I laughed at how adorable and innocent she was. “Yes, Bella, that’smuchbetter!”
I looked over my shoulder and realized we’d lost Sam. I found her over in the corner where they kept the more expensive pieces. I was still holding Bella when I walked over to her. Whatever she was looking at, it distracted her enough that she didn’t notice me sneak up behind her.
Still holding Bella with one arm, I slid my other one around Sam’s tiny waist.
“See anything you like?” I whispered in her ear. She jumped and laughed as she rubbed my hand.
“It’s nothing. We can go.”
“What were you looking at?”
She pointed to a case of rings. They looked like engagement rings, but they were different colors. Some were brown and yellow, and one was pink. I’d never gotten far enough with a woman to research diamonds, so I didn’t know what the colors meant.
“I read a book about a rock star giving his fiancée a pink diamond ring, but I never actually saw one before. It’s really pretty. But like I said, it was nothing. We can go.”
I always teased Sam, calling her a sentimental mushball because she loved her romance novels and cried so easily.
“If you say so.” I put Bella down and followed Sam out of the store.
“Wait a minute, I think my phone fell out of my pocket. Can I meet you guys at the car? I think I dropped it over in the corner.”
“Sure, babe. I’ll get Bella strapped in, and we’ll wait there for you.”
I pretended to look. Once I saw them leave the store, I ran over to the case where the rings were and called over a salesgirl.
“I want to put down a deposit on this ring.” I pointed to the pink one Sam was looking at. “My girlfriend is in the car, and I don’t have a lot of time before she starts to wonder where I am. Can you run my credit card quickly?” I didn’t even ask how much it was. When I saw how Sam was looking at that ring, I knew it had to be hers.
The salesgirl gave me a dreamy look. “That is so sweet! Sure, I can do this quickly. Can you get one of her rings without her knowing so we can size it?”
I smirked at her. “So you want me to steal from her? Sure, I can do that.”
She giggled and ran off with my credit card. The car was parked right in front of the entrance, so I kept watching the door to see if she was coming back in.
The salesgirl came back with my receipt to sign. “Congratulations, sir. And good luck!”
“Thanks.” I stuffed the receipt in my pocket and jogged over to the car.
Did I just buy Sam an engagement ring? I should’ve been freaked out about it, but I wasn’t. At all. Marc was still being an asshole about the papers, but Sam was looking into other ways to file for divorce without his approval. I hated that she was still married to him, but she belonged to me. And I belonged to her. To both of them. I felt a peace and contentment I never had before knowing I made it official—or at least I hoped I did. She still had to say yes. I was proposing to her the second her divorce was final.
I walked out of the store and watched Sam as she strapped Bella into her car seat. I was so in love with her. It still took me by surprise sometimes. A year ago, the words “husband” and “father” would have made me break out into a cold sweat. Sam and Bella changed all that. They were my family; I just needed to make it legal.
“Everything okay? Did you find it?” For a second, I forgot what my cover was.
“Yep, exactly where I thoughtit was.” I pulled her into my arms and kissed her. It was the type of passionate kiss I usually reserved for behind closed doors, but I couldn’t help it. Sam forgot herself, too—a sexy moan escaping her as she grabbed the back of my head to deepen the kiss. Thank God Sam’s SUV had tinted windows in the back and a sun visor so Bella couldn’t really see anything. When we stopped, we were both a little breathless.
“What was that for?” Sam smiled and looked at me with those big, light brown eyes I loved so much.
“I’m in love with you, Samantha. Crazy, head over heels in love. Not sure if I told you before.” I gave her a sideways glance with a wink and watched her smile grow wide. I wanted to make her smile like that every day.
“Yeah, I think you did tell me that. I’m pretty crazy in love with you, too.” She gave me a soft kiss and snuggled into my chest.
I kissed her on the top of her head. “I think it’s time to get my girls home.” She nodded, and we got into the car.
Home with my girls. That’s where I wanted to be—for the rest of my life.
Sam’s ring had been burning a hole in my drawer for three months. As soon as her divorce went through, I was making her mine—permanently. She was my future, and I was getting her back today.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was already half dead since I’d spent most of the day checking it every five seconds to see if Sam had called or texted back. I had a voice mail and a missed call.
