“Uh-huh.”

Angie chuckled. “That’s not fair to do that when Emma isn’t here.”

As the others laughed, Pesh glanced at Mason. He was staring at Aidan and Noah with a contemplative look on his face. Never in a million years could he have imagined what he would do next. Mason crawled up into his lap and patted Pesh’s chest. “Esh Mace’s daddy. Mace Daddy’s boy.”

Conversation in the dining room silenced. Without even looking up, Pesh felt his skin singing under the burn of everyone staring at him and Mason. There was no way he could deny the boy when he wore such an expression of happiness. “Yes, you’re Daddy’s boy.”

A strangled cry caused him to snap his gaze from Mason over to Megan. Wide-eyed and open mouthed, she blinked a few times as if she were trying to believe that what she was seeing was real. Then without another word, she bolted from her chair and fled the room. Pesh sat in a shocked silence for a few seconds trying to decide what to do. Bending over, he whispered into Mason’s ear, “Will you go back and play with the others? I need to check on Mommy.”

When Mason nodded, Pesh gently sat him back down on the floor. After he raced out of the dining room, Pesh finally glanced at the others. “Excuse me,” he said, before rising out of his chair. He made his way down the hallway. He didn’t have to look hard for Megan—she was in the one bedroom with the door closed. He rapped lightly on the wood. When she didn’t answer, he went ahead and opened the door.

He found her sitting on the edge of the bed with her head in her hands. He went over and sat down next to her. Tentatively, he put his hand on her back. “I’m sorry for not setting Mason straight and telling him I wasn’t his daddy. He looked so happy, and I didn’t want to hurt him.”

With her elbows braced on her knees, Megan turned her head to look at him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You think I’m angry at you?” He nodded his head. She hiccupped a cry. “Oh Pesh, you’re so naïve sometimes!”

He jerked back at her words. “Excuse me?”

“Just when I think I can’t love you more, you go and do something like that.” Before he could process her words, she threw herself at him, kissing his cheeks and mouth. She straddled his lap and brought her hands around his neck. “You really love Mason, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

“You could see yourself really being a father to him?”

“Yes, I could. But what—”

She silenced him with a kiss. It was one that was laced with desperate emotions. He wrapped his hands around her waist and drew her closer to him. Just as he was about to deepen the kiss, she pulled away. “You love me too, don’t you?”

“You should have no doubts on that one.”

“You love me enough to be a husband to me?”

Her question caused him to suck in a harsh breath. He felt like he had been kicked in the gut. “Yes, I could—I always have.”

She tilted her head at him and smiled. “Then marry me.”

“Excuse me?”

Bringing her lips to his, she murmured against his mouth, “Marry me. Make me your wife.”

At that moment, he thanked God he was sitting down because if he hadn’t been, he was pretty sure he would’ve done something totally emasculating like fainting. He also questioned both his hearing and his sanity. Had Megan just proposed to him? Surely, he was hallucinating.

“Did you just ask me to marry you?” he questioned lamely.

Giggling, Megan nodded her head. “I wish you could see your face right now. I should be insulted.”

“I’m sorry. It’s just you surprised me.”

She cupped his face in her hands. “I’m sorry I don’t have a ring, and I didn’t get down on one knee,” she lovingly teased.

He brought his hands up to touch hers. “You’re really serious?”

“Yes, I am.”

Bowing his head, he tenderly kissed the tops of her hands. “I love you so much, Megan, and I want nothing more than to make you my wife.”

“So is that a yes?”

“I just want to make sure you know what you’re saying. One minute you’re in the dining room, laughing with your family, and then the next you’re in here weeping and then proposing to me. And let’s not forget how adamant you have been the entire time I’ve known you about being too young to get married.”

Megan’s lips turned down in a pout. “Can’t a girl change her mind?”

“Yes, of course, but I just want to make sure this is really what you want.”

Tears sparkled in her blue eyes. “You are everything I could ever want in a man. You love me, you watch out for me, you want the best for me. While that would be enough to make me want to marry you, you love my son. You watch out for him and you want the best for him. I couldn’t ever imagine loving someone more than I do you. I can’t imagine wanting to be anyone else’s wife but you.” She sniffled. “I was so stupid for so long. I couldn’t believe that someone like me could truly deserve someone like you. But you never gave up on me. If you give me the chance, I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy.”

Pesh couldn’t stop the racing of his heart. He was sure both his heart rate and blood pressure were off the charts at this moment. He cupped her cheeks. “Nothing in the world would make me happier than for us to get married.”

“So we’re engaged?”

“Yes, we are.” When a smile lit up Megan’s face, he shook his head. “But not formally yet. Not until I put a diamond on your hand.”

“But I don’t need that to know I’m promised to you and that we’re getting married.”

“Maybe you don’t, but I do.”

She rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. I’ll let you buy me a diamond. A great big one, okay?”

He laughed. “I promise to spend a fortune.”

“You know I would be happy to wear your ring even if it was a little chip.”

“I know you would. But I want to spoil my beautiful future wife.”

She grinned. “Okay, I won’t argue with you.”

Pesh brought his mouth to hers. As their lips moved against each other, he couldn’t believe how lucky he was. Megan was his—she was really going to be his for the rest of his life. When she flicked her tongue against his, he groaned into her mouth. Considering they were at Patrick’s with all of her family down the hall, he knew the last thing on his mind should’ve been flipping her over onto her back and pounding into her. But he didn’t care. He wanted inside her body. He had finally made it into her heart, mind, and soul, and he once again wanted to be inside her perfection.