Stay With Me, Julia

by Elle Linder

  His furrowed brow deepened, and it made her heart race as she rambled on and on, but she couldn’t shut her mouth.

  “Again, what’s with the look? Unless this is your way of telling me the kids are moving in with you? Is that what you’re trying to tell me? The kids are moving in?”

  Oh God, please don’t let the kids be moving in. Please!

  Luke stared at her, and she couldn’t take the pressure. She jumped up from the sofa and began to pace. “If you don’t say something, I’m going to scream.” She gripped her stomach. Luke said nothing. He only watched her. “That’s it. If this conversation is over, I’m…I’m…I’m…” What in the hell was she trying to say?

  “You’re what?” he finally asked. He stood and walked over to her, then placed his hands on her shoulders. “What are you so bent up over? I wouldn’t dare interrupt you while you rambled like a fool.” He smiled down at her. She scrunched her face at him. “Baby, relax. Let’s talk about this.” He steered her back to the sofa.

  “Fine.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You talk. I’m done talking.”

  “Sure, I’ll talk.” A small smirk formed in the corners of his mouth. “First off, the kids are not moving in. Secondly, I was thinking about our future. Just you and me and the future babies we’ll have.”

  Future babies?

  “That’s presumptuous, futures babies.” She scoffed and then— “Have you talked to Louise?”

  “Why would I talk to Louise about our future?”

  “Oh. Nothing.”

  “Julia, sweetheart, what’s going on with you? Suddenly you seem to be freaking out about us. Why? What am I missing?”

  She sat frozen beside him, her eyes darting around. The lake house was quiet, and she loved it just the way it was—without kids. Her throat thickened with emotion. How could she tell him she wasn’t ready to be a mother to his kids?

  It wasn’t like she was opposed to having his baby. In fact, she’d loved the idea of it when she’d talked to Louise and Tami earlier. But having a baby didn’t happen overnight. She would have nine months to prepare for motherhood. But with Luke’s kids, they were already here, and if she married him, she would instantly become…a stepmother.

  “Julia, what’s going on in your pretty head?”

  “Uh-uh, you said you would do the talking. So, talk.”

  “Okay. I love you. I love you so fucking much. You know that, right?”

  She nodded, staring down at her lap.

  He gripped her chin, and his dark, intoxicating eyes absorbed her. “Do you love me?”

  “You know I do.”

  “I do. And that’s why I want to move forward. Now is the best time to look for a house or build. The kids will be out in July for two weeks.”

  She blinked as tears formed, unable to hold them back.

  “God, baby, your silence is killing me. Why are you crying?”

  “I’m not.” No sooner had she denied it than a tear rolled down her cheek. She flew off the sofa and walked briskly to the bedroom. Just as her foot hit the threshold, Luke grabbed her and pressed her against the door.

  “Stop!” His commanding voice cracked the dam, and her tears spilled down her face. She shook her head as he cupped her face, touching his nose to hers. Luke caged her against the door with his broad chest and muscled forearms. “Dammit, talk to me.”

  “I’m afraid,” she cried. “I never thought I’d be a stepmom or have to deal with an ex-wife.” Her feeble voice broke as he held her in place. “I’ll never have the first anything with you. I know that sounds stupid. I know I sound like a baby. God, I’m so ashamed for feeling this way. I’m so sorry for being selfish.” She sucked in a breath. “But it’s not fair. It’s not fair! You’ll have nobody to compete with in my life. No ex-husband, no kids from a previous marriage…nothing. You get just me, and I’ll have you, along with two kids and an ex-wife. What about our baby? What about him or her having to take a number behind Heather, Brice, Renee, and me? A number, Luke, our baby would have to take a number to get your attention.”

  Her sobs ensued as she struggled to break free from the iron bars that surrounded her. But he would not let her go.

  “Please, Luke, let me go.”

  “Never. I will never let you go. And you will never compete with anyone for my love or attention. Neither will our baby.”

  She squeezed her eyes tightly closed as her chest vibrated against his, tears marking a trail down her cheeks—each one laced with doubt.

