A/N: I just wanted to send a big thank-you out to all you who are reading and reviewing! I'm sorry I haven't done this earlier but I just wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate your feedback and your interest in this story:) Thank you all so much.
I hope you enjoy the next chapter. :)
Chapter Thirty- Five:
Complete shock. That's the only way to describe the look on Quincy's face right now. I have to admit, it's kind of nice to be the one to surprise him for a change.
But mixed with the bafflement, I can see his doubt creeping in. "Jude..." he begins hesitantly, his eyes locked on mine, "you're seventeen. Do you really think you're ready for this?"
I pause, thinking. It's amazing how quickly the answer to that question has changed. "Honestly, if you had asked me even six months ago, my answer might be different. But now, I know I'm ready. Because if there's one thing I'm learning from dad's illness, it's that life is precious. It's the same reason I wanted our relationship to finally be out in the open. I'm tired of hiding from people. I don't want to waste time. I just want to do what's going to make me happy."
He still looks nervous, tentative. Then a thought suddenly hits me. What if it's him who's not ready yet? "You don't want to ask me now, do you?" I ask, feeling the embarrassment creeping into my cheeks. I stand up immediately and begin to flee down the hall. But before I can go very far, he grabs my arm to restrain me and he pulls me back to him. He tilts my chin up, forcing me to look into his piercing blue eyes. Eyes that are filled with love, not doubt. "It's definitely not that. Don't ever think that. Jude, I would marry you any day, anywhere. But I want us to get married for the right reasons. You've been through a lot and I don't want you rushing into something you're not ready for. Because regardless of a marriage license or not, I'll always be here." He smiles warmly, pulling me into a comforting hug.
I retreat back, needing to look into his eyes. I'm still absolutely sure that marriage to Tommy is exactly what I want. "Tommy, I want you to ask me. It's what I want; it's what I need."
He smirks and tilts his head to the side slightly, like he always does when he's pondering something really important. I can tell his mind is working, deciding what he wants to do. "Well, in that case," he says, releasing my hands and dropping to one knee in front of me.
Oh God. I didn't think he'd actually do the whole "down on one knee thing".
I have to hold in a major fit of giggles. And I'm not exactly the giggly type. Tommy notices my expression immediately.
"What??" he asks, rolling his eyes at me in mock annoyance. "I want to do this right," he clarifies, remaining on one knee.
He clears his throat, balancing the ring box nervously between his two hands. But when he begins to speak, I notice immediately that his voice is smooth and confident; any sign of nervousness is gone. "Jude, you know we've had a crazy ride over the past year and a half. I don't think anyone would have expected that when you walked into G-Major with your stubborn attitude and disgust for Boyz Attack that you and I would ever get to this point. I know I certainly didn't expect it. " He shoots me his characteristic smirk and I feel the tears starting to form behind my eyes. "But what has developed between us is something I could never explain. It's been truly amazing, and the only thing I would change is the many times I've unintentionally hurt you." I see pain flash across his eyes as he acknowledges this. "Knowing you, and then being with you has changed my life in ways I could never repay, and I hope that you'll allow me to be your husband so I can try and be everything to you that you've been to me." His eyes are glassy with unshed tears and I can tell he's trying to make it through his proposal without shedding any. "I love you, Jude Harrison, and I'm praying with everything in me that you'll marry me."
I can't believe he just said all that. Tommy Quincy isn't known for being the most talkative person. And, yet, he just proposed to me with the most romantic, heartfelt speech I have ever heard. I feel my knees actually quivering underneath me. I wipe the tears from my cheeks that have spilled from my eyes.
When I finally realize that Tommy is staring at me expectantly, I pull him quickly to his feet and launch myself roughly into his arms. He begins to laugh, his arms slipping around me. "Is that a yes?" he asks, whispering softly in my ear.
I draw my head back to look into his eyes. I feel like I have a smile permanently stuck on my face. "Yes. That is most definitely a yes." As his arms tighten around my back, I feel the ring box he's holding digging into my skin.
I laugh helplessly at what he's forgotten, and he leans his head back in confusion. "I think you've failed to remember an important part of this whole process," I point out.
His brow is still furrowed in puzzlement. "The box in your hand," I say, giving him a hint.
