Morgan
One year later
I’m sitting on the beach of a tropical island—one that Ben’s grandfather gave to us an engagement present—off the coast of India. My toes are in the sand and I have a tropical drink in my hand.
It’s a virgin, due to the news I’ve been dying to share to share with my fiancé. However, I’m nervous.
“Too bad this couldn’t be a real one,” I mutter into my drink.
There’s something to be said for getting into bed with the mob.
Or at least with a former mobster who’s really a hero in disguise.
As if sensing my thoughts, Ben shoots through the water, shaking his dark head and sending water everywhere. When he spots me, he smiles, holding up he spear he used to fish.
“That’s my man!” Setting my drink down, I clap for him.
He walks to me, emerging from the ocean like my own Neptune and planting his spear into the sand. The fish flip-flops on the end of the spear, and I have to focus on him instead, hoping that my face is isn’t green.
It isn’t a bad view at all. His navy blue shorts are the kind that men in Europe wear to the beach—a shorter pair of boxer briefs that do great things for his muscular ass.
“Nice swimsuit.”
His gaze drops to my chest. “Nice tits. Not sure if the world is prepared for a pair as pretty as yours, though.”
“You said that no one would see me.” I’m wearing nothing but a pair of hot pink bikini bottoms and my engagement ring.
He nods at the yacht anchored in the cove. “They can see you.”
I shrug. “You’re topless.”
His gaze travels lower, to my belly, and then back up again, a cocky smile on his sexy lips. “Anything to share?”
A gasp leaves me. “You know.”
He laughs, sitting down in front of me and taking my hands. “Yeah, I know. You’re not exactly secretive.”
“You found the pregnancy test.” I narrow my eyes. “Were you spying on me?”
“It was on the counter. Hard to miss.”
I pout a little. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“Trust me. I was incredibly surprised when I realized what those two pink lines represented.”
“And happy?” I bite my lip, nervous butterflies zooming around in my stomach.
He kisses my nose, drops of water hitting my chest and making me gasp a little. “Incredibly happy.”
“Guess I’ll have to make an honest man of you.”
“If I’d known that all it would take to get you to finally marry me is a baby, I would have knocked you up a lot sooner so you could be so full of life that I’d have to marry you.”
“How romantic,” I say dryly.
He takes my hand and stands, pulling me to my feet. “I think you need to get out of the sun.”
“But my drink,” I protest as he leads me to a cabana near the beach house.
“I’ll make another one for you.” Once we’re inside, he gathers me in his arms. “You have no idea how very sexy I find you.” One of his hands glides to my stomach. “How very primal I feel about you carrying my child.”
Desire surges, extra hard due to my hormones. I think I’m going to love this part of pregnancy. “You can show me.”
Laughing, he lowers his mouth to mine, then at the last second, he lifts his head. “As soon as you marry me.”
“Blackmailing me, are you?”
“How far along are you?” he asks.
I wince a little. “Four months.”
“Are you bloody serious?” His gaze drops to my stomach then comes back to rest on my face.
“I was planning on tell you. Eventually.”
He shakes his head. “It’s settled. The captain will marry us tonight.”
“Are you sure about this? I don’t want you to marry me just because I’m pregnant.”
He gazes into my eyes, love evident in his. “From the very start, I knew you were the woman for me. Baby or no baby, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
What can I say to that, except, “Ask me again.”
“Will you marry me, Morgan?”
“Yes. A million times yes.”