Page 53 of Where We Bloom (The Blackwells of Montana #3)

Chapter Thirty-Two

CONNOR

S he’s so fucking beautiful, standing here in my office with her chin up, her whiskey eyes shooting sparks at me.

So bloody strong.

And mine.

“You think I need someone else, a ghrá ?” My voice is low and hard as my stomach tightens at the mere thought of being without her.

“No, I’d kill any other woman who dared put her hands on you, but?—”

That’s all I need. I cup the back of her neck and yank her against me. Covering her mouth, I slide my tongue against hers and finally breathe her in.

With a whimper, Billie’s hands grip my sides, and she pushes her stomach against my cock, leaning into me.

“Mine,” I growl against her lips as I lift her, and she wraps her legs around my waist as I walk us up the stairs to our bedroom. Her arms loop around my neck, and she kisses me for all she’s worth, and finally, I’m home.

Setting her down long enough to strip us out of our clothes, I guide her back to the bed and crawl over her, caging her in with my pelvis between her legs. I brush her soft hair away from her face and rub my nose over hers.

“I know you’re strong.” I love the way her hands skim up and down my back. “I know you can handle anything that comes our way, but a part of me will always want to shield you from shite like this because you’re my heart, and I don’t want you to worry.”

Her expression softens, and she cups my face and lifts up to dust her lips over mine.

“And I don’t want you to carry anything alone.” Christ, she steals the breath from my lungs. “If they threaten one of us, they threaten both of us.”

I slip inside her, making us both groan, and when I start to move, I cup her neck and jaw, and her walls tighten around me.

“If I tell you to be careful, I need you to do it,” I growl against her lips.

“As long as you tell me why.” She bites my lower lip and sucks it into her mouth.

“I need to know that you’re safe.”

“I know.” She lifts her hips and her legs higher, opening herself so I slip in deeper. “It’s your love language.”

“ Mo chroi ,” I growl against her ear, moving faster. “I’ve missed you. ”

She smiles and tightens around me. “Me too. So much. Oh God.”

“You’re so good for me.” I lean up so I can watch where we meet, where her wetness coats my cock as I move in and out. “Look at how well you take me. I’ll never get enough of you.”

She whimpers again, and I can feel her body tensing, ready to fall into oblivion.

“That’s right, come on my cock. Finish for me.”

She cries out as her body convulses around me, tugging me over with her as I shoot inside her, over and over again as I fuck her through my climax, rocking into her until finally, I fall onto her and crush her to the mattress.

“Canp momb,” she says against my shoulder, making me grin.

“What was that?” I ask as I pull up and pepper her cheek with kisses.

“Can’t move,” she repeats. “But that’s better.”

After one more soft kiss, I clean us both up and snuggle her to me, her front to my side, her arm wrapped around my middle, and her head on my chest.

She hitches her leg over my thigh, as if she can’t get close enough.

“Oh God. Here it is. My peaceful place.” She tips her chin up so she can look at me, and I see tears fill her pretty eyes. “No pressure or anything, but if you leave for that long again, I’ll have to key your car.”

“Which one?” I ask, tipping up an eyebrow.

“All of them.” She chuckles, then her face sobers again. “You look so tired, baby. Ireland wasn’t good to you this time?”

“No.” I kiss her forehead. “You weren’t with me.”

“Let’s go to Galway soon.” Surprised, I blink down at her. “I’ll slip away for a long weekend or something. You need it.”

“Christ, I love you.” I tighten my hold on her, hugging her to me. “I think we both need it.”

“Yeah, we do.” She nuzzles against my chest, and I feel her muscles loosen. “I think I might actually fall asleep.”

Brushing my lips back and forth over the crown of her head, I smile. “Go to sleep, mo rúnsearc. I’ve got you.”

“I’ve got this,” I say to Bridger, who nods and reaches for another box.

We’re in town, and I’m helping the Blackwell men move their parents into the new house they bought. All four of them are here, along with their dad, Brandon, and Holden Lexington.

The women are at my house, having a lass’s baking day. It’s been a week since I got home. Billie wants to go to Galway later this week, but I need to talk to these guys first .

After the last box is unloaded from the truck, we gather in the small kitchen, and I clear my throat.

“I need to talk to all of you.” They quiet down and turn their attention to me. I’m not usually one who gets nervous.

But today, my hands are sweaty.

“Are you okay?” Brooks asks, his brow creasing.

“Aye, I’m good.” I tuck my hands in the pockets of my jeans. “I’d like to talk about Billie.”

“It’s happening,” Blake says with a smug grin.

“I can head out—” Holden begins, but I shake my head.

“I’d like it if you’d stay. This worked out well, actually.

” I push my glasses up my nose and then look each of them in the eyes.

“You all love her. You’re her family. So it’s right that I speak to all of you together when I tell you that I’m going to ask her to marry me next week. We’re taking a trip to Galway.”

Brandon blows out a breath, and the others share glances, shuffle their feet, and then look at their da.

“Why do you love my daughter?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Did you know that her favorite thing in the world is to be hugged?” Brandon’s eyes narrow.

“She simply wants to be touched. She’s picky about the bottled water she drinks.

She’d rather spend hours hunting through secondhand clothing stores to find what she wants than spend the money on something new. ”

I chuckle and shake my head, then look down at the floor.

“She misses all of you terribly but would never make you feel bad because she hasn’t seen you in a while.

And Christ, does she have a backbone on her.

She sticks up for herself and those she loves without batting an eye, and her tongue can be lethal.

She’s so bleedin’ clever and quick-witted.

Don’t even get me started on her work ethic.

Something I think she learned from all of you. ”

I look up to find all six of them grinning at me.

“I love the fire in her. Her stubborn side and her softness. I’ll continue to love her, to protect her, until the last breath leaves my body, and I need her to be my wife. The sooner, the better.”

Brandon nods, then pulls me in for a manly hug, patting me on the back.

“Welcome to the family.”

Everyone shakes my hand, Beckett being the last. His eyes are sober as they hold mine.

“She’s the best of us,” he says. “She’s the best there is, and she deserves everything in this world.”

“Aye, she does. And I’m going to give it to her.”

How could it be that simple? I answer one question, and they accept me without any other discussion? Without asking me if my family will insist on a prenup—which I’ll fight—or if we’ll move out of Montana—we won’t—or any other questions at all?

The expressions on their faces are full of acceptance. Happiness, even. Welcoming me into their family so easily humbles me to the core.

It’s not just my girl who’s special. I’m grateful that Skyla and I found their entire family. It’s a privilege to be among them.

With that finished, we caravan over to Billie’s and my home and join the girls in the kitchen, stealing cookies.

“These are still warm,” Bridger says as he bites into one of the treats.

“I did it,” Birdie says with a wide smile. “And Mom says when the baby comes, I can teach him how to bake, too.”

Everyone goes dead quiet and turns to Bridger and Dani, who are both grinning at each other.

“Are you telling me you’re having a boy?” Billie asks, her hands clasped over her chest.

“We were going to wait for dinner to announce it,” Dani says as she leans into Bridger’s side. “But yes, we just found out yesterday. Baby Boy Blackwell is on the way.”

I look on as my girl starts to cry and pulls both her brother and best friend in for hugs. Everything I said earlier is true, but this is what I love most about my angel.

She loves so big, so completely, that it spills out of her eyes, as if her body just can’t hold on to it all.

Her gaze finds mine, and she smiles widely as I cross to her and tip her chin up before brushing my mouth over hers.

“I love you, mo rúnsearc. ”

She tips her forehead against mine. “I love you too, billionaire.”