I raised my brows. “Relax, baby, Knox is married now.” I put my hand over his. “Last month, to a girl named Natalie he met on vacation with his parents. Small wedding that I attended solo, if you were curious.” I felt him relax. “Anyway, Knox commented that it’s about time.” I stopped so that I could swing both legs from the picnic table and then moved next to Hutch. “Let’s forget about this stupid shit,” I whispered, placing my phone down. “Tonight is about you and me.” I leaned my head against his shoulder.
“Knox knows we’re back together.”
“That’s what you got out of that?”
Hutch shrugged and kept his eyes down on the table. “You know how I feel about that dick.”
“Hey.” I lifted his arm so I could move underneath it. “Look at me.” When Hutch turned his face, I raised my hand to trail my fingers over his jaw. “I’m sorry that I brought him up.” I pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth. “Want to get out of here?” My feet were killing me from this week’s classes, and I was exhausted.
“What about the Ferris wheel?” Hutch twisted his entire body to face me. “That’s the best part. But you look tired, Jills, so maybe we can come back another night.” Something in his voice told me he would be disappointed me if we didn’t go on that ride.
I shook my head. “Not yet.” I stood up and grabbed his hand. “Come on, baby, let’s go.” I tried to pull Hutch to his feet, but that was impossible.
He grinned at me. “Where should we go for our next date?” he asked as we moved along to the Ferris Wheel, swinging our hands in the air. Now that the crowds were starting to dwindle, the line wasn’t as long and we were able to get onto the ride right away.
“You’re going to take me on another date?”
“Unless you don’t want to.”
The bar was locked in front of us now. “I’d go out on a date with you every single night if I could.” I blushed when I said those words, but it wasn’t a lie. If I wasn’t so busy with my ballet studio, I could see us having as much fun as when we were kids.
“That could be arranged.”
I glanced over at Hutch to find him watching me with an intense gaze. “What?” I asked as a smile broke out over his face, but he just shook his head and reached for my hand.
“Just enjoying this, that’s all,” he admitted. “It seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it?” Hutch asked as the ride came to a stop with us at the top. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too, Hutch...” I stopped when I realized what he was doing. He had a small black box in his hand. “Are you...what are you doing?” I stared at him as goosebumps broke out over my skin despite the warm breeze that came up from the water.
“Marry me, Jills,” he whispered. “I know it won’t be tomorrow or next week or even next month, but I should have done this years ago because you are the only woman for me. You’ve always been the only woman for me.” He flipped the box open to reveal a white gold diamond solitaire ring inside. I watched as it glittered under the lights. “I know I’m supposed to get down on one knee, but I can’t really do that right now.”
“Yes.” I nodded my head. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” I cried as tears spilled down my cheeks.
Hutch stared at me like he couldn’t believe he heard the words come out of my mouth. “Yes?” he asked before he realized I had said the word he wanted to hear. “Shit, right.” He took the ring and slipped it onto my finger. “Can I confess something?” he asked as the Ferris wheel started moving.
“Kiss me first and then you can confess later,” I said before I kissed him instead. Hutch’s mouth was hungry when our lips met, and I whimpered as his tongue slipped and sliced against mine. It was obvious what was on our mind after this date was over tonight, and I intended to make sure he didn’t leave my apartment until tomorrow morning. “Take me home, baby,” I murmured as he pulled away.
***
How we ever managedto get back to my apartment without tearing each other’s clothes off; I will never know. When we got to my door, I stopped and turned to look up at Hutch with boldness in my eyes. “Do you want to come in?” I asked, knowing that he wanted me as much as I wanted him. Lust stirred in my belly, and when his eyes raked over my body before they landed on my face, I had to remind myself that we were in a public place, and that I couldn’t just climb the man like a tree.
“Do you need to ask me that?” He leaned closer, caging me in against the door. I licked my lips as he pressed his firm, muscular frame against mine. “I hope that you don’t have big plans for tomorrow, Jills, because you won’t be able to walk by the time I’m done with you,” he growled into my ear.
I couldn’t prevent the low moan that escaped my lips. “Promise?” I whispered, slipping my arms up his chest and locking them behind his neck.
“Let’s unlock the door so I can prove it.”
“Keys are in my front right pocket.”
He reached into my pocket to pull out my keys, unlocked the door, and ushered me into the apartment. I heard the front door slam behind us as he lifted me up and onto the couch. “You’re wearing too many clothes.” His lips landed on mine before I could respond, and I got flooded with his wet kisses.
Oh, how I had missed this. Hutch’s sweet mouth against mine, and the way his tongue darted between my lips. He was rougher than usual, but I was just as eager as he was, arching my hips against his as I clung to his back, and whimpering the longer the kiss went on.
“Fuck, I want you,” Hutch grunted as he broke away, his mouth moving down my neck, licking and nipping the soft spot on my collarbone. “Need to get these clothes off so I can touch you.” He slipped his hand up under my shirt and danced his finger across my ribcage as he flipped us over so that I was on top. “I love you, Jilly.” His brown eyes glistened with tears as he stared up at me.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I love you too,” I assured him and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth before I quickly pulled my shirt up over my head. The bra was next as I unhooked it from behind, slipping the straps down over my shoulders, and deposited it on the floor. Hutch reached up to cup my tits with his big, calloused hands, and my head instantly fell back as he tugged and pulled my nipples between my fingers. Heat and wetness flared between my thighs as I rubbed against him.
“Bring them closer, Jill,” he instructed boldly.
