“I swore them to secrecy.” He flipped on the windshield wipers as snow started to fall steadily.
“The party was great. I can’t believe they let us leave without any hassle, though. I thought for sure it would be late before we got on the road.” Sitting up, I turned to look at him.
“They understood,” he chuckled while keeping his eyes on the road.
“Yeah, because you told them we had to leave so we could consummate our engagement.” I laughed at the absurdity of it.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“I’m glad it did. I like that I got to spend the day on the beach, and tonight I’ll be cuddled up to you in front of a fire while it snows.”
“Oh, we’ll be doing a whole lot more than cuddling. If I have my way, I’ll be getting you pregnant with Birdie’s brother or sister.”
A laugh of surprise escaped me. “Don’t you think maybe we should be married before we have another baby? I’m not vain or anything, but I don’t want to be a whale when I walk down the aisle either.”
Remy chewed on that for a minute. Taking my left hand in his right, he laced our fingers together and placed them on his thigh. “Do you want a big or a small wedding?”
“Small. Only close friends and family. You?”
“Small as well. Okay, how long do you think it would take you to plan the wedding of your dreams?”
That was hard to answer. I had the big wedding before. A wedding I worked my ass off to pay for, and look where that had gotten me. I didn’t need two hundred and fifty people. Only the closest and dearest to my heart.
“I think I’d like to do it on our beach. Lexie would probably let us use some of hers as well. Since it’s early December and too cold to wear a dress, maybe we should wait until at least April or May. What do you think?”
Remy grunted a sound of disapproval. “I think six months is a long time, but I’m willing to wait. I want the day to be perfect for you.”
“Aww, I want the day to be perfect for you as well. We could always go somewhere warm for the winter and do it there. When we get back, I can ask Lexie and Pen when they’re available and work from there.”
“A tropical wedding and honeymoon sound good.”
A house a few hundred feet away lit up the dark sky with Christmas lights. It was straight out of a picture book. “Look at that house,” I pointed it out. “It’s so cute.”
“I’m glad you like it because that’s where we’re going. I paid extra for them to put up lights and decorate for the holiday.”
“Really?” I jumped in my seat. “You’ve really outdone yourself.” Brushing my lips against the shell of his ear, my hand rubbed against the bulge in his jeans. “I wonder how I can pay you back.”
Winding his hand through the strands of my hair, Remy made a fist. “I think you’ve got the right idea. I wouldn’t mind seeing your head bob in the light of the fire.”
“If we weren’t about ready to pull in, I’d blow you right now, but I guess it will have to wait.” I licked up the column of his neck and gently bit the space right below his ear.
“Another time,” he husked out as he threw the truck into park. Grabbing my face with both hands, Remy claimed my mouth in a searing kiss that had me panting and wanting to shed both our clothes as quickly as possible. Pulling away, he breathed deeply with heavily lidded eyes, letting me know the kiss affected him just as much as it did me. “Let’s grab our stuff and get inside.”
Scrambling out of the truck on weak legs, I waited as Remy grabbed our bags out of the back and followed him up the stairs that led to the front door. It was too dark to see much, even with the house decorated with Christmas lights. All I could see was that it was a wood cabin, two stories tall with a wide wrap-around porch.
Unlocking the door, Remy stood to the side and let me enter first. A lamp lit the space along with a roaring fire someone had already started for us to enjoy.
It was warm, homey, and rustic with wood beams and furniture. There was a furry rug in front of the fireplace that I knew we’d spend a lot of time on while we were here. Wrapping his arms around my waist from behind, Remy rested the side of his head against mine. “I know today is your birthday, but you’ve made it one of the best days of my life by agreeing to be my wife. Happy Birthday, Stella.”
Placing my hands on top of his, I leaned into him. “I don’t know how I’m ever going to top today for one of your birthdays. You’ve made it damn near impossible.”
“It’s not about topping it. It was never about that. I did all this because I love you. Each day we spend together should be about making it as memorable as possible, don’t you think?”
“How did you get so wise?” He shrugged, and I felt the silent laughter vibrate through my back. “Still, you gave me a birthday I won’t ever forget. Let me start thanking you.” My hands moved from his to reach around and grab his tight ass.
Pulling out of his hold, I walked backward, facing him so he could get a good look. My hands went to the flannel shirt I’d borrowed from his side of the closet and started to slowly unbutton it.
“Are you going to strip for me in the firelight?” He stepped slowly toward me, giving me
