Page 128 of Nails

She laughed through her tears and dropped to her knees in front of him, cupping his face in her hands.

“Yes,” she whispered.“A thousand times yes.”

He let out a breath like he’d been holding it for weeks, and when he kissed her, it was deep and full of promise.

When they finally pulled apart, he slipped the ring onto her finger, his hands trembling just slightly.

She looked down at it then up at him.Her heart was pounding for a whole new reason now.“I have something to tell you, too.”

He blinked.“Okay.Wait....is it bad?You aren’t going to tell me that you've been recruited to work another undercover sting op?”

She laughed.“No.Nothing like that.It’s just that I found something out today while at the doctor's office.

He stood still, his eyes narrowing slightly.“You’re okay, right?”

“I’m more than okay.”She took his hands and placed them gently over her belly.“I’m pregnant, Nails.We’re having a baby.”

His face went blank.Like completely blank, and she started to worry.Oh, God, did he not want kids?

“I...we...you’re sure?”

“I know it seems early to know.But the doctor confirmed it when they ran some blood tests.”

He looked down at his hands on her stomach, then back up at her.He still looked stunned and unsure.

‘A baby,” he repeated.Then he looked Riley in the eyes, his eyes beginning to water.Then a huge smile broke out on his face.“Holy shit!I’m gonna be a dad!”he shouted, his eyes wide.“Oh my fucking God...I’m gonna be a dad!”

Riley grinned, and he suddenly picked her up and spun her around, laughing like a man who had just found out he won the lottery and the universe all at once.

“I’m gonna be a husband and a dad.Damn, I’m leveling up!”

Riley couldn’t stop laughing as he set her down, only to pull her right back into his arms.

“I love you,” he murmured into her hair.“You’ve made me the happiest man alive.”

And as the waves crashed softly in the distance and the stars blinked above them, Riley closed her eyes and held on tight.

Because he was everything she never knew she needed.

Nails hadn’t stopped smiling since Riley said yes.Actually, that wasn’t true.His smile started the moment she surprised him and walked toward him on the patio, glowing in the moonlight, and it hadn’t dimmed once, not when she said yes to his proposal, and definitely not when she told him they were having a baby.

His baby!

Carson “Nails” Torres, Navy SEAL, soon-to-be husband, and now, somehow dad.He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this full.Not just of joy, but peace.Like the part of him that always felt a little untethered had finally found home.

And now, it was time to share that home with the people who meant the most to him.

As they stepped back into Bayside, hand in hand, the sound of laughter and music hit him again.The team was still gathered at their usual table.Nails gave Riley’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“You ready?”

She nodded.“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Snow spotted them first.“Well, well, look who snuck back in.”

Joker raised a brow.“You two were gone long enough.We thought maybe you went off on your own classified operation.”

Nails grinned.“Funny you should say that.”