An inferno spread to his ears and his cheeks. “Oh God, you talked to my ex-girlfriend about that?”
“She said she wasn’t the only one. I had no idea. Wait a minute. My brothers would’ve noticed if you had a crush on me. They kept your secret for thirty years? Holy cow. I never would’ve guessed they could keep their mouths shut about something like that for so long.” A heart-stopping smile curved her beautiful mouth upward. “Since you were in kindergarten. I would’ve been in…sixth grade? That’s so sweet and romantic.”
“And embarrassing.”
She pressed her lips to his for a far-too-short kiss. “You knew. All this time, you knew I was the one. God, I wish I could’ve been that lucky. I had to make a big mistake first, and then I almost screwed up my second chance with you. So will you marry me?”
The embarrassment finally faded, but her question couldn’t seem to sink in. “Are you sure you want to get married? That it’s me you want and not just my sperm?”
She wrapped her arms around him, putting her cheek against his. “I did a lot of thinking and realized the reason I wanted a baby so much was because something was always missing. And this week I couldn’t sleep because I was missing you. Yes, I’d love to have a baby, but I don’t need to be pregnant to feel important to you.”
The knots in his gut unraveled, freeing the joy he experienced whenever she was near. “If I say yes, can we try some more, in case you’re not yet? I want to give you everything you need to be happy.”
She hugged him tighter and wiggled on his lap. “See? This is why I can’t help but adore you. I spent all day going over every word you’ve said to me, every touch, every kiss since you showed up to ask for food scraps for your pigs. How could I not fall in love with you?”
“Hearing those words is better than I imagined.” With his forearm under her legs, he scooped her up and stood. “Let’s go upstairs and practice our baby-making skills.”
“I promise to stay for breakfast in the morning.” She nibbled a distracting path along his jaw. “In fact, I was thinking we need to share breakfast every day, starting tomorrow. But you haven’t answered my question yet.”
Tightening his hold, he carried her toward the sliding door, stopping when their reflection came into view. His inner five-year-old grinned. “You still owe me an answer. After all, I asked first.”
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Books by Mellanie Szereto
The Homegrown Café Book Club series ~
Makin’ Bacon
The Farmer Takes a Husband (coming soon!)
The Butcher and the Baker (coming soon!)
When Harry Met Wally (coming soon!)
And Baby Makes 2½ (coming soon!)
Love on the Menu series ~
Love Served Hot
Red Hot Pepper
Hot Tamale Nights (coming soon!)
Love on the Menu...Extra Hot standalones ~
Just Desserts
Iced Latté
A Little Appetizer
The Main Dish
Dressing on the Side
Flavor of the Day
Love on the Menu…Steamed trilogy ~
Egging Her On
Sweetening Her Up
Love on the Menu: Steamed Boxed Set
Death Benefits ~ A short paranormal romance
Mad About You ~ A short romantic suspense
Behind the Mask ~ A short contemporary romance
The Sextet Anthologies ~
Volume 1: Sharing
Volume 2: Dirty Dancing
Volume 3: Occupational Hazards
Volume 4: Entanglements
Volume 5: Mistletoe & Ménage
The Sextet Presents standalones ~
Playing in the Raine: A Toy Story
Bound by Voodoo: Legends
Bewitching Desires series ~
Two if by Sea
Two Knights of Passion
Two Fated for One
Two Pirates to Treasure
Two Times the Trouble
Two Roped and Ready
Two from the Triangle
Beyond Bewitching
About the Author
When her fingers aren't attached to her keyboard, Mellanie Szereto enjoys hiking, Pilates, cooking, gardening, and researching for her stories. Many times, the research partners with her other hobbies, taking her from the Hocking Hills region in Ohio to the Colorado Rockies or the Adirondacks of New York. Sometimes, the trip is no farther than her garden for ingredients and her kitchen to test recipes for her latest steamy tale. Mellanie makes her home in rural Indiana with her husband of thirty-four years and their son.
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