Obsession (Magnetic Desires Book 4) (19 page)

Mike

“Did you bring the sign?” I didn’t bother glancing at Orion when he wandered into the room, with his wife Clo and the kids behind him. Seb and Hannah ran around the coffee table, giggling and squealing.

“Careful, Seb. Don’t chase your sister. She could hurt herself on that table,” Clo called through from the kitchen, while she unpacked the items I’d asked her to pick up on her way over.

Leo thumped down the stairs, wiping his hands on his jeans. “That’s the last of it. Your woman has a shopping addiction.”

“Don’t I know it?” I grinned, while Orion handed me one side of the canvas, and I set it on the hooks I’d put in for this occasion.

Getting up on the chair across from me, Orion hooked up the other side and admired the sign. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“Really?” I jumped off the chair, and laced my hands behind my back. “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

“It’s not a bad idea.” Clo slipped an arm around me. “Mellie’s going to love it.”

The front door opened and Birdie and Drake joined us, bickering. “Could you just take it easy, darlin’? You’ve had a rough day.”

“Oh, hush up. It’s no big deal.”

“What happened to you?” Orion growled, stalking over to hug his sister.

She touched her swollen cheek and winced. “It really was nothing.”

“She was in a car accident this morning,” Drake muttered.

“I told you that car was a kid’s toy.” Orion patted her hair. “Talk her into something safer, Drake.”

“Shit, Birdie.” Leo walked back in from the kitchen, a beer in his hand, while he munched on a handful of crisps. “What happened to you?”

“Will you all just stop it?” She smacked at Drake and Orion. “We’re here for Mike and Mellie. Besides, it was only a tap. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” I hugged her against my chest.

“Yes. I promise. Tonight is about you and Mellie. I’m so happy for you guys.”

I glanced at my watch for the sixty millionth time today. “They should arrive soon. Lola called me a little while ago.”

Birdie squealed and threw her arms around me again. “I can’t believe you’re doing this.”

“Your brother just said that. Do you think it’s too soon?”

She cupped my cheek, smiling up at me. “For you and Mellie? Oh no. I’m surprised it took this long.”

Orion chuckled. “We never understood why you two broke up in the first place.”

I cleared my throat. “Um, about that. There’s probably something I should have told you a long time ago.”

Everyone stopped, staring at me. No pressure at all. I rubbed at the back of my head, wincing. Then I pulled in a deep breath. “I had cancer. Thought I was going to die. Obviously that didn’t happen.”

“Holy crap.” Birdie’s eyes were huge, her voice cracking to a whisper before she swooped in to hug me again.

“I’m going to get a beer,” Orion muttered and bolted from the room.

Leo kicked his feet up on my coffee table. “But you’re fine now, right? Because I’m pretty sure my girls would kill you if you died on them.”

“I’m fine. It’s no big deal.” I shrugged.

“You’re having routine check-ups?” Drake asked from where he propped up the wall.

Birdie unwound her arms from my waist. “You’re not allowed to keep stuff like that from us. We’re family. You’re like my big brother. Don’t do it again.”

“I learned my lesson. Never again.”

“Okay. I’m going to go help Clo and check on my brother.” She darted in the direction of the kitchen.

Drake lifted himself off the wall and stalked after her. “I’m going to make sure she stays out of trouble.”

With everyone out of the room, Leo jumped up and came to stand in front of me. “I have to say something, you know, because my wife and Mellie are sisters. Something along the lines of what you said to me the day I met my daughter.” He squeezed my shoulder. “I like you, but hurt her again and I will have to take you down.”

“Got it.”

“Now where’s the rock?”

“In my pocket.” I took the box from my pocket and held it open in front of him.

“Goddamn, are you trying to make the rest of them jealous?” He whistled under his breath. “That’s some oversized rock.”

“I don’t think it’s big enough.” I snapped the box shut and shoved it back in my pocket.

“Any bigger and she’ll have to use her other hand to keep her finger from dragging on the ground.” He clapped me on the back and we headed toward the kitchen.

I glanced back at the sign, welcoming Mellie home, and underneath the simple,
Will You Marry Me?
The question was trivial. She’d agreed almost ten weeks ago, before I’d left her in Hollyfields. Since then, we’d talked every night on the phone, texted and emailed every day. They’d been some of the longest weeks of my life. Longer than when she hadn’t been mine, because knowing she was coming home to me and having to wait was far harder than hoping one day I could get her to forgive me.

But not anymore. Tonight she’d be home, in my arms, in my bed and everything else could be put on hold. “I think I need a drink,” I muttered to Leo and we went to join the others in the kitchen.

“Darlin’, let me do that. You should be relaxing.” Drake hovered over Birdie’s shoulder while she arranged food on a platter.

She blew out an exasperated breath and tossed her hands up in the air. “Seriously, Drake, I’m not a freaking invalid, okay? I’m pregnant.”

The room went quiet. Five pairs of eyes slammed their gazes on her.

“Shit.” She leaned against the counter, squeezed her eyes shut. “That was not supposed to come out like that.”

While the rest of us gaped, Drake wrapped his arms around his fiancée’s waist. “I know. I saw your results this morning while we were at the ER. Why didn’t you tell me?”

She turned into him. “I didn’t know how, after we’d decided it wasn’t going to be in the cards. And I sure as hell didn’t plan on telling everyone tonight. This is supposed to be about Mike and Mellie.”

“Don’t worry about it, kiddo.” I jumped in to give her a hug. “Congratulations. I can’t wait to have another niece or nephew to spoil.”

One by one the others caught her up and hugged her, while Drake anxiously hovered nearby.

“You are going to drive everyone crazy over the next nine months, brother.” Leo grinned, his arms crossed as he stood by Drake.

