31 Days of Summer (31 Days #2) (53 page)

‘
Now
you have nothing to say? The one time
I really need you to say something?’ he asked nervously, as he wiped his own
eyes with one hand, while still clutching mine in his other.

‘Ask me again,’ I whispered with a giggle. ‘Without
the bossy “just agree to bloody marry me woman” part.’

‘Yeah as I said, not really the romantic way I’d
planned,’ he laughed. ‘Ellie Baxter, I’m so in love with you and I’m going to
love you for the rest of our lives. I want our family to be whole, complete.
Will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife? Marry me, Miss Baxter,’
he asked, in that sexy baritone of his. How could anyone refuse him?

‘Yes, Sir,’ I nodded. A load of cheers went up
behind us.

‘Most unromantic and drawn out proposal ever
mate,’ ribbed Logan, but neither Dan or I took our eyes off each other, as we
grinned stupidly through our heightened emotional state.

‘You agree to this and it’s for life, Ellie. No
matter what we go through, if you tried to leave I’d hunt you down to the
corners of the universe. I’ll never let you walk away from me.’

‘I never would,’ I whispered sincerely. ‘I’ve
wanted you from the moment I saw you.’

‘Tell me about it,’ he sighed as he rose back up,
clasped my face and kissed me again, before hauling me against his chest as
everyone cheered again and started clapping. ‘You’re shaking.’

‘You sort of shocked me, first I think you’re
dying, then you tell me to shut up, then you propose.’

‘I’m sorry it wasn’t perfect,’ he sighed as he
released me and wiped under my eyes.

‘It was perfectly imperfect, just like we are, how
we’ve always been,’ I sniffed, he nodded and blew out a deep breath and I
reached up and gently dragged my thumbs under his eyes too,  then gasped and
stepped back holding my left hand in the air. I was so stunned at what he’d
just done, that I hadn’t even felt him slip a ring onto my finger. I looked
back up at him with my mouth open.

‘You only just realised?’ he laughed with a shake
of his head, as he captured the ends of my fingers in his. ‘This is why you
couldn’t come shopping with me on Saturday, I was picking it up.’

‘Dan I don’t know what to say. It’s … stunning is
too tame a word for how this looks,’ I exclaimed, as I looked at the dazzling
large round diamond, surrounded by a circle of emeralds, then another ring of
diamonds, on a diamond channel set platinum ring. I’d never seen anything so
beautiful, and the fact that it matched the bracelet and earrings he’d already
purchased made it all the more special. ‘You’ve spent too much,’ I whispered,
as I looked up at him again with tears in my eyes.

‘You’re so valuable to me, that as an expression
of my love for you? Trust me, I haven’t spent nearly enough,’ he replied, as he
lifted my hand and kissed it.

‘Finally he pulls out the romance,’ laughed Logan,
as everyone clapped and surged forwards to congratulate us. I was passed from
person to person for hug after hug and lots of exclamations from the girls, as
they held my hand and examined my ring. I kept catching his eye across the
terrace, sure the stupid grin on his face was reflected on mine. I’d have been
happy even without a ring, just to know that I was going to be his wife was
enough. Oliver woke up with all the noise and looked around wide eyed wondering
what was going on, so I relieved Logan of him. ‘He really had a seriously
romantic speech prepared you know, you totally ruined it.’

‘He just took me by surprise, I had no idea, I
never imagined he’d want to get married again.’

‘He didn’t, Ellie. After losing Rebecca, then
getting tricked by Moira and feeling such guilt, he’d sworn off ever having a
relationship again, let alone getting married and having a family. They say
everyone has that one person they were meant to be with though, you’re it for
him.’

‘And maybe this Summer is it for you, but you have
to be willing to take a chance, Logan. Just like we did,’ I nodded as I kissed
Oliver, who snuggled his face into my neck.

‘So the best friend is one of the last to get to
congratulate you?’ moaned Brooke, as she elbowed Logan out of the way.

‘You were over in the corner, I was trying to be
polite as I spoke to people on my way to you. Did you know?’

‘Of course I did,’ she grinned, as she kissed my
cheek and ruffled Oliver’s hair. ‘He was worried you’d think it was too soon
after … well you know. He thought you may think he was rushing things and I had
to flick his forehead and tell him that you had a baby before you had a
relationship, so fuck convention and what everyone else may think. Love’s all
that matters.’

‘It is,’ I grinned. ‘And what a weekend for love,
my engagement tonight, your wedding tomorrow.’