He smiles, releasing me from his arms. He opens the box, looking at it himself for a second, before spinning the box so I can look at it. It's stunning. It's honestly the prettiest ring I've ever seen. My eyes are immediately drawn to the diamond, which is clearly shaped like a heart.
"Your dad and I took one look at this one and both thought it would be perfect for you," Tommy takes the ring out of it's place in the box, lightly taking my left hand in his so he can slide the ring on.
He pauses before placing it on my finger. "Are you sure about this? Because once this ring goes on, it's never coming off," he jokes. But there is also a sense of grave seriousness in his question.
I stare deeply into his eyes, trying to reflect all the certainty I feel inside. "I'm sure."
He smiles, sliding the ring all the way down my ring finger. He holds my hand for a minute longer, just looking at the ring at its rightful place on my finger.
"Thank you, Tommy," I say, my heart swelling with happiness. "At a time when my world seems like it's falling apart, you know exactly what to do to put it all back together again."
He sits down on the couch, pulling me with him to sit on his lap.
"You know, I really do love this dress," he declares suddenly, his voice low and raspy. I'd certainly say so; I laugh, remembering the day he almost ripped it off of me in the clothing store. His hand begins to travel up my thigh, caressing the skin just underneath the hem of my dress.
I lean my head back, enjoying his touch teasing my skin into arousal. He unzips the dress, slipping the straps off my shoulders, the bodice falling to my waist as he begins to kiss my exposed back lightly. It feels so good. Like sinfully good. I never want him to stop. Ever.
He spins me on his lap so that I'm straddling him, and he attacks my lips with his. His tongue runs along my bottom lip teasingly before demanding entrance to my mouth.
Without looking I begin to unbutton his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders and tossing it to the floor. His hands are running up and down my thighs, almost reaching my core before pulling back. I can feel my skin getting hotter by the second. I need him, in so many ways.
He must feel the urgency too because he suddenly slides my dress off all the way, along with my underwear, and rids himself of the rest of his clothing before lowering me to the couch. He joins me, pressing me into the couch with his weight.
He kisses my shoulder, my collarbone, tracing a path back up to my lips as his hands trace a different path up from my thighs towards my core.
I can barely stand it, feeling my body contract subconsciously from his caresses. My hands dig roughly into his back as he finally enters me quickly. The sweat builds on our bodies rapidly as we find our steady rhythm. Sex with Tommy has always been amazing; but this time there's something about it, something wonderful that I can't quite describe. Something proprietary, some confident sense of belonging and ownership in each touch and embrace. It's like there's finally no doubt in his mind that I'm really his.
I can't help but moan his name loudly as I feel myself reaching a climax; within seconds, Tommy's body finds its own release and collapses on to mine. He lays his head on my chest as we both try to catch our breath.
"That was quite an engagement present," I joke, and I feel his body shake with laughter.
"Well, wait until you're Mrs. Quincy. There's certainly more where that came from." I can see a small smile forming on his tired face. The thought of us being married, it's almost too good to be true.
A few minutes later, our bodies cooling and our breath evening out, Tommy lifts his tired head to look into my eyes. "You can't be very comfortable with me crushing you like this," he says. Despite my assertions that I'm fine, he begins to manoeuvre our bodies so that he is underneath me. This, however, somehow ends in us tumbling off the couch onto the floor.
"Well, that didn't quite work out how I planned it." I can't help but laugh at the surprised look on his face. He's smirking happily as he pulls a blanket over us. "But it works all the same."
It's so comfortable, so peaceful just lying like this with him. It almost makes me think for a minute that everything is okay with the world, that I didn't come too close to losing my dad tonight. Because when I feel like this it doesn't seem like anything could possibly be wrong. I close my eyes, savouring a moment of peace within the surrounding chaos of my life.
He's brushing his hand absently through my hair as he begins to speak. "Not that I'm not overjoyed that you said yes, but you do realize this is going to make things even more difficult for you. I mean, Darius is going to find out that we're together and we're engaged all within 24 hours. I'm not sure that man's heart can take all that," Tommy quips. "And whether we care or not, a lot of people are going to be bothered that you're 17 and engaged to a 24 year old."
"How about married to a 24 year old?" I ask, an interesting thought entering my brain.
