Claiming Them by Rosa Mink
Chapter 10
Luca
Anxious energy flows through me as I wait for my sisters to get here with Rylee. Mama spent the afternoon cooking up a storm to have for the meal tonight. The house—our house smells amazing thanks to it, and while my stomach is silently grumbling, I don’t think I can eat a bite until I have Rylee’s answer to the questions, I have for her.
The first is to move in with me here. The second is to marry me. Fuck, I’m confident that the answer to both will be yes but I can’t shake this anxious energy.
Maybe it’s knowing that Tyler’s going to be around more. Hell, after dinner last Saturday, we did a bbq on Monday at Mama’s house. He was over at the apartment Wednesday when I got home, meaning I couldn’t take my girl to bed the way I wanted. Last night we went out to dinner the three of us and he asked if he could move in with Rylee.
Mark put the house up for sale and he wants to move out before he’s forced to. I couldn’t exactly tell her to say no, but now, I’m rethinking selling my apartment. Rylee’s sublet lease will be up soon, I want us to be in the new house, have it ready for the baby when she gets here.
Yeah, there’s room for Tyler here but I don’t want him underfoot. I want to be able to spank my girl’s ass if I find her in those pj shorts in the kitchen without having her son’s eyes on us.
I won’t say he can’t come visit, spend the occasional night, but living with us? Nah.
Had I found Rylee when he was younger it might be different, but I’m still pissed at him for hurting my girl these last three months.
Camila’s car finally turns up the driveway and I move down the steps of the wrap-around porch, reaching them when she stops. Rylee’s eyes are wide as she looks at me, then to the house in confusion.
“I had this all planned out, but I can’t wait another minute, mama,” I state, taking the key out of my pocket. There’s a long string attached to it, keeping the ring in there still as I hold it up for her to see. “I love you Rylee, more than words can say. I’ve tried to show you just how much every day since we met and I promise, you and this little girl, will never feel unloved or not wanted. That’s what this is all for,” I add turning a bit so she can see the house better. “A house that we can make our home, with this baby girl, the two dogs, a cat, maybe some horses instead of rabbits pigs and goats though…”
“Luca? You…”
“Found it and bought it, for us, our family that I will love forever. So, what do you say, mama? Move in here with me, raise our little girl here? And just to know if you’re on the fence, there are two porch swings.”
“Two? Well then, I definitely will have to move in here with you, won’t I?” Rylee states, her huge smile telling me it’s a joke. “I’d move anywhere with you Luca Moreno. I love you in ways I never even dreamt was possible.”
“Then this is yours,” I tell her, settling the key into her hand. She lifts it, seeing the ribbon attached to it and her eyes slip back up to mine. “I’m all yours as well and the end of that string has something special attached to it that if you want it, means that you’re mine in every way for life. You take it out of my pocket and there’s no going back, mama.”
“Hand it over mister,” she teases, her eyes blinking away the hints of tears, but I know they’re happy ones.
I lift the ring out, holding it up before deciding if I’m doing this, I’m doing it right. I sink down onto my knee, giving her the proposal, she didn’t have the first time around. “Rylee Melissa Curtis, I love you. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and this little girl is definitely the second. The two of you are beyond any accomplishment at work or balance in my bank account. I want to spoil you and love you both until the sun sets for us. Will you let me love you for life, mama? Will you marry me?”
“In an instant,” Rylee sighs, her mouth finding mine and I stand up when it ends, lifting her entirely against my chest, cradling her there as I show her into our home. “If that isn’t tamales I smell, I’m giving this ring back, mister.”
“When would I ever disappoint my girl?” I tease, kissing her again. We reach the kitchen and the dogs let out barks, drawing Rylee’s attention down to them. “They’re supposed to be good guard dogs, already have them in classes and there’s a doggy door installed so they can go out and do their business in the backyard. We can put up gates on the porch, so they’ll stay inside the fence.”
“Oh my god, Luca! You bought us a house and puppies all at once?” she asks her chin trembling. The second Mama brings over the kitten the tears flow. I sit down, holding onto her as she cuddles with our new kitten, her head on my shoulder.
I press a kiss to her forehead, smiling as my sisters watch us. “Happy?”
“Sooooooo flipping happy right now, babe. I thought you telling me you loved me with the words and Tyler’s attitude change were the best things ever, enough to make me happy the rest of my life but this…give your mama some sugar,” she tells me, and who am I to deny her what she wants?
“Think you’re happy enough not to get mad at me for what I’m about to suggest?” I ask her a couple minutes later as the kitten is purring away against her breasts.
“Suggest what?” Her eyes hold mine and I brush the last of her tears away, kissing all over her beautiful face, ending on her soft lips.
“Tyler moves into my apartment, and we move in here.” Her smile grows even deeper, and I can’t resist it or her when she’s glowing like this. “That’s a yes?”
“That’s a fuck yes. I love my son but I’m quite sure he’s going to be a cockblocker if he stays with us,” Rylee whispers to me, making me laugh.
“And that won’t work for mama, will it?” I tease, giving her one more kiss before I settle her onto her chair to eat.
“Uh, in a freaking minute,” Emma says, the girls converging on us, getting their hugs from Rylee before they’ll get out of here. I feed Rylee myself, loving how she enjoys the meal, but it makes me want to feast on her and that is not going to happen here.
“Damn, you’ve got me so hard I’m about to burst, mama. The only furnishings this place currently has is in here and I want you too much to be satisfied with one time on this table.”
“Then take me to the apartment and fuck me, babe. We can pack it up starting tomorrow, bring my furniture here?” she suggests, and I nod. It’s what I envisioned when I bought the place.
It’s only twenty minutes to the apartment from here, fifteen to the shop, but it feels like we’re alone. That’s what I wanted for our family as well. Not neighbors breathing down our necks.
“Oh my god, is that a barn?” Rylee asks as I walk her to my car.
“I said horses instead of rabbits, pigs and goats, didn’t I?” I tease, kissing her eyes shut. “We have four acres here. It goes back beyond the fence that you can use to ride. You said it was the one thing you did like about your old life. We can buy a couple horses, hell, I can hire someone to come out and take care of them for you, so you don’t have to go anywhere if you want to take a ride. You can come outside with our little girl and visit them.”
“Best neighbor ever.” Rylee gives me a kiss that has me hurrying us back to the apartment so I can own her body all over again.
