29. Lake

LAKE

Best date ever.

I didn't have anything to compare it to, but deep down I knew that even if I'd been on a thousand dates, the first one I was experiencing with Bronson would be the one I'd always remember for the rest of my life.

Throwing my arms up, I jumped around in circles while yelling, "I win, I win, I win!"

Bronson chuckled at my antics. "I forgot how competitive you were for a second but I won't make that mistake again."

We'd had dinner at Dave and Busters then wandered into the game area to kill time before the movie started. It had been a long time since I let loose the way I was with Bronson. It felt good to be carefree and not worry about adult stuff for a time.

I laughed at his comment because I had to admit I may have gotten into it a bit more than either of us expected me to.

"Next game I'm going all out and not giving you a break," he teased.

I scoffed. "You are so full of shit, I'm winning fair and square. You just don't want to admit I'm better than you. So I'll prove it."

Grabbing his hand, I pulled him across the large room. "Air Hockey, here we come." I looked over my shoulder and flashed him a sassy smile. "Baby, you are so going down."

His deep bark of laughter echoed through the room even over the people's voices and the rings and dings of all the games. I'd missed hearing that sound from him for so long. My belly fluttered and a tingle of sexual awareness headed south, damping the silky, coral panties I'd put on especially for Bronson.

Caught up in the feelings rippling through me, I stopped abruptly and spun around toward him as I dropped his hand. He almost ran right into me but that worked perfectly because he was so close. I threw my arms around his neck, pushed up onto my toes and kissed him senseless right there in the middle of the room for everyone to see.

Realization over the scene I had caused sunk in as laughter, whistles, and awes from those around us filtered to my ears. I ripped my mouth from his and looked around. Even kids were giggling and I buried my head against Bronson"s chest, my cheeks hot from embarrassment.

I hadn't thought that through, just acted on emotions that were running rapidly through me at the time. Pulling back, I glanced up into Bronson's heated gaze and saw not only lust but love. So much love.

And then the unthinkable happened.

Bronson dropped to one knee.

I gasped, along with everyone else around us.

What is happening right now?

He grabbed both of my hands and those soothing, green eyes of his looked right into my soul.

"I may not have planned to do this here but I did plan on proposing to you soon. This might not be the romantic setting you deserve, just like the first time I said, ‘I love you,' or the touching proposal that girls dream about, but I couldn't wait a second longer. And while this may be our first official date, it feels right."

He took a deep breath as I stood there stunned, my heart about to beat right out of my chest.

"I've talked about my stupidity time and time again. I shouldn't have left but we both know a very special little girl who came from me walking away so no regrets because I can't imagine our lives without her. All I know is you have and always will be the only one for me. I want to marry you, adopt Stormi, and take care of both of you more than I've wanted anything in my life."

Tears steam rolled down my cheeks leaving tracks in their wake.

"I don't have a ring yet but we can get anything your heart desires. Please just tell me that you want all of that and will marry me, Cupcake. You're my best friend, the woman of my dreams, and I can't live without you. I want you to be my wife."

He stood then, placing his hands on my cheeks, and stared into my eyes.

"Yes," I whispered.

Everyone clapped and cheered around us, but all that noise fell away and for a moment it was only Bronson and me.

"Say it again," he demanded as he wiped my tears from my face with the pads of his thumbs. "I need to hear it again."

Happy laughter bubbled up inside me and broke free. "Yes, I will marry you. And I don't need a ring; my heart desires you. You are all I need."

He gave me a smacking, quick kiss. "God, I love you. I'm so damn happy, sweetheart." Then he gave me a stern look. "You are getting a ring. I want everyone who looks at you to know you are taken and mine."

Raising my brows and giving him a sassy look, I asked, "Is that so?"

"You bet it is." He gave me one more kiss, but this one wasn't as quick. It was gentle and lingered a little longer as if he didn't want to stop. With a groan, he reluctantly pulled back. "We still have the rest of the date so we better get going, it's almost time for the movie now."

I was on cloud nine as we walked through the crowd of people congratulating us. I couldn't believe what had just happened.

I'm going to be Bronson's wife.

When we got outside, I stopped Bronson once again. "I'm thinking that we should go home."

He raised his brows.

"We can do the movie next time. Right now I just want to celebrate the engagement… In bed." I flashed him a coy smile.

Pulling me toward the mall on the other side of the restaurant, he replied, "Okay, but one thing first though."

I was confused. The theater was on the backside of the mall but he'd said okay it could wait. I followed along, our hands clasped in one another's until he reached his destination.

There we stood in the doorway of a jewelry store.

I couldn't stop staringat the beautiful ring on my finger.

When we left for our date, I never imagined I'd come back engaged. Bronson's proposal was spontaneous but no less romantic in my eyes. He may have thought differently but I thought it was ultimate perfection.

As a kid I had a crazy crush on Bronson. But as I got older I knew my feelings for him were much more than that. I'd been in love with him for so long and dreamt many times about having a life with him.

Once he left, the dream was crushed and I moved on with my life.

But life has a way of working out sometimes.

And now was one of those times.

All my dreams were coming true.

"You know Kace and Gyth both have their license to marry people," Bronson blurted as we pulled up in front of our house.

When his rig stopped, I unbuckled and turned in my seat to face him.

"What are you saying exactly?"

He smiled almost shyly and it was endearing. "If you agreed to marry me tomorrow I'd do it." When I went to speak, he held up his hand. "But I want you to have the wedding you always wanted."

With no hesitation at all for the second time that night, I said, "Yes."

His face scrunched up in confusion. "Yes?"

"I'll marry you the first chance we get, after we talk to Stormi." I let out a small laugh. "Although, I'm positive she won't have one issue with it."

He flashed me a blinding smile and gently pulled me across the console into his lap, to straddle his thighs.

"Don't fuck with me, sweetheart."

I wiggled my hips and ground down on him.

"I'm being serious. But I do want to make love to you."

Bronson groaned at my movements or my words, I'm not sure which. Maybe it was a combination of both.

"We'll get to that portion of the evening." He brushed his large palm across my cheek and into my hair while his other gripped my butt. "Week tops. Then I'm going to have you saying, ‘I do.'"

This was a bit crazy. Or maybe a whole lot of crazy, but I didn't care.

"Yes, sir."

He gave me a wicked smile. "I'm going to have you screaming that out in bed."

"Can we go in now?" I pleaded. "I am ready to celebrate."

After opening his door, he placed both hands under my ass and slid out with me in his arms.

I clung to him like a monkey and giggled like a schoolgirl.

With great purpose, he strode to the front door and set me down. His mouth took mine in a soft kiss before he pulled back and began to disengage the lock.

My body swayed. He was a fabulous kisser. "Was that my goodnight kiss?"

"It was the kiss you deserved at the end of your first date, but by no means is it the end of the evening."

We walked into the house and he turned to shut the door before facing me once again.

"What if I don't go farther than that on the first date?" I teased.

But as I said it, I walked a couple of steps closer to him and popped the button on his jeans. When I unzipped him, the back on my hand brushed against his bulge and I heard him take a sharp intake of air.

I may not have known what I was doing since I'd never done anything like this before, but I wanted to make Bronson feel as good as he always made me feel.

My hands went to his waist and I pushed on the sides of his pants, taking his jeans and black boxer briefs down in one swoop as I dropped to my knees. His powerful thighs flexed in anticipation.

"Baby, you don't have—"

An abrupt stop came to anything he was going to say when my palm gripped his velvety length. He felt so good in my hand and I knew without a doubt he was going to feel even better when my lips touched his cock.

I looked up and gave him a sexy smile.

"I want to."