by AliyahBurke
Her gaze remained centered on him, she stopped before him and slid her arms up around his neck. “Someday when my dreams come true,” she murmured.
“Jace?” he croaked. Jacey didn’t do public displays, she preferred her business to remain just that—hers. So for her to have gone through and done this, he didn’t know what to say.
“I love you, Derek.”
His heart felt like it pounded out of control. “I thought you didn’t want a prince.”
“Well,” she said with a soft smile. “When he comes in the guise of a good ol’ boy, I just can’t bring myself to say no.”
“I love you, princess.”
Derek stared into the dark eyes of his past, present, and future. While the music continued to play around him, he lowered his lips to hers and groaned at the feel of her mouth beneath his again.
“And I you.”
He closed his eyes and wished if this were a dream he’d never wake from it. Derek thanked God over and over when he opened his eyes and found her still there. Still in his arms and looking at him like he was the world.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
“Kind of last minute,” she said.
“Everything okay?”
Jacey hesitated before nodding. “Yes.”
“Do you know, princess, this is the first time you’ve ever told me you loved me?” he murmured softly, brushing her hair behind her ear and staring into her sable gaze.
“It’s something I should have said to you a long time ago, Derek.”
“Mama! Mama!” Caleb interrupted.
“Hey, sweetie. Thanks for keeping my arrival a secret. Can you give me a few minutes with your dad. I need to talk to him.”
“Are you gonna leave soon, Mama?”
Derek’s heart clenched as he, too, waited with baited breath for the answer.
“I’m here for a while. Now go on, we’ll catch up in a few.”
“Okay.” Caleb kissed her and darted off.
“What’s going on, Jace?” he questioned, bringing her attention back to him.
Jacey didn’t say a word, just led him off to the side and directed him to sit on a picnic table. “Here me out, Derek.”
He narrowed his eyes. “What’s going on?”
“Wow, okay, this is not as easy as I hoped it would be.” She worried her lower lip.
“Making me a bit nervous here, princess.” He drew her to stand between his thighs.
Jacey squeezed her eyes shut, reached into her back pocket and pulled out a sheet and shoved it into his chest. “Here.”
Taking it, he frowned then opened it. Oh shit. His eyes flew up to meet her worried ones. Then dropped back down. And repeated the action a few times, just to make sure he wasn’t imagining things. “Jace?” he croaked holding her gaze this time.
She had her hands shoved in the front pocket of her jeans and Jacey shrugged, her face a mix of worry and uncertainty. “Surprise,” she uttered.
Derek couldn’t formulate a sentence. With his free hand, he pulled her closer by the back of her head to meet his seeking lips. “I love you, Jacey. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Her mouth returned the kiss, almost desperate. “You’re not upset?”
“Not even close, princess. Not even close.” He licked along her lower lip. “Marry me, Jace. Here. Now. Today.”
Her hands cradled his face and she nodded through another bout of kisses. “Yes,” she mumbled against his mouth.
Pulling back, Derek stared into her eyes which shone like the shiniest of obsidian. “Do you mean it?”
“I mean it. if you don’t mind marrying me in jeans,” she said with a smile.
“Princess, I’d marry you in anything.” Derek shoved the paper into his pocket and stood. Then he took her hand and headed through the crowd to the stage. The song died as he climbed the steps and he held up his hand.
"I’m sorry for the interruption but this couldn’t wait. I am absolutely delighted to announce that this woman, right here,” he held up Jacey’s hand in his before kissing it, “has agreed to marry me.”
The crowd hooted and hollered. Derek smiled as he waited for the noise to die back down. “So, before she can change her mind, or run back off to the Marine Corps, I aim to marry her. Right here and right now.” The town erupted in more cheers.
Ten minutes later, Derek stood with Jacey before the preacher, Caleb with them and the ultrasound picture in his pocket. He pledged his love for her before God and all their witnesses and she did the same.
That night, for the first time, Derek made love to his wife. As he curled up against her afterward, the moon shining in through the window, he pressed a kiss to her head. Jacey Damia Thompson was his wife. She was home until after their child was born and she loved him.
“I love you, princess,” he murmured.
“I love you too, Derek. My husband.”
He fell asleep with a smile on his face. Jacey had been right, he may not be a prince, but he was a good ol’ boy, and most important of all, he was hers.
THE END
Also by Aliyah Burke and TEP
Denim and Spurs
With This Ring
Dream Lover
You Don’t Know Jack
Graham Family
Justice Is Always Ready
And We’ve Come Full Circle
· · · ·
Just a Dream
Under the Mask
· · · ·
The Maddoxes
The Detective’s Lover
· · · ·
The Quad Series
A Little Taste of Home
Too Dangerous to Love
Someday My Prince Charming Good Ole Boy Will Come
(Coming in September 2017)
Black Queen
(Coming in October 2017)
· · · ·
May You Always (Coming in 2017)
Beyond His Control (Coming in 2018)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached here
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or Twitter: @AliyahBurke96
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She is married to a career military man. They are owned by three Borzoi, and a DSH cat. She spends her days sharing time between work, writing, and dog training.
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