“Only when it’s sunny.”
“Did you really have to pick out a rock the size of a fist?”
“Yes. Of course.” Rhett grinned. “Is it too early to tell you it’s fake? Would you still marry me?”
Bella rolled her eyes. She reached out and caressed Rhett’s cheek. The ring really wasn’t that big. It was pretty though, in that old-fashioned cut with a large round diamond in the center surrounded by a circular cluster of tiny diamonds. On the grand scale of things, it was just average.
“Do you think your parents will actually come to the wedding if we invite them?”
“If? You don’t think I should?” Bella giggled. Her parents were never on her side about anything. Go figure, she found a rich, hot guy like her mom always wanted her to and they still weren’t happy for her. Okay, maybe that had more to do with Sarah than anything, though she’d since married her lover and gone on a second honeymoon with him. Good for her. Or good riddance. Bella wasn’t sure which she actually meant. “My family is always going to be my family. I guess I have to love them anyway.”
“Doesn’t mean we have to invite them to the wedding.” Rhett leaned in and judging from the glint in his eyes and his light tone, Bella knew he was kidding. Both of them were okay with having little contact with her parents, but that was just her life. Nothing had changed. She loved them, deep down, but she didn’t need to be close to do that.
“It’s a good thing we’re going to elope then. That way we won’t have to invite anyone.”
“Elope?” Rhett considered. “I could go for that.”
“Of course you could. It’s like zero planning. All we have to do is book it. We’ll take your mom of course. She’ll never forgive us otherwise.”
Rhett rolled over her and she let out a playful shriek. His granite arms came down on either side of her face as he shifted on top of her. His happy stick let her know just how happy it was as it ground into her stomach. What do you know, she was wet and ready in record time. Or maybe she was always wet and ready. Living with Rhett kind of made her that way.
She didn’t think she’d enjoy that either- the living part, not the sex, but she was surprised to find, she did. She’d found a job working at another tattoo shop and since a few of their artists left for greener pastures, she’d actually got a promotion. She was just starting her apprenticeship, but she already loved it. Apparently, she could draw- okay, so that might have been a talent she kept under wraps. But people liked her art. Who would have known? And guess what? Rhett was also considering getting his arms tattooed by her. So, that was bonus points for becoming a tattoo artist.
“You’re right. She wouldn’t forgive us.”
“Is it weird that you’re talking about your mom while you’re on top of me?”
Rhett choked. “You’re right. That’s enough to deflate even the most giant of boners.”
“I doubt it.” Bella wriggled, emphasizing her point. “I can feel that Mr. Happy is still really happy.”
“That he is. He’s always happy with you. All of me is. And my mother loves you.”
“There you go again. Talking about your mom.”
Rhett’s laugh bounced off the walls. “She’s happy that I’m happy. She adores you.”
“I know. She’s my second mom, but more like my real mom since she actually likes me and we get along great. She’s almost forgotten she has a son at all since I’m the daughter she never had and always pined for.”
Rhett ground his erection a little lower, into her thigh, and this time when Bella giggled, the sound was a little breathless. “Okay, that’s enough talking for now. About anything.”
“But I like to talk about eloping. It’s romantic. It gets me in the mood.”
Rhett trailed a finger along her thigh, up, up to the place where she was hot and ready and aching for him. “You don’t need any help with that.”
“You’re right. I guess,” she ceded. “But still. Hawaii? That’s nice. Or maybe Jamaica? Or- Europe. Scotland. We could get married in some old castle.”
“I like the sound of that. Any of it. As long as you’re mine.”
“I’m yours,” Bella breathed. “I never thought I’d actually like admitting it, but I’m yours. I’ve been yours since I found your sorry ass in that church basement. Since I saved you from marrying my sister.”
“I think I’d already saved myself. Or maybe she saved me.”
“Nope. It was me. I seem to remember hauling you out of there and what came next started all of this.”
“Okay, okay, you saved me. You saved me that day and every day after.” Rhett lowered his face so that his lips were inches from hers. Bella’s breath caught in her lungs. “Neither of us thought it was possible but look at us now. Here. We love each other. We live together and we haven’t killed each other. Although, I do have that room in the basement set up just for that one day you manage to piss me off.”