Page 36 of Nothing to Beat (Nothing to… #13)

BEFORE SHE TURNED the key in her apartment lock, she could smell it: paint.

Someone on their floor must be decorating.

It was a fleeting thought until on going inside, its concentration assaulted her.

Not some neighbor. No, someone was painting in her apartment.

She rounded into the hallway and was drawn to the second bedroom with its wide open door and pure white walls.

Uh… those walls had been red when she left.

The floor was covered and next to a ladder she didn’t know they had, Breck stood, roller in hand. Her mouth opened, sure, because she should say something… but she was just confused.

“Why did…?”

“It’s the nursery,” he said, putting the roller down. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“The nursery? And you thought it should be white?”

“I thought we should have a fresh start.” Putting an arm around her, he directed her out of that room and into their bedroom.

“I didn’t know how you felt about colors, if you preferred a mural or paper.

This is a blank canvas, ready for whatever you decide.

” He frowned. “This is early for you. What happened? Why are you home at this time?”

“Nothing happened, I just…” Could she get away with saying she missed him? “We have to tell your mom.”

“Okay.”

“With some urgency.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

Was this going to be the pattern throughout her pregnancy? Better that he cared enough to be concerned than the opposite.

“Nothing’s wrong…” Truth time. “I told your dad.” With a wince, she braced. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, it came out all on its own.”

He relaxed. “Don’t worry. You’re close. I assume he agreed not to tell Mom.”

“I don’t want him to have to lie.”

“Sure, we can—”

“Wait…” She caught his arm as he started to pass. “I’m not done. We should… talk.”

“Because people will ask questions. Dad wouldn’t—”

“He didn’t. Support, not judgment. He didn’t even ask me who the father was.”

“Because he knows it makes no difference to our future.”

Oh, so matter of fact. “Maybe I want to run away with the fictitious father.”

“And you can, providing it’s fictitious running away. You said you’d only been with me…”

“Would you actually doubt that?” she teased. “How many women have you been screwing around with between our trysts?”

“I won’t grace that insult with an answer.”

Other people didn’t exist for them, not in a romantic context.

“We’ll need a bigger apartment,” she said.

“Not necessarily, we have two rooms here, that’s enough.”

“Do you really want to live at B House?”

“Where we live makes little difference.”

“What about work?” she asked. “Your father says you can come back to Breckenridge.”

“That’s up to you.”

Startled, her hands stopped mid-rise to his hips. “Up to me? You know how I feel about you at Breckenridge.”

“Yes. You worry that your father will gain influence over me or my family’s business interests and finances if he’s still on the street.

” And technically he was, for the moment anyway.

“I’m not convinced you’ll feel any other way until after his sentence.

Maybe it will drag on until after he appeals. ”

Which he would.

Seeing it from Breck’s perspective, the waiting would stretch on forever. He’d wait. He’d said he’d wait. Their child would be born and he’d still wait.

Power. That was what her father craved and she was giving it all to him. He ran her life, would she let him ruin it too?

No. No more. She had to be stronger than she had been, stronger than her father. And there was her strength with her: Breck. He’d always been her strength. With him, she could get through anything. They only had to trust and decide to leap.

Instinct took her down, onto a knee, scaring him into a crouch. Only her smile stopped him.

“Rankin Breckenridge, my Stat, will you marry me?” That widened his eyes so much a whisper of a laugh escaped her.

“I don’t want to wait anymore. I don’t want my father to feature so heavily in our lives.

” Before the last few days, they may not have spoken of him often, but he’d lingered, there in the background.

“I want to get married, have our child—”

“And live happily ever after?”

Leaving her there on her knees, he went to the nightstand and opened the drawer.

“Is that it?” she asked, staying put. It would be ironic if just as she embraced the possibility of forever, he dismissed it. “You didn’t answer me.”

“No,” he said, surprising her on his return when he kneeled down with her. Before she could ask what was going on, he popped open a box to show her a ring. “Because I want you to answer me.”

“You have a ring?”

“It’s my grandmother’s.” Of course it was because that was just like the Breckenridges to have a ring tradition.

“I can’t remember a time I didn’t love you, Coy.

In some ways we’re so different, in others we’re exactly the same.

Whatever the future brings us, I want us to tackle and enjoy it together. Will you be my wife, Sequoia?”

Tears blurred her eyes when her lips curled. “Your speech was so much better than mine.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I want to say.” And she’d just hit on the idea to propose seconds ago. “There aren’t enough words to express what I feel for you. I know I can’t live without you. I’ll do whatever you need me to do—”

Touching his lips, she silenced him. “I’ll marry you.” A teardrop skittered from her lashes. “I’ll bear your children…” As he smiled, hers grew again. “But you’re coming back to work with me tomorrow.”

He laughed. “Okay. If you insist.”

If she truly thought leaving Breckenridge made him happy, she’d support his leaving one hundred percent.

Breckenridges were a rare breed, they genuinely cared about each other and liked spending time together.

Whether he admitted it or not, Breck basked in his role of responsibility.

He liked to have authority and valued his brothers’ respect.

When his lips sank onto hers, every muscle relaxed. Pulling herself close, she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on as he stood and scooped her up to carry her to the bed.

For all the times they’d ever made love, nothing could match the difference forever made.

Taking him into her body had always been a delight, but this was more than fun.

They connected, like the physical joining somehow united their souls and minds too.

Maybe Alice was right, could be soulmates were a thing after all.

“We shouldn’t find out the sex until the birth,” she said, lying naked in his arms.

“Okay.”

“And I want to work from home for a while. I don’t want to miss the early days or give up my job.”

“Whatever you want.”

“Should I feed the baby myself?”

His lips buried themselves in her hair. “That decision is entirely yours. We know that breast is best, but that doesn’t make it inevitable.”

“Your mom breastfed.”

“Some of us. Though she’d never tell us which ones. She’ll be happy to talk to you about it, if you have questions.”

“I have a feeling she and I will be discussing a lot in the near future.” Her fingertips danced up his torso. “We should tell her.”

“Want me to call?”

Shifting, she showed him a smile. “Probably a good idea to get dressed first. I want to see her reaction.”

Which meant a video call.

“You know, baby, she’ll be so ecstatic, I doubt she’d notice our clothes.”

“Okay, we’ll make the call,” she said, stretching as she sat up. “After we get out of the shower.”

With her hand in his, she led him into the bathroom. Life delivered, no one could deny that. Sometimes hardship, sometimes delight, it gave and it took away. So long as she had her guy and their family, they’d weather in rapture whatever came next.

THERE’S MORE TO COME FROM THE ROXIVERSE…

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