taken me long to figure out that you are all I’ve ever wanted. I love you, and I would really like to spend the rest of my life annoying you, watching football with you, raising Ethan with you, kissing you, and making babies with you…” I punctuate that last point by placing my lips along her jaw. Then I glance up again. “But the thing is, I don’t want to wait another minute to get started. Will you marry me, like, yesterday?”

She grins, and tears pool in her eyes again. “I love you, too. And yes, JD, of course I’ll marry you. I thought you’d never ask.”

I pull her in for more kisses, attempting to show her how happy she’s made me with her yes, and we end up making out until the next time my alarm goes off.

Then I request a moment to take in the view before she puts the rest of her clothes back on, because I’ve got to make it last a while. I’m grateful when she obliges, though it pains me to help her refasten the hooks of that infamous black bra.

“You know,” she begins as she pulls my jacket down over her head.

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