Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (31 page)

“
Finesse? Like lip biting?
”

“
Like lip biting.
”

We stare at each other intently, the threat of what we both want filling us with desire. Time to make my move.
“
Would you like to take a walk with me?
”

“
To where?
”

“
Where are you staying?
”

“
With Logan and Maggie. Here at the vineyard.
”

“
And the boy toy is staying with you?
”

“
Yes.
”

“
Hmm.
”
I drag her outside then push her up against the side of the barn and kiss her.
 

Hard.
 

It
’
s a long, hot kiss.

“
Come to my room with me now?
”
I practically beg. And Knox doesn
’
t beg. But I can
’
t help it. I want her. Now. And although I
’
ve never done what she asked if I do, now it
’
s all I can think about doing.

“
Um, as much as I
’
d like to, Knox, I can
’
t. It wouldn
’
t be right of me. Kevin and I aren
’
t serious, but it would be really rude of me to just ditch him. I
’
m sorry.
”
 

When she turns and walks back to the barn, I chase after her.

“
Wait. Can I call you? Get your number?
”
When's the last time I had to ask for a girl
’
s number? Middle school? I feel the butterflies I felt back then. Afraid she will say no.

But she smiles at me and pats the front of my suit jacket, totally turning me on.

“
You have a phone?
”
she asks.

“
Jacket pocket,
”
I reply.
 

She retrieves my phone and presses a bunch of buttons.
 

“
I added myself as a contact and sent a text to my number. I have to go, Knox,
”
she says wistfully.
“
I
’
ll text you back.
”

Once she
’
s back inside the barn, I check my phone to make sure she actually did what she said.
 

I can
’
t help but smile when I see the text she sent herself from my phone.

Me:
 
You
’
re an idiot for walking away from Knox Daniels.

An incoming text pops up causing me to laugh at her name.

Bite Me:
 
Don
’
t I know it.

With a grin plastered across my face, I text her back, deciding to go for it.

Me:
 
I have a few weeks off after the wedding and was thinking about taking a vacation. Would you be interested in joining me?

Bite Me:
 
I would be, but I have to work. Parent-teacher conferences are this week. Although, I do have Friday off.

Me:
 
Where do you live?

Bite Me:
 
Cincinnati.

Me:
 
I
’
ve always wanted to visit, but I bet it would be really tough to get a hotel room on such short notice.

Bite Me:
 
Is that your way of asking if you can stay at my place?

Me:
 
Do you have a spare bedroom? A couch I can crash on?

Bite Me:
 
Knox Daniels, you know damn well that if you come to my house you won
’
t sleep on the couch. At least not alone.

Me:
 
Are you going to use me and throw me away like your boy toys?
 

Bite Me:
 
It all depends on how good you are.

Me:
 
Oh, sugar. I’m the definition of good.

Bite Me:
 
Every guy thinks that. You
’
ll have to prove it.

Me:
 
If I do, will you go away with me for the weekend?

Bite Me:
 
Yes. I will.

Me:
 
Where shall we go? Fiji? Milan? Paris?

Bite Me:
 
Those places are amazing, but far away. We
’
d waste the whole weekend traveling.
 

Me:
 
We wouldn
’
t want that. You choose. Anywhere you want.

Bite Me:
 
IF you prove it, don
’
t laugh, but I
’
ve always wanted to go to Washington D.C. and see all the museums.

Me:
 
Then that
’
s where we
’
ll go. I love museums.

Bite Me:
 
Really?

Me:
 
I
’
d love going to a museum with you. Maybe I
’
ll learn a thing or two.

Bite Me:
 
Well, I am a teacher.

Asher Vineyards
—
Wedding

KEATYN

After an amazing meal followed by numerous toasts, everyone is back out on the dance floor.
 

I
’
m trying to find my husband in the crowd when Aiden
’
s voice comes over a microphone.
 

