Just Say Yes

by Samantha Lind

  Emily gets the shots she needs, and I’m finally able to walk down to Becca. I immediately cup her cheeks in my hands and bring my lips to hers.

  “Hello, beautiful. You look absolutely gorgeous, and you are all mine,” I whisper against her lips. I drop my hands from her face so I can wrap my arms around her and pull her closer to me.

  “Hi,” she releases on a heavy breath, “you’re looking pretty dapper yourself.” She whispers against my lips.

  I lean my forehead against hers and just breathe her in, savoring this moment. I can hear the click of the camera shutters, but easily ignore them as we enjoy this moment together. This time is ours, and one I will cherish it forever.

  “I got your sweet note. Thanks for making me cry already this morning.”

  “Sorry about the tears, but I needed you to know how I felt. I love you with all that is within me.”

  “I know,” she replies as Emily asks us to move on to the next pose.

  After we have finished our pictures, it’s time for everyone to get lined up so we can get started and I can officially marry my girl.

  We make it through the ceremony, having opted to use traditional vows. Becca wasn’t confident she was going to make it through repeating them without crying and said there was no way she would be able to get through ones she wrote without completely breaking down. So traditional it was. I didn’t care one way or another--I just wanted to be married to this woman.

  After the ceremony, we had a little time to sneak off by ourselves before we were due to arrive at the reception. I was more than ready for a few minutes alone with my wife, so I had the limo driver take us to our house.

  “Come here, wife.” I pull Becca flush against my body and drop a kiss on her lips.

  She chuckles. “You like being able to call me that now, don’t you?”

  “Yes, wife. Get used to it,” I tell her, as I kiss her again.

  We enjoy being wrapped in each other’s arms for a few more minutes. As much as I want to strip her out of her dress, I know that isn’t an option right now. We need to get to the reception soon.

  Becca steps out of my grasp when she hears her cell chiming with a text. She giggles as she taps out a reply, then holds her phone out to show me.

  Kinley: Where are you? Are you getting it on with your husband in the back of a limo somewhere? Everyone is here, so hurry your butts up and get here.

  Becca: As much as Scott would love to be acting out your suggestions, no, we stopped at the house for a few minutes. We’re on our way.

  Becca freshens up before we load back in the limo and onto our reception. As we pull up, she shoots Kinley a text, letting her know we’re here so the DJ can announce our arrival.

  “It’s my honor to introduce, for the first time… Mr. & Mrs. Scott Taylor!” we hear the DJ announce from behind the door, and then we hear the roar of the crowd as they start to cheer for us.

  We walk in, heading straight for the dance floor for our first dance. The only song that seemed fitting for us to dance to is “Lifer” by Florida Georgia Line. I hold her tight, as I softly sing the words in her ear; my vow to her, to always be by her side.

  Our reception was quite the party. We danced, talked with all our family and friends, laughed for hours, soaking in all the memories that we will look back on for years. This day will stay with me for the rest of my life, as one of the most important days ever.

  Tomorrow, Becca and I take off for our honeymoon. We’re flying to Europe for a Mediterranean cruise and stopping in London for a few days. I’m looking forward to spending the next three weeks alone with my wife.

  Becca

  One month later

  The past month has been amazing. We spent the first three weeks on our honeymoon, and are back in Alaska. We head out to the cabin for a few weeks tomorrow, but first I have some news for Scott. It appears we brought back a souvenir from our honeymoon. I thought I was tired from the jet leg and the fun we packed into our time away, but according to two pink lines, it turns out my fatigue is for another reason. Scott is golfing with our dads, so I’m trying to plan a cute way to tell him once he’s home. He’s going to be over the moon. He has asked, frequently since our engagement, when we can start trying for kids. We agreed to stop using birth control a few weeks before the wedding, believing it would take a few months for anything to happen. It looks like he got his wish much sooner!

  After searching through Pinterest for the perfect way to tell him, I head to the store for supplies. I pick up a package of baby bodysuits and iron on letters from the craft store. I plan on making two shirts I found online: ‘My daddy loves me more than hockey’ and ‘Born to play hockey with my daddy.’ While searching for ideas, I found a cute Etsy shop and ordered a couple of funny maternity shirts for me. One says, ‘One got past the goalie!’ and the other says ‘Future hockey player.’

  I make it home and get the two baby shirts made and wrapped to give to Scott. I’m so excited to see his response. The morning has been full of excitement, and I’m feeling sleepy from it all, so I take a nap. That’s where he finds me a few hours later.

  “Hey, baby. Still not feeling great?” he asks as he lays down on the bed next to me and pulls me into his arms.

  “I was a little tired. I ran errands earlier and felt like a nap. I’m feeling much better now. I bought you a little present while I was out.”