“At least she has the best obstetrician a girl could ask for.” Clo grinned at Leo. “This baby is going to come into the word wrapped in cotton wool.”

“You’re all very funny.” Drake muttered, pulling Birdie into his chest and resting his chin on her head.

The sound of a car in the drive and then three doors slamming sent me racing out of the kitchen. My heart skidded to a stop at the sight of her. She cocked her head and offered one of those blinding sun smiles, while she adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder. “Hi.”

“Hey.” I covered the distance to her while Lola led Tia past me onto the steps, where Leo waited for them.

Then she dropped her bag and launched at me. I caught her up, while she crossed those cowboy boots behind my back. “Ten weeks was too long.”

“Way too fucking long.” I took her mouth with mine, devouring her desperately. Later, there would be all the time in the world to reacquaint myself with her body, the way I wanted to. Setting her back on her feet, I kept her close. “I missed you.”

She plucked at my T-shirt. “I missed you, too.”

Picking up her bag, I took her hand and squeezed it before leading her to the front door. Inside, everyone had taken seats on the couch and the coffee table, conversing quietly while they waited for us to join them.

She froze in the doorway, taking it all in. Our friends—family, really—all there because they loved her nearly as much as I did. My chest ached to utter those words to her again, but her eyes went round and she threw a hand to her mouth with a gasp as she stared at the sign.

Grinning, I dropped to my knee. “Hurricane, you blow me away each and every day. I’ve lived my life without you, and I can’t imagine going back to that.” I pulled the box from my pocket, the room completely silent. “I told you I was going to put a rock on your finger so big, it would blind other men, and I meant it.”

I snapped open the box, revealing the platinum band surrounded by half carat diamonds and a perfect round three carat rock on top. Her eyes shining, her knees buckled, and she reached out for me. “I don’t care about the rock.”

“You don’t like it?” I glanced at the stone. I’d hemmed and hawed over the damn thing for three weeks straight, and she didn’t like it? My chest constricted.

She shook her head, her lips twitching. “It could be an onion ring for all I care. I love you, Mike.”

Standing up, I gathered her into my arms, and with shaking fingers, my whole body trembling, I managed to pull the ring from the box and slip it onto the finger she held out for me. She sniffled, and I wiped the single tear that squeezed from between her eyelashes but did nothing to dampen the bright happiness on her face.

“I’d marry you in a storm, or on the brightest day. After an hour, a week, or however long you want, Melanie Albrict.” My voice cracked. “I love you, Hurricane.”

A raucous of claps, cheers and wolf whistles broke out when I took her lips in a long, lingering kiss. Then we were surrounded by our family, hugging and whispering congratulations. My chest expanded, so tight I didn’t think I could feel any more than I did right now. Taking her hand, I dragged her away from them into the kitchen and kissed her again before grabbing the scotch from the top of the fridge. “I think this calls for a celebratory drink, don’t you?”

She paled, wringing her hands in front of her, and whispered, “I can’t drink that.”

I stared at her, stared at the bottle. Put it down on the counter. Stared at her again. Her mouth curved ever so slightly. My heart stuttered, ground to a halt, and then raced faster than it ever had before. This was it, the moment my chest could no longer contain the explosion of happiness. Grinning, I snatched her into my arms. “You can’t drink scotch, or is it alcohol in general?”

“Alcohol.” Her thousand watt smile lit me up like lightening as I lifted her onto the counter and pressed my hand to her belly. Picking through her purse she held out a little white stick between trembling fingers, and I held it an inch from my nose, staring at the thick lines.

“I hope this one sticks,” she whispered, shoving the stick back in her bag and rubbing her hand over mine. “It’s still so new, too soon to feel anything, but I keep getting this bubbling sensation. It has to be a sign this one is going to stick. Right?”

I leaned a little closer to her belly as I brushed my thumb over her navel. “Well, brat, you just hang around in there, okay?”

“Can we keep it to ourselves a little while longer?” she asked, her forehead pressed to mine.

I cupped her face with my palm, grazed her cheek with my thumb. “This one will stick. I feel it in my gut.”

“Our little brat.” She sighed.

Lola popped her head around the kitchen wall. “Are you guys going to come back out, or do you want us all to leave already?” 

“We’re coming, sis.” Mellie said as I helped her down off the counter. Winding her arms around my neck, she pressed her lips to mine. “Though I can’t wait to have you all to myself.”

“We’ll kick them all out soon.” I took her hand and led her back into the party.

***

Much later, when the rest of them finally left, I scooped her into my arms and carried her upstairs to our bedroom. “Welcome home, sexy legs.”

Cupping my face between her hands she lingered over my lips, tears sparkling in her eyes. “I missed you so much. I couldn’t breathe without you, you know.”

“I know.” I slid her down over my hardness, my hands dragging her top over her head. “I don’t sleep without you in my arms. It’s been a long ten weeks.”

“I’m here now. This storm has run its course.” Her mouth curved as I held her close and swayed to some unknown tune in my head.

“We’re getting married as soon as I can arrange it. I don’t want to live another day without calling your crazy ass wife.”

Her fingers plucked at the buttons on my shirt, undoing them one by one. “Husband.”

“I love you.” My voice cracked with the fullness in my chest expanding into my throat.

“I’ve always loved you. You’re the one I will always run to.”

I sunk to my knees in front of her and undid the buttons on her jeans, pushing them off her hips so I could press my lips to the dip below her belly. I smiled against the slight curve while her hand stroked over my head. “Hello, brat. You, me, and your mother. Everything I ever wanted.”

“Everything we ever wanted,” she murmured.

“Everything.” I stood up again, scooped her into my arms and carried her over to the bed, curled her into my side, and nuzzled the nape of her neck. “You’re going to be a kept woman. I’m going to look after you, provide for you and our brat.” I caressed the dip of her belly.