“
If I can have everyone’s attention, I have a little surprise for my bride. We shared our first kiss at a school carnival, and I
’
ll never forget how she looked. She was wearing a little red dress and was eating pink cotton candy.
”

“
With me!
”
Riley yells out.
 

“
And me!
”
Dallas adds.
 

Aiden laughs.
“
That is true, but luckily I whisked her away to the Ferris wheel. It was at the top of it that we shared a perfect first kiss.
”
 

Aiden sets down the microphone and stalks toward me.
 

He grabs my hand and says,
“
Now, please.
”

And I
’
m thinking
now what
until a pathway is revealed, lit up by twinkle lights. We walk down the path, which leads us around the barn
—
where there
’
s a Ferris wheel.
 

“
Ohmigosh, Aiden! It
’
s beautiful.
”
 

“
Want to go for a ride with me?
”

“
Uh, yeah.
”

As we
’
re getting ready to board the first car, I notice gold scrolling letters on the pale pink paint.
 

Keatyn and Aiden

October 18
^th

We
’
re sorta like fate.

“
Did you buy this?
”

Aiden grins.
“
I did. It
’
s my wedding gift to you. I had it completely restored. Thought it would be a good addition to the farm.
”

“
Our kids will love it. It
’
s beautiful,
”
I say, getting on the ride.

 
As we approach the top, I squeeze his hand.
“
You know, I have to admit when I first fell for you, it was because you were so hot, Mr. Shirtless Goalie.
”
I pat his stomach.
“
You
’
re still pretty sexy looking, but you
’
re so much more than that, Aiden. You
’
re so wonderful to me. I
’
m so incredibly lucky.
”
I start to cry.
 

“
Don
’
t cry, baby,
”
he says as I lean my head against his shoulder, just like the first time we rode the Ferris wheel together.

When we get to the top, it feels like time stops again.

Especially when he presses his lips into mine.

“
I
’
ve died and gone to hottie heaven,
”
I say, teasing him.

“
That
’
s because I just gave you a slow, perfect, time-stood-still, fireworks-in
-
your eyes kind of kiss,
”
he teases back.

“
You
’
re stealing my lines.
”

“
There
’
s a reason for that,
”
he says, as fireworks light up the sky.

“
Fireworks. You think of everything,
”
I tell him.
“
I love you.
”

“
I love you too, Boots.
”

As we watch the fireworks, I can
’
t help but remember when he lit up the sky for me in a different way. When he put hundreds of glow-in-the-dark stars all over my ceiling.

And I know now is the right time to tell him.

When the fireworks show is over, and the Ferris wheel starts moving again, I say,
“
Top of the Eiffel Tower. Top of the Ferris wheel. Top of the hill overlooking the ocean. All special places to us. Places where our lives have changed.
”

“
And now we
’
re officially hitched.
”

“
Always. Only. Ever.
”

“
Now you
’
re stealing my lines,
”
he jokes.
“
Just like you did the night you told me you’re pregnant.
”

“
And the night you proposed. I have something I need to tell you, Aiden. When I went to the doctor on Monday, they did an ultrasound because my hormone levels were off.
”

Panic fills his eyes.
“
Is the baby alright?
”

“
Yes, but I found out that there’s not just one baby. There are three. We
’
re having triplets.
”

“
Triplets?
”
he repeats slowly.
 

Then he leans over the seat, causing it to rock unsteadily as he yells down to the crowd.
“
TRIPLETS, EVERYONE! WE
’
RE HAVING TRIPLETS!
”

“
Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit. Did you hear that, Ma?
”
Grandpa says from the car above us just as Aiden
’
s mother screeches,
“
Triplets?!
”
 

The crowd below us murmurs with excitement over the news.

“
Well, I guess the cat
’
s out of the bag. Holy shit, Aiden! You just told the world I
’
m pregnant!
”

He pulls me close and kisses me again, leaving me breathless and not caring about anything other than his lips.

“
When Inga read your palm during high school, she was wrong,
”
he says.