“Good,” she breathed. “We’ve been shopping for the wedding and baby.” Knox groaned and Beck giggled. “Well, with the wedding just a few weeks away and the baby only about four months from getting here,” she said, rubbing her little belly, “I’d say that both were necessary.” After Beck’s surgery, she had to endure weeks of rehab. They had to push back the wedding by a couple of months and he hated that she still wasn’t officially his wife yet.
“Well, I for one can’t wait for both to get here,” Rainey said. “The kids are super excited about the wedding and having a little cousin. Shit,” Rainey grumbled, pulling out her cell, “I’ve got to pick Ella up from pre-school and the other kids will be getting off the bus in an hour. Got to run,” she said, pulling them each in for a quick hug.
“Call me tomorrow and tell me all about Jack’s science fair. Fingers crossed that he gets first place,” Beck shouted as the elevator doors closed. She had spent hours helping the kid on his science project and she seemed to be more invested in him winning than he actually was.
“You know, you’re going to be a fantastic mother, right?” Knox asked, palming her belly.
Beck covered his hand with her own and smiled. “I’m going to try to be,” she promised. “You’re going to be an awesome dad, Knox,” she insisted.
He smiled down at her, “I’m going to try to be,” he said, giving her back her words.
“How’s the new assistant search going?” she asked.
“Slowly,” he grumbled. “But, HR has sent me about five applicants to check out.”
“Check out, huh?” Beck asked, putting her hands on her hips. He always loved it when she challenged him like that.
“You know what I mean,” he said.
“Well, just don’t do too much checking them out,” she insisted. “You are soon to be a married man.”
“I can’t wait to marry you, Beck,” he breathed. She went up on her tiptoes to gently kiss his lips.
“Same, Knox. I can’t wait to be your wife,” she said. He wasn’t sure how it had happened, but convincing Beck to be his was the best idea he had ever come up with.
Knox pulled her down on the sectional that sat in the corner of his office. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered. He had been so careful not to push her since she was shot. He wanted to make sure that her arm was fully healed before he even laid a hand on her. Every night, he slept with Beck practically wrapped around his body, hard and needing her, but he refused to push her for more. Today could be a game-changer for him asking her for everything that he had been longing to. She went to the doctors earlier that morning, to get the all-clear—hopefully.
“I’ve missed you too,” she breathed.
“How did your doctor's appointment go today?” he asked. Knox felt bad that he couldn’t go with her, but he had a meeting over at the second casino. He had a little surprise for her, but that could wait until after he got her news.
“It went well,” she said. “I got a clean bill of health and the baby is strong and healthy. We have a sonogram scheduled for a month from now—just routine,” she insisted.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to your appointment,” he said.
“Not a big deal,” she promised. “You had important business. How did it go over at the new site?” she asked.
“Good,” he said. “We’re due to open a few weeks before this little guy gets here,” Knox said, palming her belly. “I have a little surprise for you, Honey,” he whispered in her ear, kissing a path down her neck.
“I like surprises,” she breathed.
“I know,” he said. “We’ve come up with a name for the casino.” She had been bugging him for days about ideas for the new casino’s name. The first casino was named Ace’s Wild for his best friend and business partner. When they were coming up with names, Knox had insisted that their first casino be named after Ace—given his name. He came up with the name, and Ace modestly declined the idea, but Knox insisted and the rest was history. Ace’s Wild was a successful venture and now, they were about to open their next place.
“Ace came up with the name,” he said.
“Did he pick one of my ideas?” she asked.
“No,” Knox said. He was working the buttons down his shirt, exposing himself to her. Beck’s greedy hands roamed all over his body. “But, he did include you in the new name. It’s going to be called Queen of Hearts,” he said. “He picked Heart for me, well, soon to be us—our last name. And, Queen is for you because you’re my queen. And, of course, the whole name is a play on a deck of cards.”
“That’s pretty clever,” she praised. Knox tugged his shirt off and then helped her pull her shirt up over her head, needing to feel her skin on skin.
“Is this okay?” he asked. “Are you ready?”
“More than okay and more than ready, Knox,” she said. “I need you, please,” she begged.
“I need you too, Honey.” He needed to know that she was still his. He almost lost her and that was something that he needed to push out of his head. He needed to forget that fact and replace it with new memories of making her his, and not laying in a pool of her own blood.
Knox snaked his hand up her skirt and hissed out his breath when he found that she wasn’t wearing panties. “You planned on this happening,” he breathed. “Didn’t you?”