‘I bet it will be yours before you know it.’

‘Mrs. Ellie Davenport, it has a nice ring to it
doesn’t it?’ I giggled.

‘A
very
nice ring to it,’ she nodded as she
grasped my left hand. It had never seen so much action. ‘Fuck me babe, that’s
some bloody huge diamond.’

‘What did I tell you about using that language in
front of him,’ I scolded, as I covered Oliver’s ear with my hand. ‘He’s picking
up on some things people say now.’

‘Sorry,’ she grimaced, ‘habit.’

‘So are you nervous about tomorrow?’

‘Why would I be nervous? I love her, she loves me,
Brolly forever, we’re meant to be.’

‘Please tell me that’s not in your vows tomorrow,’
I laughed.

‘I thought it was sweet,’ she pouted.

‘Very sweet,’ I smiled as I kissed her cheek.
‘Sorry to ditch you, but I haven’t spoken to Dan’s parents yet.’

‘The dreaded out laws,’ she giggled. ‘Except
they’re amazing, well Mrs. D anyway, he’s a bit scary.’

‘It’s just his legal manner, he has a heart of
gold under that hard exterior. He adores Oliver.’

‘Who wouldn’t, he’s a cute bundle of porky chubbiness,’
she said in a baby voice.

‘Are you calling my son fat?’

‘O shit, don’t start with the water works again,
you were a nightmare when you were pregnant last time. Can’t you just have a
nice craving, instead of the tears? He’s not fat, he just has normal baby
delicious chub that I could eat right up,’ she sighed as she kissed his neck
over and over, until he giggled.

‘Why don’t you have a cuddle with Auntie Brooke,
while mummy goes to see Nana and Grandpa?’

‘Auntie Brooke would love a cuddle,’ she grinned,
as she held her arms out and I passed him over.

‘If you think he looks adorable in this outfit,
wait until you see him in his cute little waistcoat and tails tomorrow.’

‘Don’t,’ Brooke moaned. ‘I’m no Ellie, I don’t
cry, don’t make me cry on my wedding day, that’s just mean.’

I smiled and left them to it as I went to see
Luiza, Daniel and Magda. Luiza grabbed me straight away and held me so tight it
was hard to breath.

‘Thank you, thank you, thank you,’ she choked,
full of emotion. ‘To see your child so happy is a wonderful thing and it’s all
down to you.’

‘Well that’s very kind of you to say, but he’s
worked really hard this last year on moving on too.’

‘Which he wouldn’t have done without you,’ she
exclaimed, as she let me go and kissed me on each cheek twice as she held my
hands. ‘I have told him off for you, I tell him romance, romance, romance and
he proposes like this?’ The look on her face was a picture and I laughed.

‘We’ve never done things normally Luiza, why
should this be any different?’

‘However you got here, we’re just so glad you
did,’ she beamed, as she kissed me again and released my hands.

‘I’ll second that,’ nodded Daniel, as he stepped forward
to kiss me as well. ‘He’s a different man with you, a better man. The man he
used to be, but an improved version.’

‘You’re making me blush,’ I protested.

‘All of this is true, Ellie,’ nodded Magda, as she
wiped tears from her eyes. ‘He is finally happy and to think you will have
another little boy soon to add to your wonderful family?’ She hugged me as
tightly as Luiza had.

‘He needs to stop telling everyone it’s a boy,’ I
laughed. ‘We have no idea until we have a scan done to confirm it.’

‘Whatever you have if you need us, we are there.
Magda is always there for babies of my Ollie.’

‘I know you are and it means so much to have you
all in our lives.’

‘Is everyone done with monopolising my fiancée?’
Dan enquired, as he slipped an arm around my waist.
Fiancée
. Why did
that feel so much more right this time around? I looked up at his happy face
and realised it was because this truly was love. I wasn’t just a trophy
girlfriend this time and he wasn’t my rebound guy who turned into my crutch.
Zac and I were never meant to be, but Dan and I? This was the real deal. I
slipped my hand into his back jeans pocket and squeezed and he looked down at
me and winked.

‘You have her for the rest of your life,’ Luiza
scolded.

‘And I’d like her for that long starting now,’ he
confirmed, as he guided me away to a quiet corner of the terrace and kissed me,
like he was about to throw me down on the floor and fuck me properly. ‘You make
me so happy,’ he sighed as he broke away, firmly holding my sagging body
against him.

