Willow

As soon as Ronan turns the car off the highway that took us from the ferry terminal to Dogwood Cove, I feel the tension leaving me.

I might love the city, and our life there, but being this close to the ocean? Heaven. I can see why Tori is so happy living here.

When he surprised me with a weekend getaway, just the two of us, to celebrate the end of the season, Ronan asked if I wanted to go back to Hawaii, where it all began, or somewhere else. And while Lark told me I was nuts to turn down a trip to Hawaii, I instantly knew I wanted to bring Ronan here.

I need the two most important people in my life to meet, at last.

Every time we tried to find time over the last few months for Tori, Sawyer and Cooper to meet Ronan and Peyton, it just didn’t work. Between Sawyer’s firefighting shifts, Ronan’s game schedule, not to mention Cooper’s school schedule and both Tori and my work commitments, it was impossible to coordinate.

Until now.

Peyton’s not with us, and I feel her absence, but two nights in an ocean-front cabin at a gorgeous resort with just Ronan? Yes please. As soon as Tori sent me the link for Oceanside Beachfront Resort, I knew this was where I wanted to go.

“So we’re meeting them tomorrow for lunch, right? Meaning we can sleep in?” Ronan asks hopefully as he steers the car down the winding road that leads past the downtown of Dogwood Cove, toward the resort that’s on the outskirts of town. He’s exhausted, I know he is. It was a long, grueling, but fantastic season.

“Yup. Lunch at this café Tori’s friend Mila owns. It’s delicious, and the bakery next door makes these muffins that will change your life. Oh and they wanted to know if we would be up for a short hike to the hot springs at some point? Apparently Sawyer’s family knows some secret spot off the trail that’s even nicer than the main pools.”

“Hot springs sound pretty fucking awesome, cherry.” He reaches one hand over to squeeze my leg. “After sex and sleep.”

He winks, then turns his gaze forward again as we reach the turnoff with a quaint wooden sign signalling we’ve arrived at the resort.

“Sex and sleep?” I laugh. “Those are your priorities?”

“Yup,” he answers simply and firmly. “I love my kid, but why did she have to pick the week after the season ends to suddenly decide she hates going to bed?”

I take in his profile, the backwards cap, three-day-old scruff covering a strong jaw, powerful body, lined with exhaustion, and feel sympathy toward my love.

“Yeah, that’s not fun timing. I promise not to keep you up late, and I’ll let you sleep in every morning.”

Ronan pulls into a parking spot in front of a low wooden building with a pier jutting straight out over the water. It’s absolutely stunning, with the sun starting to set, making the water sparkle. Small cabins are situated along the beach, one of them ours.

“Let’s get one thing straight, cherry. You want to keep me up because you want me to eat your delicious pussy or feed you my cock? Not a problem. You want to wake me up riding my dick just because? Do it. We might have three days kid-free to sleep, but that also means we have three days kid-free to fuck. Without risking her walking in on us. You can be as loud as you want, cherry, and I’m not gonna say no to that even if I am running on fumes.”

A thrill at that dirty promise runs through me. Ronan cuts his gaze away, climbs out of the car and walks around to my side to open my door. I step out, and up onto my toes to whisper, “you better get us checked in quickly. Because I’m hungry.”

I let my hand graze his cock, which even at rest is impressive under his jeans. He muffles his groan in the top of my head, and I giggle, loving how responsive he is.

I hope it never fades, this intense desire we have for each other. I love feeling like I can never have enough of him, and he can never get enough of me. Even though with Peyton around, we’ve had to get creative with finding time to be intimate. Especially with her recent struggles falling asleep, brought on by the start of kindergarten. I’ve had a crash course in parenting, or at least living with a child, as we’ve navigated the last few months together.

And I wouldn’t change a second of it. They’re my family now, not replacing my dad, or Tori and Cooper, but filling another space I didn’t ever want to admit felt empty in my heart.

In the office we greet Summer, the owner of the resort. “Welcome to Dogwood Cove,” she says cheerfully, typing away at the computer. “Oh, you’re in luck, you’re in cabin one.”

“What’s lucky about that one?” I ask, and she instantly blushes.

“Well, I mean it’s a good one for couples,” she stammers just in time for a tall man wearing a plaid shirt to walk up behind her, a toddler on his hip. He gives us a grin and kisses her forehead.

“What my wife is trying to say is that’s the cabin that brought us together.”

The look of love Summer beams at her husband is blinding, and I lean into Ronan’s side. I want that. The ring, the kid, the history, all of it. With him.

And an hour later, when we’re tangled in a tired, sweaty, mess of limbs, our heart slowly returning from normal, I lift up on my elbow to look down at the man I love with all my heart.

“Would you consider having more kids?” I ask quietly, my gaze cast down on his chest where my finger idly draws circles.

He shifts underneath me, one large hand cupping my jaw and tilting my head up, forcing me to look at him. “With you? Absolutely.” His words ring of conviction, and any worries leave me immediately. His eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles. “But I’d like to marry you first.”

I start to laugh, then freeze when I see his serious expression. “Wait. Are you…”

He kisses me, then untangles himself to climb out of bed. Fishing something out of his duffle bag, he rejoins me, tugging me back into his arms before opening one hand to reveal a stunning diamond ring.

“I’d get down on one knee, but that feels weird since we’re both naked so hopefully this will do,” he starts. “I thought I was okay living my life alone, just me, Peyton, and baseball. But I had no idea how much better life could be until you came along. The second I saw you on that escalator I knew you were something special. And you’re that, and so much more, Willow Lawson. You’re the woman who completes my heart, and my family. The woman I want to be the mother of my children, including Peyton. The woman I want by my side now and forever.”

He pauses, twisting the ring in his fingers. When his gaze meets mine again, I see moisture pooling in his eyes as they flash with vulnerability. “We joked about fate, back in Hawaii, and now I know it’s true. You were made for me. We were meant to be. So marry me, Willow. Marry me, and make all my dreams come true.”

I’m openly crying as I nod, unable to speak. My hand shakes as I hold it out and let him slide the stunning solitaire onto my finger. His lips are trembling when they find mine but the second we connect, it all falls into place.

He’s right. This was meant to be. From escalator god, to my future husband, fate brought Ronan Sinclair into my life. And I never plan to let him go.

THE END