  He pressed his mouth into the crook of her neck. “You are the first woman I have truly loved. The first. And you’ll be the last. Everything with you is a first for me because there isn’t another you, Julia Rebecca Greene. You are a unique jewel that I was the luckiest bastard to find, and I will treasure you until my dying breath.”

  She opened her eyes. There it was in his eyes—love and honesty. And she believed him.

  Luke came down on her mouth in a searing kiss as he removed her shirt, then unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans. Julia wiggled out of them. The small G-string she wore, he snapped it in half with his bare hands. The caveman act thrilled her, but his fingers between her legs weakened her.

  She frantically pulled his shirt over his head and grabbed the condom he religiously kept in his back pocket.

  The heat between them exploded into a fervor of passion, of desperation. Julia put the little packet between her teeth to unbutton his jeans. All the while she was ready to explode from his fingers priming her. Abruptly, his fingers left her body to pull off his jeans. Once they were free of all clothing, Luke removed the packet from her mouth, ripped it open, and rolled the condom onto his stiff erection.

  Their mouths crashed together, tongues meeting, and he lifted her off the ground and lowered her onto him. As he filled her, she held her breath, taking him all in, in one slow, steady motion.

  “Ooh…Luke.” Her head brushed up and down against the door as he pumped into her with a mammoth force. His hands protectively shielded her back while keeping a steady, delicious rhythm. “Yes, oh, yes!” Her orgasmic melody filled the little lake house as her body seized against him.

  “Damn, baby, you go fast these days,” he teased, carrying her to the bed. They were still joined as one.

  “Lu-Luke,” she panted. “You haven’t—”

  “No, baby. On to round two.”

  ***

  Luke lowered them onto the bed, his eyes connected to hers, their bodies molded together. He peppered soft kisses on her tear-stained face with a tenderness he had only ever shown her. He brushed the hair off her face, drinking in her beauty—golden-brown hair that shined like spun gold in the sun, hazel-green eyes that forever smiled, buttery-soft lips that kissed him awake each morning, and a heart that loved him beyond what he had ever dreamed possible.

  “Julia, you’re everything to me. I will love you until I leave this earth.”

  “Oh, Luke.”

  “Shh, don’t say anything.”

  He kissed her then and resumed the act of making love to her. Luke pumped deep and slow, and her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer.

  “I want to live out the rest of my life with you. I’ll show you every day how much I love you.”

  THIRTY

  A Love Like Theirs

  As declared, Luke showed Julia how much he loved her until she passed out from exhaustion. Every word he had spoken was tattooed on his heart as a remembrance—a vow. After Julia’s emotional confession, he decided in the wee hours of the morning that he wouldn’t wait any longer to propose.

  He loved her, and she loved him.

  Nothing else mattered.

  Luke woke with the sun. His mission: huckleberry pancakes. It was rare that he cooked, but when he did, it was buttermilk pancakes. He whisked eggs like the pros on Iron Chef, but a chef he was not. Steaks and brats on the grill? Absolutely. What man couldn’t grill? But now, the food challenge was on as he flipped huckleberry pancakes for the woman who hel
d his heart in the palm of her hand. And he wanted nothing more than to make her his wife and promise to love her until the air left his lungs.

  When he’d first thought of proposing, after Valentine’s, he’d wanted the big question asked over a stack of pancakes and her favorite syrup. Sure, it wasn’t a fancy candlelight dinner with violins playing in the background and a photographer capturing the moment. That wasn’t his style—although, it probably was Julia’s. To Luke, a proposal was meant to be asked spontaneously, like now.

  The breakfast tray was assembled romantically. Oh, Luke could do romantic, if on his terms. Two weeks ago, while in Coeur d’Alene on a building-supply and wine run, the thought to propose had struck him as he’d purchased Julia’s wine…and that day he had bought the ring. The platinum ring had the infinity sign in the band, flanking a two-karat diamond. When he’d seen it, he’d known it was the ring for his stunning beauty.