‘And you me,’ I whispered as I lay my head on his
shoulder. ‘I can’t believe I’m going to be Mrs. Ellie Davenport one day.’

‘And that day won’t be in the distant future, I
don’t like waiting when I want something.’

‘Then we can think about setting a date when we
have Brooke and Molly’s wedding out of the way and everyone’s gone home and
it’s just you and me.’

‘And our little troublemaker,’ he laughed as we
heard a little voice calling “Dada” and looked around to see him toddling over
with Jenny holding his hand. Dan kissed me, then grabbed him and hoisted him up
in the air, dropped him and caught him in his strong arms.

‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch that
without panicking,’ Jenny advised.

‘You and me both,’ I nodded. ‘But I trust him.’

‘You’d better, you’re stuck with me now,’ Dan
grinned.

‘Yumyum,’ Oliver pouted.

‘I’ll sort his dinner, see you in a while, baby.’
Dan kissed me again, then Oliver pursed his lips for a kiss too and I stood
with Jenny and watched them head downstairs.

‘I think I’m going to love working for you guys,’
Jenny stated.

‘I hope so,’ I smiled. ‘Oliver’s really taken to
you and it will make me feel so much better to know someone’s always around if
Dan’s out, or away.’

‘I’d like to get everyone back downstairs, you’re
looking tired. We can all congregate on the sofas by the bar.’

‘I’m fine, just a little too much excitement I
think,’ I answered, as I looked down at my huge ring again.

‘That’s quite a ring,’ Jenny nodded.

‘He’s quite a man.’

‘Are you sure you’ll be ok with Oliver for a few
hours?’ Dan asked Jenny, as he dropped her and Oliver off with Mr. and Mrs.
McAdams at the island jetty.

‘We’ll be fine. He’s fast asleep and I can heat
him up some formula if he wakes up hungry. Have fun whatever you’re up to,’ she
called and waved, as Dan reversed back out.

‘What are we up to?’ I asked.

‘It’s a beautiful warm night, the stars are out in
abundance, we just got engaged and I didn’t bring the romance. I thought we
could have a cruise around the loch, then drop the anchor and enjoy some peace
and quiet, while I romance your clit.’

‘O, you are back on top form,’ I laughed.

‘It’s nice to see you so much more relaxed on the
water.’

‘You were very persuasive last year, with getting
me in the loch swimming and I know with you I’m safe in the water.’

‘You’re safe with me anywhere, baby, but it’s nice
to know that I don’t have to navigate a life vest when I make you come, those
breasts of yours should never be neglected.’

‘They get plenty of attention,’ I laughed, as we
skimmed across the moonlit water.

‘Hmmm, not by my mouth. I miss them,’ he replied,
flashing one of his sexy grins my way. I looked down at my ring and ran my
thumb over it, still not quite able to believe what had happened. ‘If you don’t
like it, I’ll get you another.’

‘I love it,’ I gasped, as I held it protectively
against my chest.

‘I got it myself, I didn’t send Stuart out this
time. I took a picture of your bracelet and asked them to source me something
to match. They had about ten when I went the other week, so I chose that one,
then took one of your other rings to let them size this one up, before I
collected it on Saturday.’

‘What made you pick this one?’ I asked.

‘It was the most expensive,’ he chuckled.

‘Dan,’ I laughed. ‘I’d have been happy with any
ring from you, but this is … it’s just so special and precious.’

‘Like you are to me,’ he replied seriously, as he
cut the engine and dropped the anchor. He walked over to me, held out his hand
and led me to the back of the boat, clasped my face and kissed me, deeply. His
tongue may as well have been on my clit, the heat that spread through my body
was intense, a powerful yearning to have him back inside me. I wrapped my
tongue around his, as I caressed the back of his neck. I heard him let out a
deep groan as our mouths melded, the temperature between us and around us,
rising higher and higher. One of his hands moved to grip the back of my neck,
the other my backside as he yanked my pelvis forwards onto his, with anyone
else the force would have crushed their cock and provoked a groan, not Dan. It
was me that groaned to feel the hardness of his steel rod bruising my stomach.
I squirmed against it, which had him growl sexily. Damn it, my knickers were
wet already, so powerful was my body’s response to his touch and kiss. Before I
knew it, he’d unzipped my dress and nudged the one strap off my shoulder and
let the whole thing slither to the floor, leaving me standing in just my silver
heels and a white lace g-string.