“Because I want you.”

Totally lost, he nodded. “So much so, you wouldn’t even answer your phone, much less call me back.”

Her breath caught and she looked away, but only for a second. “I’m not pregnant.”

“No?” Damn, but he felt like he’d walked into a scripted play without knowing his lines. He hoped he hid his disappointment, especially since he knew it wasn’t what she wanted.

“I just finished my period yesterday.”

Dash shifted, moving both her wrists into one of his hands so he could touch her. He started by gliding his thumb over her temple. “So maybe that’s why you’re so emotional.”

Eyes narrowing, she whispered, “Are you accusing me of PMS?”

She looked so mean, he couldn’t help but grin. Slowly he drew her arms up and over her head. “It’s a fact of life, honey, not an accusation. You just said you’re a woman, so you aren’t immune.”

She struggled against him, trying to free her hands.

Dash held on. “Does your arm—”

“No!”

He studied her face. “You can be such a little fibber.” He kissed her lips, keeping it light and quick despite her effort to the contrary. “I think it does pain you, but I like holding you like this, all stretched out under me.” He looked down the side of her body. She had one slender leg sprawled over the side of the couch, her foot on the floor. He turned and looked at her other side. That leg was half-squashed into the couch. “Let’s reposition you a little.”

“Let’s just go to bed so we can both be comfortable.”

“I’m comfortable right here.” He wouldn’t explain that a bed would test him too much. He’d been in agony trying to give her the time she needed, trying to be respectful to the demands of her job. Suffering extreme withdrawal from her sweet little body.

“Dash—”

“Shhh. Quiet down, honey, and let me decide how I want to arrange you.”

It didn’t surprise him at all when she did as asked.

“Let’s try this.” He caught her inside leg and raised it up high so that it rested on the back of the couch, opening her legs wider so that he could settle more closely against her.

She had her bottom lip caught in her teeth, her breath rushing. Damn, but the things she made him feel...

Levering up on an elbow, he looked her over. “I’ve missed these,” he said about her br**sts and bent to gently draw her nipple into his mouth.

Gasping, she shifted, lifting up to him.

He sucked and licked, leaving her nipple wet and tight. “Hold still, Margo.” He waited, and when she didn’t move, it excited him unbearably. “Now, how does your arm really feel?”

“It’s sometimes achy.”

Her honesty pleased him. “But not now?”

“Only a little.”

“Not enough that I need to—”

“No.” She tugged gently, then admitted, “I like this, but then you already know that.”

As long as she was being honest... “You’ve missed me?”

Her eyes clouded, grew damp again. “So much.”

Relieved, he filed away her emotional reply. “You were...” He couldn’t say afraid, so he amended, “Worried?”

After an audible swallow and a sniff, she nodded.

“Do you believe that I love you?”

“I don’t know.” She quickly added, “I hope you do.”

Cupping her breast, his thumb teasing her nipple, he asked, “Do you love me?”

“Yes.”

She said that so fast, her eyes dark, her lips trembling. Relief slammed into him and he put his head down by hers, and whispered, “Say it.”

“I love you so much.”

Heart hammering, he took her mouth, kissed her hard and slanted his head so that he could deepen the kiss even more.

She pressed up into him, undulating her hips, wrapping her legs around him.

But not yet, he told himself. Not just yet. “You’re moving.”

“You’re not.” She hugged her legs high around his waist. “But you should be. After you get naked.”

He smiled, and cupped her breast. “Do you have any idea what the past week has been like for me?”

“From what Rowdy said, it was maybe, but not quite, as bad as my week.”

He knew she’d been inundated with the job and personal family stuff. More than anything he’d wanted to be there with her, to help however he could. “A lot going on at the station?”

She shook her head. “A lot going on with missing you.”

Ah. So she’d suffered the same? Lightly, he tugged at her nipple and watched her eyes go heavy-lidded. “Rowdy was here to sing my praises?”

“I think—” her breath caught “—it was more about saving me from myself. Or something like that. Hard to tell with him.” Squirming, she licked her lips. “He told me to get naked with you and everything else would work out.”

Dash had to grin over that. Yes, he would thank Rowdy when next he saw him. “He gave that advice...why?”

Her eyes closed. She even turned her face away. “Because I’m a coward.”

Ending the sensual torment, Dash instead brought her face back around and then just waited.

“I love you, but...” She licked her lips again. “So many things have gone wrong. In my life, I mean. Even with my family I haven’t had a solid relationship. I’ve never really known...” Her voice trailed off and she stared at him helplessly.

