37

Jansen

“That’s a damn fine table you made, Jan.”

Ida Sue laughs into my side, her arms around me, squeezing me to her as her leg lays over mine. I’ve got her head on my shoulder, her hair fanned out over it and I’m gently stroking her arm. Her comment would make me smile, but I haven’t stopped smiling, not since the moment I made her come and especially not afterwards when I slid my cock deep inside of her and we came together.

We ended up making a sandwich instead of going out. Not what I had planned, but this way we could let Mary sleep, and if I’m honest, I liked it better and I think Ida Sue did too. Mary woke up and I played with her and helped Ida Sue get her down for the night. I’ve not been around many babies, but little Mary seemed to take to me and Ida Sue didn’t yank her out of my hands, so I figure I did okay.

Now it’s hours later and Ida Sue and I should be asleep, but I don’t want to sleep. Part of me is afraid that if I fall asleep, I’ll wake up alone and this—all of this—will be a dream. When a man suddenly has everything he ever wanted in his arms, I’m finding that it makes you afraid it’s not real.

“Glad you like it, Lovey,” I murmur into her hair, kissing her there and giving her a squeeze.

“You’ve gone quiet.”

“Just thinking that tonight might be the single greatest night in my life.”

Maybe I should try to play it cool, hold myself back, but that’s not who I am. I’m not going to play games with Ida Sue. I think maybe she’s had enough games played with her in the past. I want her to know that, with me, what she sees is what she gets.

Ida Sue rolls over so that her upper body is over mine and she looks down at me. God she’s so fucking beautiful, she makes me ache. Soft, honey brown hair, sparkling eyes and pouty lips made to give a man pleasure—along with a spark of sass to keep life interesting.

“You mean that don’t you, Jan?” she asks, her voice filled with more than a little wonder.

I bring my hand up so I can play with the ends of her hair and I study her face. She’s started calling me Jan. No one ever has before, and I don’t think it would ever occur to me to let them. But, I like that Ida Sue calls me that. It’s like she’s claiming me as hers, taking a liberty no one else has ever had, one I’ve never given.

I’d give her anything.

“I mean it, Honey Girl,” I tell her, giving her lips a brief kiss, as her body melts against mine.

“Where have you been all of my life?” she asks.

“Looking for you.”

She may not know it, but that’s the God’s honest truth. She’s the answer to every question, to every prayer, to every wish.

“If you don’t stop being sweet, you’re going to make me cry,” she warns.

“I’ll try to rein it in, Darlin’.”

“I’d appreciate it,” she says with a sweet smile that feels like it’s all mine. She feels like she’s all mine. “This has been the best Valentine’s Day ever,” she adds, kissing my chest.

“Shit,” I mutter when I realize what she said. How I could have forgotten, I don’t know, but I did. I need to remedy that really damn quick. “It’s not over yet.”

“It’s not? You got another round left in you, Cowboy?”

“That’s not what I meant, but with you I seem to always be ready,” I tell her grabbing her hand and moving it down to hold it over my stiffening cock. Her soft hand wraps around my shaft and strokes me, but I stop her after that. There’s something else that needs to happen first. “Hold that thought, Darlin’,” I tell her, while stretching. I’m half on the bed and half off, stretching to pick up the jeans from where I dropped them earlier.

“What are you doing?” she laughs, but I’m turned to the side now, giving her my back so she can’t see. “I wanna see!” She’s giggling now, her hands on my back. She’s happy and that makes me smile.

I sift through and find the pocket I stored the ring in earlier. It’s just a simple diamond on a gold band, but I hope that Ida Sue can tell that it comes from the heart. I already have the matching gold wedding bands bought too. It might have been jumping the gun, but I know in my heart that she’s the one.

Tonight just reinforced that for me.

I open the box, letting my pants fall to the floor, and turn back on my back—ring hid in my fist.

“What are you doing, Cowboy?” Ida Sue grumbles, snuggling back into me and holding me close.

I open my hand to show her the ring.

“Ida Sue Lucas,” I start, looking at her and then back to the ring. “Will you marry me?”