Falling Fast
Page 45

“I’m happy for me too,” she says, and I smile, touching my lips to hers once more before standing her upright but keeping her close. “I start in a week. One of their current teachers is having a baby and she isn’t planning on coming back.”
“That’s good news for you.”
“It’s great news for me,” she agrees, wrapping her hand around the side of my neck. “Sucks though.”
“What sucks?” I ask, studying her, and she pulls in a breath, looking away.
“We’ll have to put off going to see Nat and getting my stuff for a while.”
“We’ll find time to go.” I drag her closer and her eyes meet mine. “First long weekend you get, we’ll fly up there. And if there is anything you need now, you know she’ll mail it to you.”
“You’re right.”
“I’m normally right, just like I was right about you getting this job.”
“Don’t be smug about it.” She rolls her eyes and I grin. “What time are you getting off work?”
“About an hour. Do you want to wait for me?”
“I kinda want to get out of these clothes,” she murmurs, and my hold on her tightens as I imagine in detail the ways I’m going to help her out of her outfit.
“Do me a favor,” I say, knowing my voice sounds hoarse.
“What’s that?”
“Don’t change when you get home.”
“Why?” She frowns, studying me, and then her eyes darken and her lips part. “Oh.”
“Yeah.” I run my hand down her back to the top of her ass.
“I won’t change,” she says breathlessly.
“Good.” I lean in and kiss her again, and when I do, her lips part, giving me access to her mouth. “You should go,” I tell her regretfully when I pull my mouth from hers. “You don’t, and I’ll end up taking you in the office.” Feeling her shiver, I fight back a groan as my cock twitches behind my zipper.
“I should go,” she says quietly, putting pressure on my chest, and I loosen my hold.
“I’ll see you at home.”
“See you at home.”
I let her go and she walks away, stopping at the door to give me a look of promise over her shoulder before leaving, letting the door close behind her.
“Lucky bastard.”
Looking at Jonas, one of our regulars, I see his big body twisted on the barstool, his eyes on the door. I know he just saw Gia and me. I also know that in seeing Gia, he knows exactly what I will be going home to in an hour. If I weren’t the man going home to her, I’d be thinking the same thing he is right now.
“I know.”
He turns on his stool to look at me then grins. “Happy for you. You deserve to have that woman in your bed after the shit that happened to you.”
I don’t know if anyone is deserving of Gia, but I will tie myself into knots and do everything within my power to be worthy enough to call her mine for the rest of my life.
“Happy for you,” he repeats, before picking up his beer and finishing it off.
“You want another?” I ask, nodding at his empty glass, and he shakes his head.
“Nope gotta get home.” He drops a couple of bucks to the top of the bar and disappears. I finish up the stuff I need to get done between customers and wait for Mom to come in and take over for me. Luckily, she shows up twenty minutes early, so I leave the bar and head home, where I take Gia first against the wall next to the door, and then again on the bed upstairs after we finally make it there.
~**~
Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I look at the clock to see it’s 7:15 a.m., then turn with my cup in my hand and lean back against the counter. The last week has been good despite news from Chad that two more fires have been set in town since Lisa has been locked up and that the police are now looking for an arsonist. Everyone in town is worried especially since the police have no suspects.
I take a sip coming out of my thoughts, watching Gia flutter around the house in a hurry to get all of her stuff together, with Loki following behind her, probably wondering what’s going on. Today is the first day of her new job, and she’s been a mess since she woke up at six to get ready to leave by eight.
“I have a question for you,” I tell her, as she brings her bag to the edge of the island and starts to search through it.
“What’s that?” she asks, stopping her search long enough to look up at me. I set down my coffee and lean forward, grabbing her hand. I pull her toward me to stand between my legs then I lift her left hand to rest over my heart, and covering it with my own before reaching into my pocket. “What are you doing?” she whispers, studying me.
“First, you are going to do great today, so stop worrying. You love kids. That will shine through with them, and you’re you, so they’re going to love you,” I tell her, and then I lift her left hand away from my chest. “Second, do you mind wearing this for me?” I slide the simple four-carat diamond solitaire Tiffany ring I bought for her onto her ring finger. A ring I started looking for after our first kiss. A ring I didn’t find until a week ago, after searching every jewelry store from here to Georgia. I wanted the ring to be perfect, and looking at it on her hand, I know it is. Now I just hope she says yes.
I didn’t know I would propose to her this morning, but seeing her get ready for work and feeling her excitement about starting a new job, I knew the time was right. This moment is right. I want her to go to work with a ring on her finger that lets everyone know she belongs to someone, that she has a family who loves her.
Hearing her breath catch, I come out of my head and watch her study the diamond now sitting at the base of her ring finger on her left hand. “I… you… I….” She looks from me to the ring then back again.
“I want you to start your new job as my fiancée. I want today to be the start of our life together.” I lift her hand and kiss her finger over her ring. “Will you marry me, Gia?”
“Yes,” she answers immediately, and I rest my forehead to hers. I knew it’d feel good if she said yes, but I had no idea just how relieved I’d be.
“Best thing that ever happened to me is you. You’re the best part of my day, the best part of my life, and I’m really looking forward to spending my life with you.”
“You’re going to make me cry,” she whispers, and I see tears pooling in her green eyes.
“You can’t cry. You need to get to work,” I tell her, and she laughs, closing her eyes.
“I can’t even show you properly how happy I am.” She opens her eyes as she slides her hand up my chest to wrap around the back of my neck, which means I feel all of her pressed against me, and all of that is good.
“Tonight.” I slide my hands down her back then over her ass, pulling her tightly against me.
“Tonight,” she agrees against my mouth.
“Something to look forward to.” I slant my head, and when her lips part, I slip my tongue into her mouth, tasting her and the coffee she was drinking earlier. Knowing if I don’t stop this now I won’t stop and she’ll be late to her first day at work, I slow the kiss and pull back. “I love you, Gia.” I open my eyes, finding hers still closed.
“I love you, Colton.” She runs her fingers down my jaw then her eyes meet mine. “Best thing that ever happened to me in my life is you, and I’m really looking forward to being your wife. I promise I will try to make you as happy as you make me.” She whispers as one single tear slides down her cheek.
“You just breathing my air makes me happy, baby,” I promise, and her face softens. “I hate that you gotta go, but you need to get to work.”
She glances to the side where the clock is before she looks at me once more. “You so owe me tonight,” she grumbles, seeing the time, and I grin.
“I’ll gladly pay up.” I kiss her once more then let her go, and I watch her gather her stuff up. Once she’s ready, I walk her out to her Jeep, help her in, and kiss her once more before slamming her door and watching her back out and drive away.
Heading back to the house with Loki following behind me, I do it smiling. I had big dreams my whole life, but the life I’m living is better than any dream I ever had, and I know with Gia by my side through the good times and bad that will always be the case.