Page 72 of Hogging the Hunk
Ellie nodded her agreement. “Trust us. You’d be ticked.”
“Okay.” I tamped down my curiosity. Now was not the time to be thinking about slimy Ronald Calhoot when a man like Milo was proposing we spend the rest of our lives together.
“Can I add something, too?” Ellie asked.
Milo grinned. “You’re part of this too, kid.”
“Thanks.” Inhaling deeply, Ellie stood silently for a moment while she gathered her thoughts. “I just wanted to say I hope you tell my dad yes. I know things were… rough between us before. There’s nothing you need to worry about now. I’m excited to have you as a stepmother. That is, if you’ll have me as a daughter. I have a lot to learn still from a mother.”
“You’re already a pro at baking cookies.” I kissed my fingertips like a pleased chef. “What else could I possibly teach you?”
“Asher told me you’re able to turn your eyelids inside out,” Ellie said eagerly. “Can you show me?”
“Uh…” I giggled. “Maybe you can convince me to do it when I’ve stayed up past my bedtime and have had too much chocolate.”
“On it,” Ellie said proudly. “We’ll have a movie marathon and I found a brown butter chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve been dying to try.”
Milo raised his hand. “I want to be there, too.”
“Oh, dear.” Snatching back my hands, I covered my scalding red cheeks. “I’m not sure you want to witness that trick. I look like a demon.”
Milo grabbed my hands again, laughing at my worry. “That’s part of what I’m looking forward to. I want to know everything, even the stuff that qualifies you for the Guinness Book of World Records.”
“Milo!” I smacked his arm for real.
“Does it make you feel better to know that I can lick my nose?”
Laughing while tears streamed down my face was such a contradiction. “Maybe a little. We’ll be a family of freaks.”
“The good, the bad, the ugly… I’m here for it all.” With another kiss on my knuckles, Milo soothed my residual concerns.
“Dad?” Ellie prodded him.
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you forgetting that you’re supposed to actually ask if she wants to marry you?” Ellie whispered.
“Right. Yeah.” Milo cleared the salty tears from his face and repositioned both my hands in one of his, holding out the ring as a symbol of his offer of never ending love.
“Beckett, would you do the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?”
With a quick raise of her hand, Ellie added, “And my stepmom.”
I had been happy before, but this… I could have gone supernova and it wouldn’t have been half of the bliss I was feeling. I was looking forward to a lifetime of happy moments with Milo and Ellie, and vowed I would always remember this day.
“Yes! I want to be your wife and your mother.” Milo slipped the ring onto my finger, and I marveled at the way it glittered in the sunlight.
“Now, about this ring…” Ellie took my hand and pointed out all the details, from the size of the diamond to the matching wedding band that would surround the round solitaire set on the platinum band.
“You’ve done good, girl.” I drew her under my arm, another wave of gratitude filling my chest. “It’s gorgeous. This whole day has been a dream come true.”
“Yes, she did.” Standing up, Milo scooped up both Ellie and I, spinning us as we laughed.
Ellie spotted Truffle getting into trouble before Milo or me. She shrieked. “Truffle! No!”
Pushing herself away from Milo, Ellie ran to where Truffle was straining against the leash with her nose firmly planted in the bean dip.
With Ellie momentarily distracted, Milo set my feet on the ground and dipped me low as he kissed me furiously. I clung to his body and hungrily pressed my lips against his, giggling as he trailed his lips across my jawline to my earlobe, then cascaded tiny nibbles down to my collarbone.