Good With His Hands (Good in Bed #1)- Lauren Blakely Page 0,74

one knee, reaches into his pocket, and takes out a velvet box.

My heart rises from my chest and wedges in my throat. I am overcome.

“Ruby, my favorite person, my one, please say you’ll marry me and be mine forever? And let me be yours?”

I answer him the only way I can. “Yes, yes, all the yes!”

I fall to my knees, throw my arms around him, and kiss my sexy boyfriend who, one day soon, is going to be my sexy, sweet, forever love. My husband.

I cover him in kisses.

I can’t stop kissing him.

I kiss him for minutes that feel like magic.

Then I break the kiss, clasp his face, and whisper, “I love you so much. I can’t believe you’re moving back to New York for us. I can’t believe you’ve got a garage. And a studio. It’s just . . . too perfect.”

He grins, crooked and sexy and so very him. “Believe it. And let me put this ring on your finger.”

Giddy, I hold out my hand. He slides on a gorgeous ring featuring a dark orange stone surrounded by glittering diamonds.

“It’s an orange garnet,” he says. “It reminded me of the colors we used when we painted the mural in the old schoolhouse. That, and your smile. Like sunshine.”

I fight back tears. “It’s so lovely.” And it is. It takes my breath away, because it’s so special, and it’s from him.

We kiss some more, then we kiss again, and then we make out in the doorway between our two fabulous new spaces for good measure.

Many minutes later, we finally stand, and he leads the way into the garage, where a manila folder is waiting on the counter. “Guess I can sign the deal then,” he says wryly, nodding toward the folder.

Eyes wide, I snag the pen from the counter beside the paperwork and shove it at him. “You better sign it right now and keep your sweet butt here in Brooklyn where you belong.”

“I belong with you, sweetheart,” he says, his arm around me. “Wherever you are.”

And I feel the same way about him. One hundred percent—not a single doubt in my mind.

Another Epilogue

Ruby

* * *

A few years later

* * *

I bring the fork to my mouth, moaning around the crumbles of strawberry and goat cheese. Now this is pie. Decadent and delicious and mine to relish without shame.

Sweetie Pies is closed for the night, which means no customers around to judge the taste-bud orgasm sounds slipping from between my lips.

“This is sinfully delicious.” I groan again and sink deeper in the plush cushion seat at one of the new booths Gigi ordered last spring. Beside me, Mom makes a similarly contented sound.

Ah, to be comfortable and eating dessert with dear ones at the same time. Is there anything better?

Another bite. Another moan.

Gigi arches a brow from the other side of the booth. “Sounds like you’re making love to that pie.”

I’m aghast that she’d say that with the woman who gave birth to me at the table. “Don’t say that in front of . . .” I stage whisper, “. . . my mother.”

Mom huffs and rolls her eyes. “I figured it was sex that got you into your present situation, sweetheart,” my mom says, shooting a pointed look at my ginormous stomach.

Yes. Ginormous. Honestly, I could barely squeeze into the booth.

It’s the size of a yacht, and this yacht is about to dock in the harbor any day. But in the meantime, there are pies to eat.

I’m pretty sure everything has zero calories when you’re forty weeks, six days, five hours, and twenty-three minutes pregnant. I’ve narrowed down the conception date and I know this kid is overcooked, no matter what my doctor has to say about “letting labor come in its own time.”

“This child clearly intends to stay inside me forever,” I say. “So there’s only one thing to do . . .”

Gigi laughs. “Eat pie?”

“What can I say? I like pie. It tastes good. Takes a girl’s mind off tiny feet kicking her in the spleen. Also, you made this amazing, irresistible strawberry and goat cheese creation, so this sugar rush is at least seventy-five percent your fault,” I say, taking another bite and adjusting myself in the seat.

Because I’m not comfortable.

I haven’t been comfortable in months.

How could anyone in my position be comfortable right now?

I’m ready though. Ready to meet our baby. Ready to take this next step with Jesse.

The last few years have been so magical and wonderful. My business has flourished and so