Page 219 of Fighting Chance
Screaming, I launch myself at him, smacking my hand over his mouth as I tackle us to the floor. I knock the wind from him but he bounces back fast, laughing behind my hand.
I smack his shoulder, going to move off him as I scold, “That’s not funny!”
Kieran locks his arms around my middle, keeping me firmly on top of him as he chuckles. “Was extremely funny from where I was kneeling.”
My eyes flash. “You insufferable idiot.”
“An idiot you love.”
“An idiot all the same. That’s not what I meant and you know it.”
“I know, sunshine, but you best belief I’ll put a rock on that finger of yours.”
My cheeks heat but my tongue moves on its own. “You have to ask me to be your girlfriend first.”
His brow cocks. “Do I? We’ve done things so out of order, we can do whatever we want now.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Kieran.”
“Layla,” he sings.
Groaning, I try to push off him, only for Kieran’s deep laughter to trickle along my skin as he quickly spins, pinning me to the floor. His smile is so radiant and dashing it steals my breath.
He dips his head, capturing my lips for far too short an amount of time before he pulls back and whispers, “Layla Carson, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”
I couldn’t hold back my smile even if I tried. “Yes.” The word is barely out of mouth before Kieran is kissing me again.
An hour later, along with a few grass stains on various limbs and a christened patch of Kieran’s backyard, we’re lying on our backs, Kieran’s arm beneath my head as I follow the various tattoo designs along his skin and kissing every scar I find.
“Would you ever want to be Emmy’s mom?”
I answer straight from my heart. “It would be an honor.”
“Do you want to have kids of your own?”
I smile. “I never knew if I could have them with how sick I was, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to take care of a child if nothing improved. I forgot about my dream to have a family a long time ago, but working with Emmy has made me want them so badly.”
“She’s special, isn’t she?” he whispers, smiling to himself.
“Very special. What about you?”
“I want to have a large family, one with a lot of light and laughter in the home.” Turning his head to me, he places a kiss on my cheek. “We should get going. Grayson and Bella are probably wondering where we are.”
As he stands, offering his hand to me, he walks me up the patio steps, his hand resting on my lower back, and I’m not sure what persuades me to do it but before he can open the back door I stop him, tipping my head up to face him.
“Please don’t break my heart.”
“Never in my wildest dreams, sunshine.” He kisses me, soft and languid, before pulling back. “I’d rather rip out my own heart than ever hurt yours.”
Chapter 48
Kieran
ICEHAWKS BITCHES
IRVING
umm why the fuck weren’t we invited to trick-or-treating?
