“Am I? Because I think you liked it.”
With that, he spanks my ass again, and I can’t help the whimper that comes out of my mouth.
His brows rise in interest, and I find myself blushing, but before he can do it again, I flip onto my back. He covers my body with his, and I stare up into his eyes.
“I would never try to get rid of you,” I whisper, brushing his hair out of his face. “I love you too much.”
His lips brush softly along my jawline. “I know you wouldn’t. I’m yours.”
“Yes, you are. Mine forever.”
Rule #42: Play fair.
Beau’s epilogue
Three years later
“Roll a constitution check,” I say with a smug smile, crossing my arms.
“We’re playing Yahtzee,” Sophie replies with a sassy scowl.
Maggie giggles from the kitchen. Ever since Sophie moved here for college, choosing ASU over a school across the country so she’d have family if she needs it, she comes over for dinner and game night every week. We promised Charlie we’d keep an eye on her, like I wouldn’t anyway.
As Sophie picks up two of the dice, she shuts her eyes and shakes them in her fist before tossing them out on the table. They both land on two, matching the other three dice.
“Yahtzee, asshole!” she yells with her arms in the air.
“I’m telling your mom you said that,” I tease her as I mark her scorecard.
“I’m nineteen, you doofus.”
Maggie laughs again as she sits in the chair next to me. Reaching under the table, I clasp her hand, and she squeezes back. I play with the simple silver band around her finger as I read out the scores.
Once I settle the scores on the sheet, I scowl at the teenager across from me who is wearing a proud smile as she shoves a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
“You beat us again,” Maggie says to Sophie with a smile.
“You let him win,” Sophie replies as we start putting the game away.
“Oh, she’s never easy on me,” I joke, giving Mags a sly wink.
“It’s true.”
“Same time next week?” Maggie asks as she hands Sophie a bag full of leftovers from dinner, along with whatever else a college student could possibly need from our pantry.
“Yep. Thanks for dinner. It was delicious,” Sophie replies, pulling Maggie in for a hug.
“You know you’re welcome anytime. Drive safe.”
“I’ll walk you out,” I say to Soph after she slips on her shoes. She pats Ringo on the head before opening the front door and slipping out into the warm Arizona night.
Walking down the sidewalk to her car, she glances at me with a curious expression. “When are you two gonna get married?”
I laugh loudly. “Why should we get married?”
“Because you’ve been living together for, like, four years. You own a house together. Normal people get married.”
“We’re not normal,” I reply as I open her car door. I can’t exactly add the part about how Maggie and I make commitments to each other that feel just as serious and binding as a marriage certificate.
“Well, you’re not normal. But maybe she wants to get married.”
I consider it for a moment as Sophie stuffs the big bag of food in the passenger side. Mags and I have had this conversation before. She was fine without a ceremony, but what if Sophie is right? What if I’m depriving Maggie of something she secretly wants?