Tommy's hand stops moving in my hair, and he raises his eyebrows questioningly. I answer his look, asking, "What if we got married soon, while dad's still alive?"
Tommy laughs. "You really don't want to waste any time, do you? Look, you know you won't get any argument from me. I'd marry you tomorrow, but it's actually not that easy. We'll have to get your dad's permission if we want to get married before you're eighteen."
"You don't think he'll give his permission?" I ask, playing with the ring, which still feels new on my finger.
"Honestly, I don't know. I mean, he knows we're going to get married at some point. I don't think he'll expect it to be this soon."
I turn my body even further towards his, resting my head on his naked chest. "I want to marry you so quickly for my own reasons. Because I love you. And I don't want to wait while my life passes by before I grab a hold of the things that are most important. But... and this may sound weird, but... I also want to prove to my dad that he has nothing to worry about. That even when he's gone I'll be loved and cared for."
Tommy brushes his hand down the side of my face. "Well, all we can do is talk to him about it."
"But you're okay with getting married this soon? I know it's a bit... sudden." I look into his eyes, searching for the truth. I certainly don't want to push Tommy into something he's not prepared for.
Tommy's eyes are smouldering with passion as he runs his hand down my arm, leaving my skin burning underneath his touch. "Girl, I'd marry you right now, in this living room if I could."
"Quincy, really… I didn't know you were such an exhibitionist," I say, laughing lightly.
Tommy rolls his eyes. "Ha. Ha. Okay. I'll correct that. I'd marry you right now, in this living room. As long as we were wearing some clothing."
"That's more like it. With your jealous streak, I didn't think you'd like the idea of all our guests seeing me naked," I joke, but he doesn't protest. He knows just as well as I do that it's the truth.
"You know," he begins, his voice taking on a more sober tone, "in the interest of being prepared for everything that we may be dealing with, the last few times we… well, we haven't exactly been 'careful'."
I feel completely stupid and naive admitting this but, with everything going on, I haven't even thought about this. I could be pregnant. Even tonight, with what just happened between us, we could have made a baby.
"And how would you feel about... a baby?" I ask, honestly unsure of how I feel about it myself.
"I want kids. That said, I'm not completely sure we're ready for a baby yet. But if it happens, well... let's just wait and see what happens..." he says, smirking. And as I watch him try and hide his smirk, I have the sudden feeling that Quincy would be more than happy if we have made a baby.
We lounge for a while longer, joking and lingering in the delight of being together before we both drift off into a peaceful slumber, his arms locked tightly around me.
I wake to the blissful smell of dark roast coffee. And as I open my heavy eyes, I see Tommy, fully dressed in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, in the kitchen making breakfast. I remain in my position on the floor for a few minutes longer before my desire for coffee wins out.
I notice his dress shirt from last night still on the floor where I threw it. I reach for it, slipping it on and buttoning a few of the buttons before standing up and dragging myself into the kitchen in pursuit of that wonderful smelling coffee.
"Good morning," he says, kissing my cheek quickly and handing me a full cup of coffee.
What morning is ever good? I mean, after last night, this is definitely one of the better ones. But mornings are just not synonymous with 'good'. Ever.
I nod in response, unable to form coherent words when I first wake up.
I feel almost instantly recovered as the caffeine begins to take effect. "Feeling better?" Tommy asks, an amused look on his face. He's always been amazed at the sudden impact coffee has on me.
"Much," I answer, smiling and taking another sip.
"So... since we're not hiding any more, who do you want to deal with first today? Your dad or Darius."
"Hmm..." I say, mentally weighing the options. "Asking Dad for permission to get married within the next month or facing Darius who's likely going to want to kill us both. Or kiss us depending on the effect our relationship is having on business. That's a tough call."
"I didn't say either one was going to be easy," Quincy said, sipping his own coffee.
"Let's go see my dad first. And if he gives his permission, we'll have more information for Darius."
"Alright," he says, handing me a full plate of eggs, bacon and toast.
He knows I don't usually eat much breakfast. I take the plate, shooting him a puzzled look.
"Trust me. You're going to need the sustenance for the hell of a day we've got ahead of us," he jokes, making his way to the table with his own plate of food.
Oh dear. As I laugh, I can't help but wonder what the hell I've gotten myself into. Well, at least Quincy's in it as deeply as I am.