  After Luke had left the jewelry store, he’d passed an antique store, and for whatever reason, he’d gone in. Antique stores weren’t his sort of thing typically, but something had lured him in. He hadn’t been inside long when he made his purchase—a plate with clusters of roses on the side. It reminded him of Julia, relaxed yet refined, and perfect for his proposal idea.

  The shop clerk had told him the Victorian plate would make a romantic cake plate for a wedding. Whether or not she was right didn’t matter to Luke. Nor did the gilded rim in genuine gold or the fact that it was one hundred years old, hand-painted, and…something about Bavaria. He’d liked it, and his gut told him Julia would love it. So, he’d bought it on the spot, along with five additional plates to make it a set of six.

  Proudly he surveyed the tray—the plate, four huckleberry pancakes, and Julia’s favorite huckleberry syrup. Two steaming cups of coffee with cream were opposite the plate. There was also a bottle of Prosecco chilling in the fridge for mimosas later—after she said yes.

  Luke carried his surprise to the bedroom where the woman of his dreams slept. He set it on the bench at the end of the bed, the one they’d picked up last week in Spokane. During their little shopping excursion Julia had picked out items for the lake house that fit her personality, and already the house felt more like a home to Luke.

  He knelt on the floor by her and brushed her hair off her face. He loved how she pursed her lips together when she slept and how she always purred at his touch no matter what time of day it was. He had tested the theory—2 a.m., 4:20 a.m., 1 p.m., 8:37 p.m.—and every time he touched her, she acknowledged him with her sweet, quiet sounds.

  He pressed his lips to her temple and held them there. “Morning, baby. I made you breakfast.” Her eyes fluttered open, and the smile that shined through them was pure magic.

  “Mmm.” She stretched, covering her mouth through a yawn. “Morning. You made me breakfast? Damn, you’re a keeper.”

  “Better believe it, baby.” He kissed her softly but stopped before they got lost in each other. There was an important question to be asked before he made love to her like the last several Saturday mornings.

  Julia propped herself up in bed, a wide grin on her face. That infectious smile of hers made him smile in return. He retrieved the tray, presented it to her, and admired her while she inspected the plate.

  “Oh, Luke! This plate is gorgeous and looks hand painted.” She beamed. “A gilded rim, fancy.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “Are you a closet antiquer?”

  He laughed. “Um, no. It’s just a pretty plate that reminded me of you.”

  Julia giggled. “Lauren told you I love antiques, didn’t she? And Victorian antiques at that.”

  “Lauren? No. The lady in the shop said it was a classy plate for a classy lady. So, I bought it.”

  “Well, I love it. Especially with pancakes on it. You know, you can make me pancakes anytime, and it doesn’t have to be only for breakfast.”

  “Good to know.” His heart was ready to burst. The waiting was killing him.

  Julia rubbed her hands together with an eager expression on her face, ready to devour the deliciousness in front of her. She picked up the bottle, and her eyes twinkled. He loved to see her happy, and he never tired of her giddy schoolgirl enthusiasm. She licked syrup off her finger and forked a bite but stopped before she put the dripping goodness into her mouth. “Wait, aren’t you eating? Why are you standing there watching me?” She arched her eyebrow, a suspicious glint in her eyes.

  “I like watching you.” He walked over to his side of the bed and lay on his stomach, propped up on his forearms. She leaned toward him, placing a hand on his cheek, and kissed him. “Eat, baby. I already ate while I cooked this masterpiece.”

  Without another thought, Julia put the fork into her mouth and hummed. “Oh, Luke, these are the best pancakes! Really…mmm.” Her eyes rolled into her head.

  Luke shifted on the bed. “Girl, watching you eat is turning me on.” He inhaled deeply as she giggled. As much as he would love to remove that tray and devour her, he had to stay in control for the task at hand. A subject change was in order until she finished her food. “So, when will your mom and Becky arrive tonight?” The timing of his proposal couldn’t be more perfect with her mom arriving later that evening. In his mind, the way his spontaneous plans were unfolding was fate.

  “Becky said they’d be at the resort by seven. I invited them over for coffee tomorrow morning, and Kandace is making a breakfast skillet and muffins, which I need to pick up before five today.”

