The Luck of Love Read Online Free PDF Page B

jaw working. He had to remind himself that this was supposed to be a romantic moment, but more than anything, he was pissed off.
    Lucas wasn’t a defeatist. What the hell was going on?
    “I don’t know. But I think you’re doing it to the wrong person.”
    Josh cocked a brow. “Oh, really. And you know that how?” Before Lucas could reply, he gritted out, “You’re still the only human being capable of making me so goddamn furious that I want to punch a wall. You still make my heart race after all these years. I still love you like I did when we first met. I still want you like there’s no tomorrow.
    “Together, we’ve created this family that is far more than we ever imagined possible. We have a daughter, a beautiful little girl, and we have her mother. I don’t think either of us expected Gia, and maybe that’s how it should have been. A happy surprise. But both of those girls in there are extensions of our love for one another.
    “Do you think I could have opened myself to her if I didn’t know you loved me unconditionally? You’re my foundation, Luke. You always have been, and without you, our life would suck. Stop fucking imagining yourself buried in Arlington and start thinking of coming home.” He licked parched lips and scraped out, “Do you want to leave us? Is that it?”
    Luke swallowed. The natural gesture looked like he was trying to choke down a whole orange. “No, of course not.”
    “Right, then, well, you’re not going to leave us. I’m not allowing it.”
    “You’re a brigadier general, Josh. You’re not God,” he retorted, his tone amused.
    “I’m not having it, Luke. You’ll get your ass back to us, safe and sound, or I’ll make you regret it.”
    “What? You’ll haunt me in heaven? Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
    Josh glared at him. “Less of the morbid maudlin, Luke. I’m on my knee—my injured one, no-goddamn-less—for a fucking reason.”
    “Yeah? You gonna get around to saying what that reason is?”
    “You’re a prick, you know that?”
    “What every man needs to know when he’s about to hear a proposal.”
    Josh sniffed. “At least you’re not buried so far up your own ass that you can’t realize what’s going on here.” When Luke’s lips twitched, Josh glowered at him. “You’re going to marry me, and we’re going to make this official. You’re not leaving the States until I have you so lawfully tied up, you’re in fucking legal bondage.”
    “What about Gia?”
    “You think I haven’t discussed this with her?” Josh’s gaze narrowed into a slit. “You think I’m that big a jackass?”
    “No, of course not, but if this is a knee-jerk reaction to today, the gesture is appreciated but totally unnecessary.”
    “I’d say it’s very necessary if you don’t know how much I fucking love you, you prick.”
    “Fucking hell, Josh. Could you get more romantic?”
    “Could you? Luke, by the sound of it, you’re not leaping for joy at my proposal. You’re about to reject my ass. And the fact you believe this is a knee-jerk reaction shows me how off base you are.
    “The Luke of old knew exactly what was happening in this place, from the basement up. I don’t know what’s going on with you, and I wish I’d seen earlier. I’ve been busy at the base, but that’s no excuse, and I’m going to make amends.
    “However, let me state this now: this is not one of those ways to rectify how I’ve been neglecting you, Gia, and Lexi. I’ve been thinking about this since the SCOTUS ruling, and as much as I love Gia, and as much as you do, there is no me and her without you. That doesn’t make her an unequal partner in our relationship, but you make me whole. You enable me to have her, to love her. Without you, I’m fuck all. Nothing , do you hear me?
    “So, Lucas Gray, will you be my husband?”

Chapter Three
    “You see your daddies, honey?” Gia lifted Lexi up so she could look out the kitchen window. She was an itty-bitty thing