Dash smoothed her hair. “Love?”

She nodded.

God, he adored her hair—more so now that he knew how she’d first come by the sexy style. “You will always have it from me.”

“My job, my family...” Worry etched a frown in her brows. “They can be difficult.”

Dash cupped her face. “It doesn’t matter if you’re being the badass lieutenant, the independent daughter, or the submissive woman, I love you so much you’re going to drown in it.”

Tears glazed her eyes again. “Let my arms go.”

He did—and she wrapped them around him, holding tight, hiding her face against his throat. He felt the dampness on his throat, but he knew everything would be okay now, so he just held her, kissing her cheekbone, her shoulder.

“Dash?”

“Hmm?” The thong left the satiny skin of her cheeks exposed. He turned, putting her atop him so he could stroke her sexy ass.

“Please don’t think I’m awful.”

“Never.”

Mustering up her backbone, she said, “When I realized I wasn’t pregnant, I was...disappointed.”

His heart expanded—because he was disappointed, too. “A baby would mean permanence.”

“I know.”

Did she? Did she realize everything he wanted from her? “It would mean marriage, a lifetime together. The whole thing.”

Her tentative fingers moved over his chest. “Yes.” Suddenly she came up to her elbows. And what a great pose that was. He had both hands on her backside, keeping her pressed closed to his erection. Her naked br**sts were right there, tempting him to nuzzle. And her mouth...whether she was ordering, teasing, kissing or cursing, she had one of the sexiest mouths he’d ever seen.

“I want that.”

Thrown off a little, Dash looked up at her face. “You want what?”

“You.” As if she might lose her nerve, she came down to kiss him hard and fast. “Love. Marriage. Kids. The whole thing.”

The grin crept up on him. “You want to marry me?”

“If you laugh, I swear—”

“What?” He held on to her behind. “What would you do?”

She let out a sigh. “Love you.” Her forehead to his, she said, “I swear, Dash, I do love your laugh.”

“Hold on.” Locking an arm around her bottom, he stood, lifting her with him.

“Dash!”

He pulled her legs around his waist and, with one devouring kiss, headed for the bedroom. “Just so you know, I was halfway hoping you’d be knocked up, too.”

“You’re so romantic.”

He laughed. “I have a mostly naked woman making me insane. How romantic did you expect me to be?”

“You mean it? You want a baby?”

“Or two or three.” He paused in the hallway, pinning her to the wall, touching between her legs until she panted. “With you, Margo. Only with you.”

“Yes.”

In her room he lowered her down to the bed and sank in against her.

“To your proposal, yes. Whenever you want. Whatever you want.”

He took her mouth and then didn’t want to stop kissing her. But this was important. Breathing heavier now, he said, “As for kids, I know your job is important to you, and it can get complicated. So just let me know when you’re ready.”

Wide-eyed over all that, Margo laughed. “You are far too accommodating.”

Again he stretched her out, using his knee to nudge her legs farther apart. With new heat roughening his voice, he said, “I expect you to be accommodating, as well.” As he sat up, he trailed his fingertips down her arms to her br**sts. “Don’t move.”

She shivered. “Dash?”

Her husky voice pleased him. “What, baby?”

“I love the way you love me.”

He bent to kiss her stomach.

“Soon,” she whispered.

“What’s that?” He hooked his fingers in the waistband of the provocative thong and drew it down her thighs.

“I want to marry you soon.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Leaving the skimpy material at her knees, he bent to kiss her inner thigh.

“A baby right after that.”

Growling, he stood and stripped off his clothes, rolled on a condom and returned to her. “You’re making me hot.”

She laughed—but she didn’t move.

And neither of them did any more talking.

* * *

AT THE FRONT of the rec center, freshly showered and dressed after a grueling workout, Cannon leaned on the reception desk and finished his phone call. In three days he’d be heading to Harmony, Kentucky. It was only a three-hour trip, but it was far enough to be a complete game changer.

He was signing with the SBC. He still couldn’t believe it, but he’d just talked with Havoc and had it confirmed that he’d be meeting Drew Black in person. Havoc and Simon Evans ran a gym in Harmony, which meant a lot of prime competition hung out there. He’d get additional training with some great exposure.

Damn, he’d worked hard for this.

At the same time, he’d miss working at Rowdy’s bar full-time. Not that he’d be moving away for good. He’d handed off some of the responsibilities for the rec center to Armie Jacobson, another fighter who was good with the kids. Cannon would retain a supervisory position. Between fights, and training for fights, he’d be back.