by Jen Talty
“Which one?”
She laughed. “The first one. Did you really think I was going to let you go on national television and declare your love for me and not be in the room?”
“No. I thought you were going to make me go with statement number two,” Hawk said as he laced his fingers through hers. Her skin felt silky smooth against his calloused hands. “Just the dry legal stuff.”
“That would be boring,” she said. “Besides, we might have started this by pretending, but there is nothing fake about the fact that I love you.”
“And you heard that first on The Morning Dose,” Rusty said.
“That was live?” Hawk shook his head. “You are full of surprises.” He leaned in and pressed his lips against hers, not caring the entire world was watching. “I love you, too.”
“I think this is a good lesson for those of us in the media that we can use the power we have to make things right again. My wife and I had the good fortune of spending what I think Kennedy and Hawk would consider their first official date together. That night, when my wife and I were getting ready for bed, my wife told me that she’d never seen a couple so madly in love with one another and yet they didn’t know it yet. I had to agree.”
“You were an old sap in college, and you’re still an old sap.” Hawk rested his arm around Kennedy’s waist.
“Welcome to my world,” Rusty said, turning toward the camera. “I think we can put to bed all the rumors surrounding Hawk and Kennedy’s relationship status and start discussing and whispering about when the wedding might be.”
Epilogue
Two months later
Kennedy blinked open her eyes. Marvin and Hawk were outside playing fetch, the ocean rolling into the shore behind them. God, she loved waking up and watching them together. She’d been hesitant to move in because of what happened the last time she tried to move in with a man, but also because they’d only been together for a short time.
However, it seemed like they’d been together forever.
Their love came easy. It was filled with passion and respect.
The best part is the media finally had started to leave them alone. They’d become an old boring couple. Sure, they still had their picture taken and ended up on the cover of rag magazines, but most of the stories were positive.
They were the golden power couple, and she was the girl that tamed Hawk.
That always made her laugh.
“Morning, babe,” Hawk said as he stepped into the master bedroom. “To your bed.” He commanded. “What is up with this dog? Why is he all of a sudden climbing into bed with us again?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t like sleeping alone?”
“Well, he’s too big. He takes up half the bed. Worse, he has to be between us, and he growls at me in the middle of the night if I get too close to you.”
“Then kick him out when he sneaks in.”
Marvin sat at the edge of the bed, whining. He scraped his paw at the comforter.
She shrugged and patted the bed.
Marvin didn’t hesitate. He made a circle three times before finding the perfect spot, in the middle of the bed, and rested his head on Kennedy’s stomach.
“I tried kicking him out last night. He climbed back up on your side. It seemed to have started last week when you got sick.”
The nausea gripped her gut, twisting and turning at the memory. But at least now she knew why she woke up feeling like shit every day. She just didn’t know how Hawk was going to take the news. He knew about the lapse in birth control, and they did use a condom, once.
He hated that.
So Russian roulette it was, but they never really discussed the consequences. At least not in depth. It was something they agreed that maybe, in a year or two. And that was the end of that.
Hell, they barely talked about marriage, other than her family would kill her if she ran off and eloped. She’d have to do the church wedding. He groaned at that every time.
Hawk reached out and rubbed Marvin’s head.
Marvin didn’t move. Just kept his snot on Kennedy’s tummy. The vet told her that some dogs were very sensitive to pregnancy. Made sense for Marvin. The dog was sensitive about everything.
Hawk dropped his hand to the bed.
Marvin nudged it up to her stomach and then dropped his nose over Hawk’s hand.
“You are the strangest dog ever,” Hawk said.
“Wow, that’s amazing.” Kennedy slid her hand over Hawk’s. “He knows.”
“He knows what.”
“That our baby is in there,” she said.
“Our what is in where?” Hawk jerked his hand back. “Baby? In there?” He pointed toward her stomach. “My baby. In your belly?”
“That’s why I’ve been feeling sick. And this one…” she scratched Marvin’s ears. “…has been so protective of me. He knows there is a little person growing inside me.”
Hawk stood and walked over to the dresser. “I was going to do wait and do this next weekend on the cruise but fuck it.” He took something out of his underwear drawer. Next thing she knew he was on his knee next to the bed, holding out the biggest, shiniest, diamond ring she’d ever seen. “Kennedy, I love you. Please, I beg of you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes. I’ll marry you.” Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. “Who knew that your big favor would turn into a colorful happy family.”
About the Author
Welcome to my World! I'm a USA Today Bestseller of Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, and Paranormal Romance.
I first started writing while carting my kids to one hockey rink after the other, averaging 170 games per year between 3 kids in 2 countries and 5 states. My first book, IN TWO WEEKS was originally published in 2007. In 2010 I helped form a publishing company (Cool Gus Publishing) with NY Times Bestselling Author Bob Mayer where I ran the technical side of the business through 2016.
I'm currently enjoying the next phase of my life...the empty NESTER! My husband and I spend our winters in Jupiter, Florida and our summers in Rochester, NY. We have three amazing children who have all gone off to carve out their places in the world, while I continue to craft stories that I hope will make you readers feel good and put a smile on your face.
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Also by Jen Talty
BRAND NEW SERIES!
It’s all in the Whiskey
JOHNNIE WALKER
GEORGIA MOON
JACK DANIEL’S
Search and Rescue
PROTECTING AINSLEY
PROTECTING CLOVER
NY State Trooper Series
IN TWO WEEKS
DARK WATER
DEADLY SECRETS
MURDER IN PARADISE BAY
TO PROTECT HIS OWN
DEADLY SEDUCTION
WHEN A STRANGER CALLS
NY State Trooper Novella
HIS DEADLY PAST
Brand New Novella for the First Responders series
A spin off from the NY State Troopers series
PLAYING WITH FIRE
PRIVATE CONVERSATION
The Men of Thief Lake
REKINDLED
DESTINY’S DREAM
Other novels
JANE DOE’S RETURN
THE BUTTERFLY MURDERS
The Aegis Network
THE LIGHTHOUSE
HER LAST HOPE
THE LAST FLIGHT
THE RETURN HOME
Coming soon!
THE MATRIARCH
The Collective Order
THE LOST SISTER
THE LOST SOLDIER
THE LOST SOUL
&n
bsp; Coming soon!
THE LOST CONNECTION
Special Forces Operation Alpha
BURNING DESIRE
BURNING KISS
BURNING SKIES
BURNING LIES
BURNING HEART
BURNING BED
REMEMBER ME ALWAYS
The Brotherhood Protectors
ROUGH JUSTICE
ROUGH AROUND THE EDGES
ROUGH RIDE
ROUGH EDGE
ROUGH BEAUTY
The Twilight Crossing Series
THE BLIND DATE
SPRING FLING
SUMMER’S GONE
WINTER WEDDING
Witches and Werewolves
LADY SASS
ALL THAT SASS
Coming soon!
NEON SASS
PAINTING SASS
Boxsets
LOVE CHRISTMAS, MOVIES
UNFORGETABLE PASSION
UNFORGETABLE CHARMERS
A NIGHT SHE’LL REMEMBER
SWEET AND SASSY IN THE SNOW
SWEET AND SASSY PRINCE CHARMING
PROTECT AND DESIRE
SWEET AND SASSY BABY LOVE
CHRISTMAS AT MISTLETOE LODGE
THE PLAYERS: OVERCOMING THE ODDS
CHRISTMAS SHORTS
CHRISTMAS DREAMS
Novellas
NIGHTSHADE
A CHRISTMAS GETAWAY
TAKING A RISK
WHISPERS