  “What did you get me? Sexy lingerie for you to wear for me?” he says, as he buries his face in my neck, placing a kiss on my skin.

  I squirm, his facial hair tickling my neck. “No, something better. You’re going to love it!! I promise.”

  “Well don’t leave me hanging, what is it?”

  “Let me up, and I can get it,” I tell him as I try and squirm out of his grasp.

  “Fine, if I must,” he teases.

  I grab the wrapped items and my cell phone and turn on the video camera to capture his reaction, propping it up on the nightstand.

  “Okay, you can open it.” I hand him the package.

  Scott rips open the wrapping and pulls out the baby shirts. The look on his face is one of confusion at first, until he reads what they have written on them. “You’re pregnant!” he breathes, the shock evident in his voice. I can see the tears forming in his eyes as he looks at me.

  “Yes, we’re pregnant! I took a test this morning, and it was positive. That is why I haven’t been feeling well. It wasn’t jet leg after all.”

  Scott pulls me in for a bear hug. “This is the best news ever! I love you and our baby more than I could ever express.” He pulls me back enough so he can kiss me, then shifts me so he can lean down, lifting my shirt to place the sweetest kiss on my lower belly. “Hey peanut, I’m your daddy. I love you so much already. Be kind to your mother. I can’t wait to meet you when it’s time.”

  Cue all the tears and exploding ovaries. Here is my big, professional, defensive hockey player of a husband, being so sweet and gentle, and so in love, with a baby he didn’t even know existed until a few minutes ago. I may kick myself for all the years I spent away from Scott, but I can say the best decision I’ve made was just saying yes when he walked back into my life last summer. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I look forward to all the ways I can continue to just say yes to him, in this adventure we call life.

  The End

  Afterword

  I hope you have enjoyed this book, and you would consider leaving a review on Amazon.

  If you would like to connect more with Samantha, please join her reader group on Facebook!

  Acknowledgments

  I must first thank my husband, sons, and extended family for all their support. Your encouragement along the way has been priceless. I love you all and am grateful for your support.

  My Beta team – Thank you for all your hard work. I couldn’t do this without your input!

  Jenn Wood – Thank you for taking my manuscript and turning it into a novel. Thank you for all your suggestions an
d comments that made this story stronger and what it is today.

  Robyn & Jodi – Thanks for being my final sets of eyes. I appreciate all your hard work!

  Renee McCleary – Thank you for all your help! From feedback and grammatical errors to pimping out my books, you have been a lifesaver. Thank you for stepping in and helping me keep everything organized when I needed it most.

  Kristen Lazarus-Wood & Justin James Cadwell - Thank you for gracing the cover of this book and for all your support along the way!

  Shauna Kruse with Kruse Images & Photography – Thank you for the beautiful image and for all your support!

  Juliana Cabrera with Jersey Girl Design - Thank you for the beautiful work you did making the cover more that I could have ever dreamed of it becoming.

  Sierra Burrell - Thank you for everything! Your friendship means the world to me.

  The bloggers and promoters- Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can’t express enough how thankful I am that you would take the time to read my book and post about it so others can find it.

  To my fans and readers. THANK YOU! Thank you for giving my books a chance. For reading and loving the characters as much as I do. Your support means the world to me.

  Xoxo

  Samantha

  Coming Soon

  Scoring the Player

  Indianapolis Eagles Book 2

  Winter/Spring 2018

  Cocky, man whore, player…. Those are all ways I have been described by the media and countless women. Are they accurate? Possibly. But, that’s all I let the media see of me, Brian Kelly, defensive player for the Indianapolis Eagles Hockey team. I have no intentions of settling down and changing the media's perception of me. I can’t tell if women are after me for my bank account, the status symbol of being with a professional athlete, or if they really want me for me. Then I meet her. The one woman who doesn’t let my charm affect her or cause her to jump directly into my bed. Can I possibly change my ways and settle down?

  Grounded, selfless, giving…Those are all the ways my family and friends have described me. Are they right? Possibly. But, I’m so much more, and need some passion and excitement in my life. My best friend is moving on and I want that someone special to share all that life has to offer. Let it be known that I, Kinley Williams, want the right someone special. So why did he have to crash into me? The one man who is so clearly wrong for me. Then again, he doesn’t seem like anything the tabloids claim him to be. So is he really all that wrong?

  Add on Goodreads today!

  Also by Samantha Lind

  Tempting Tessa

  About the Author

  Samantha Lind is a contemporary romance author. Having spent the first 27 years of her life in Alaska, she now calls Iowa home, where she lives with her husband and two boys. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, reading, watching hockey, and listening to country music.

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