Hustle Him (Bank Shot Romance #2)(57)
Author: Jennifer Foor

He pulled my hand up to his lips and kissed my wedding ring. The diamond was my mother’s and it meant so much to be able to finally wear it. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Always know what to say? Where would I even be without you?”

I tried not think about that. Our life was too great to think about what could have been. “It doesn’t matter. You’re always going to have me. I can’t get rid of you now. I have three kids to raise,” I teased.

“We have three kids to raise. As my best friend and my wife, I’ll never let you do it all alone. That goes for Asha and Logan too. I know they have their dad, especially when he gets his shit straight, but I want them to know they can always count on me.” He laid his head down on my stomach and after a few seconds the baby started moving around. “I’ll miss them everyday, but this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.”

I felt his hand reaching into my panties. “Are you seriously trying to get freaky with me in your parents house?”

He laughed and kept moving down lower. “Maybe.”

I grabbed his arm, not letting him go any further. “We can’t!”

He sat up and pulled out of my hold, then started pulling my panties down. “We can! This was my room. I think it’s like a fantasy to sleep with a woman that’s even sexier than the ones that used to hang on these very walls.”

“I am fat and pregnant.”

“You’re beautiful. I want you every time I look at you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, buttering up isn’t going to make me want to have sex.”

He tugged one last time, getting my underwear completely off. He was ignoring me, pulling off his pants anyway. He grabbed one of my legs and held it up against his shoulder. His gentle, wet kisses covered my ankles, leaving me fighting to hold my ground. Once his lips got to my calf, I was pretty much forfeiting the battle.

Ramsey had a way of persuading me into doing whatever he wanted. He was never really unreasonable, so I went with whatever he had in mind. We were adults and since we were married and expecting, I hardly can imagine that his parents thought we never had sex. It still felt weird, except with Ramsey’s seductive tactics, it was impossible to stop him, when he loved pleasing me so much.

We spent the next couple days doing things with his parents. They took the kids to the aquarium and came back with their hands full of presents. As for me and Ramsey, well, we spent the afternoon at the cemetery.

I was nervous going there. I just felt like it wasn’t my place, but he insisted. Since it seemed so important to him, I agreed to go. The cemetery was actually beautiful. The landscaping and statues of angels made for a serene atmosphere. We walked down a little hill after we parked and came up to a small bench. He pointed to the two headstones across from it and I read the names. Then he took my hand and we both sat down. I had fresh flowers in my hand, but was afraid to make a move. Ramsey was so quiet. He sat still, just staring at the headstones. He kept my hand in his, sometimes rubbing mine with his thumb. I understood his silence, but it was hard to say nothing when I knew he was in pain.

Finally, after at least ten minutes, he just started talking. “Jules parents put the bench in a couple months ago. They come here every Sunday.”

“It’s very pretty here.”

“Yeah, I think so.”

I put my arm around him. “Do you want me to give you a minute? I can go back to the car.”

I didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t say something because I was there. This was his own personal time with his girls. I knew how important it was.

He put his arm over my shoulder and pulled me closer, while kissing the top of my head. “There’s nothing I have to say that you can’t hear, Vessa. You being a part of this is important to me. They’re my past, but you’re my future. That’s never going to change.”

I smiled and leaned my head into him for a second. Without asking if it was okay, I walked up to Jules’ stone. It was hard with my belly, but I knelt down in front of it and set up the flowers in the holder. “I promise to spend every day of my life taking care of him, Jules.”

When I turned around to look around he was smiling with tears in his eyes. He mouthed the words ‘thank you’ and held out his hand to help me stand up. We stood there for a few more minutes holding hands.

Once we set up Katie’s flowers, we headed out and had lunch. A couple people recognized him and came over to say hello. He introduced me as his wife and told them about our life in West Virginia. I was surprised when the guy asked him if he still shot pool. He laughed and looked at me, before explaining that he married me to steal all of my skills.

When they finally walked away, he was all smiles. “Do you miss living here? We can move if you want. I mean, we could always sell the restaurant and buy another house.”

“Vessa, I love where we live. I don’t want you having to worry if I’m coming home at night, like I know Jules did. I don’t miss the city life, at all. I like my job. It’s easy and I can be with you whenever I need to be. My old station was constantly working on cases. I worked eight hours running around with criminals and putting my life on the line. We don’t have that where we live. The kids can grow up and play outside without us having to be out there with them. That’s the kind of life that I want for my family.”

“I just want you to be happy. I feel like you’ve taken on my life and I don’t want you to have to do that.” I knew what it was like to be in a marriage where it was all about the other person. I couldn’t take him ever resenting me.

“I’m the one that wanted to get married. It was my idea to fix up the restaurant. I love living in your aunt’s old house. It big enough for all of us and the property is fantastic. Would you stop with the worrying. I will be so glad when you pop out that kid and get back to being your spunky self.”

“I worry too much.”

“Yes, you do. Just relax and enjoy life with me. You never know what tomorrow brings and I will spend every minute of my life being happy. I’ve wasted away enough time.”

“I really do love you, so much.” He was everything I could have asked for in a man. “I even loved the stubborn hermit that you used to be.”

He reached over the table and kissed me. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I love you too, honey. Now finish eating before the kids talk my parents into taking them to Disney World. I don’t know which one of them is more excited about having each other. Did you see my parents light up earlier today? I told you that you had nothing to worry about. Everything is going to be alright.” He sang like Bob Marley. I laughed and rolled my eyes.