“This about to get ugly,” Ashley whispers.
To be continued in Graves & Candy
Epilogue
Kevlar
“That’s the last one.” I drop the last box on the floor as Lacey drops a dollop of cookie dough on the baking sheet.
She rolls her eyes at me but doesn’t deny me when I come in for a kiss.
It only took six months of dating to get her to agree to move in with me.
I pop a ball of dough into my mouth, and Lacey smacks my hand. “There’s raw egg in that,” she scolds, brandishing her spatula like a weapon. I lick my fingers anyway. “I’ve survived my sisters. I’ll survive salmonella, babe.” She narrows her eyes at me, but then comes in for another kiss, cookie dough and all.
Her hair is longer now, a light brown falling into her face in loose, wild waves. She pretends she can’t stand the length even though she refuses to cut it. I know she secretly loves it when I tuck the stray curl behind her ear and kiss the corner of her mouth. She licks the sugar off her fingers, and before I know it, we’re pressed together at the kitchen counter with her arms latched around my neck. Her bare feet stretching her up so she fits perfectly against my chest. “You’re not getting any until thecookies are done,” she warns. She fails to hold a serious look. Her lips tip into a gorgeous smile.
“Set a timer. I can be fast.” I sit her ass on the counter right in the flour and she squeals at me. “Looks like you’re all dirty, sweetness. Best get you naked and clean you up with my tongue.”
“Ew. I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear any of that.” My younger sister, Avery, comes down the hallway with a basket of laundry on her hip.
“Why are you here?” I grumble.
“Nice to see you, too.” She sticks her tongue out at me. “The laundry room in my building is out of order, and do you know how expensive the laundromat is?”
“You could have gone to Candyce’s.”
“No, thank you. Graves is back in her bed. I’m not subjecting myself to that mess. Besides, I promised your woman I’d help her with the logo for her bakery.”
“Fair enough. But you’re not staying for dinner. Lacey is the only thing on the menu.”
Avery fake gags and coughs. “On second thought. My clothes are dry. I’m just gonna go home.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
The door shuts behind her and Lacey smacks at my chest. “That wasn’t nice.”
“I’m not nice.” I grin again and then I claim her mouth.
“You’re terrible.”
“You love me.”
“You bet your sweet ass I do.” She returns my kiss, and I pull away to get down on one knee.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to propose if you’ll let me.”
“I was going to wait until Christmas, but I’m not a patient man. I screw up surprises, but I don’t want to fuck this up. Marryme, sweetness. Or at least let me tattoo my name on your ass so all the world knows you’re mine.” I chuckle and she shakes her head at me.
“Are you actually asking me right now? Right here? In your kitchen?”
“It’s our kitchen. Wouldn’t wait another minute even if you paid me in those brownie cookie bar things I love.”
“Kev…” She’s speechless for once. Her bottom lip trembles as if she might cry.
“I’m never letting you go,” I say, my voice as steady as I can make it. “Marry me, Lacey.” I pull the ring out of my pocket. Nothing fancy. A simple, smooth white gold band set with a cookie-colored topaz, but it’s perfect. I found out her ring size by getting London to take her out shopping and tricking her into trying rings on.
