The Arrangement (A Real Man, #23) - Jenika Snow Page 0,23

miss him. I need to be better at checking in with him.”

Beckham kissed the top of my head. “He’d really love that.” We stayed silent for a few seconds. “He met someone, by the way.”

I felt a smile filter across my face at the sound of that. I sat up slightly and looked down at his face, saw the smile he wore as well.

“He really likes her.”

I felt happiness for Rob and was so thankful my mother hadn’t ruined his life. “I’m glad. I’m really glad he’s happy again.”

Beckham pulled me back down against him, and I wrapped my arm around his waist. I was thankful he didn’t talk about my mother, didn’t ask about her again. She didn’t need to intrude on this moment. I’d come to terms long ago that the life she led didn’t include me. And when it did, it was only on her terms. And that’s not a life I wanted to have.

I didn’t want to be someone’s backup, someone to stroke their ego, to make them feel better.

I wanted to be someone’s priority, and I found that with Beckham.

“I hope this goes without saying, but I don’t want you to leave, Lenora. I want you to stay here with me, to share this room with me… to be mine.”

God, I’d wanted to hear him say that for so long.

“There is no arrangement. There never was. As soon as you asked to move in with me, I knew I’d make things right and make you stay here with me anyway I could. There was no way I could have let you go again.”

I shifted on the mattress so I could look at him. I wanted to stare in his eyes as I listened.

“I’m not saying I’m perfect. I’m far from it. I’ll probably make mistakes down the road, piss you off, make you wish you could punch me in the face.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

His expression sobered. “But know this. I love you, Lenora, more than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything in this fucking world. And that’ll never change. It’ll only grow as time passes. I’m in this for the long haul with you. Forever.” He cupped my cheek and leaned in to kiss me softly. “And I think you want that too.”

The way he said it was poised a little like a question, and so to reassure him, I kissed him back. “That’s all I’ve wanted for so long,” I murmured against his mouth.

“I want you as my wife someday, Lenora. Someday soon. So fucking soon. I want to have a family with you, make a home with you. I want the world with you.” Beckham pulled me in for a hug, and I melted against him.

I’d finally gotten that happily ever after I sure as hell deserved. And God, it felt good.

Epilogue One

Beckham

Six months later

I stared at Lenora and tried to wrap my head around what she just told me. It was like someone just kicked me in the balls.

For the last year, she’d been living with me. We’d made this house a home for both of us. She decorated it, helped renovate the upstairs. She even had her own little room, one where she could read in the nook I created for her by the window, where she had her many books lined up in the bookcases I’d gotten for her at her favorite antique shop.

And I’d never been happier.

And although I always dreamed about this moment, I hadn’t thought it would be yet.

“Please say something,” she said so softly I almost didn’t hear her. She kept twisting her hands together, her nervousness tangible.

I didn’t want to make her feel this way.

Lenora was having my baby. She was pregnant, carrying my child, and I was going to be a father.

“I—I—” Hell, I had no fucking idea what to say. The sonogram picture she’d given me to break the news was still in my hand, and I stared at that black-and-white picture. That was my baby, although it didn’t look much aside from a little bean-shaped thing. But it was my baby. “I don’t know what to say, baby.” I was being honest.

“I took three pregnancy tests when I realized how late I was. So I made an appointment with the doctor. I didn’t know they were going to do the ultrasound.” She was still twisting her hands together. “I should have just talked to you about it, but… here we are.”

I looked at her again, anticipation and excitement filling me even