  “I’ll pick those up for you.”

  “Aww, you truly are the best.” She stroked his cheek, and there it was in her eyes; she wanted him. He kissed her hand, then jerked his chin toward her plate. She rolled her eyes and forked another bite.

  “So, are we meeting them at the resort tonight?”

  “Tonight?” she asked with a full mouth. “I hadn’t planned on it, which is why I invited them for breakfast.”

  “Well, I guess we’ll just see how the day plays out.”

  “What do you mean? Do you have some plans I don’t know about?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Luke…if you made plans, it’s only right to share them with your girlfriend.” She forked a few pieces of pancake together. “So, share.” She looked at him expectantly and put the fork in her mouth.

  The moment was now. He rolled away from her and stood. He held her gaze as he walked over to her side of the bed and removed her tray. “Are you finished?”

  “Yes, sir! I am.” She bounced in the bed, doing her little clap. He was back by her side within seconds and dropped down on bended knee. “What are you doing? Get in bed with me.” She patted his side, bobbing her eyebrows up and down.

  “I love you.”

  “I know, and I love you too.”

  Luke sucked in a breath and pulled the ring out of his pocket. When the morning sunbeams from the large picture windows connected with the diamond, a dance of light bounced off the ceiling and walls and onto Julia’s lap.

  She said nothing, yet her tremulous lip said all.

  “Julia,” he began, taking her left hand, “I have lived the last twenty years not knowing a love like ours. The honesty, commitment to each other, and passion…this is how it should be, baby. I don’t want to live the next twenty years without you. I want it all with you, and I will do my best to prove to you each day how much I love you, how you’re the most important person in my life.”

  A glossy sheen covered her eyes. Even though the question hadn’t been asked, he knew her answer.

  “Sweetheart, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Julia, will you marry me?” He placed the ring at the tip of her finger and waited. His galloping heart raced as he neared the ultimate finish line. His beauty. His angel. Everything inside him knew she would say yes, but nothing was certain until the life-changing word left her lips. The agony of waiting for it might be his undoing.

  Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at the ring.

  Any day now, baby. Come on, say it. S
ay yes.

  Luke wasn’t a praying man, but right now, he prayed that his heart had been right, guiding him to this moment.

  Happy tears rained down Julia’s face as she nodded.

  Luke exhaled the breath he’d been holding, sliding the ring onto her finger. That had to have been the longest seconds of his life. He climbed over her to his side of the bed and pulled her onto him.

  “Yes, Luke! Yes, yes, yes!” She kissed him wildly, and all he could do was laugh, he was so damn happy.

  Wrapped in a towel, Julia sat on the bed staring in awe at her engagement ring. Julia Hamill. It sounded lovely. Mrs. Luke Hamill.

  The smile on her face faded. Renee still went by Hamill. She cast out the negativity. There was no doubt in her mind Luke loved her and meant every word he’d said. He had never known a love like theirs.

  She grabbed her phone and snapped a picture of her ring and sent it to Lauren. Not two seconds later, Julia’s phone rang.

  “I said YES!”

  “Oh my God!” Lauren squealed. “You’re marrying the Greek god!”

  “I am! I’ll be Mrs. Greek god.” She giggled.

  “Okay, tell me everything. When, where, and how?”

  “This morning in bed over huckleberry pancakes. He kneeled next to the bed and asked me to marry him.” She sighed dreamily.

  “Wow, that sounds romantic. Was it romantic? Tell me it was romantic!”

  “It was romantic, and totally Luke. And that’s what I love most. Lauren, the pancakes were on an antique Victorian plate. He said you didn’t tell him I loved Victorian antiques.”

  “I didn’t! That’s amazing.”

  “I know! It was perfect and beautiful, and not to mention his pancakes are to die for. Isn’t the ring gorgeous?”

  “Babe, the ring is spectacular. It all sounds magical. I’m so happy for you, and now we get to plan a wedding for one of us, finally!”

  “Oh my gosh, mine and Luke’s wedding.” She swooned.

  “So, when is it?”