Chapter 21

MCKINLEY P.O.V

The night before we were leaving, Liz cooked us a huge dinner. I was so stuffed I could barely move when we were done eating. I helped her clean up the kitchen while the men were sitting in the living room watching some type of sporting event.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?" She asked as she loaded the dishwasher and started it.

"We're going to see Macy tomorrow." I answered looking towards the living room where they were shouting at the T.V. "I'm worried about getting on a plane right after." I dried a bowl with a towel before putting it away.

"I think it'll be good for him." She answered. "Sometimes you have to do difficult things. But he has you. He has everything he has ever wanted." I smiled at her words. I had been struggling with the fact that we were back together. Not because I didn't love him but I would always have a fear of him leaving. He could get another job opportunity and leave again. I never wanted that again. "You're it for him."

"You think so?" I asked smiling.

"I know so."

We woke up super early. Which annoyed me since we were on vacation and our flight wasn't until 6pm. But Luke insisted that we go out to breakfast. The mention of food got me moving. We first showered together and then we got dressed.

"I love you." I whispered hugging him from behind kissing his naked back a few times. He was still dripping water. I wasn't sure if he could tell that I was becoming emotional.

"I love you." I could hear the smile in his voice as he said the words. "So god damn much." He turned in my arms and faced me. He held my chin between his thumb and pointer finger. He lightly brushed his lips against mine.

"Someday, you'll be all mine." I smiled.

"I already am yours." He answered. I wanted it all with him. I wanted a wedding. And a marriage. And maybe a kid or two. Dogs. I really wanted a dog with him. And a house. I wanted a life with him. I wanted everything we could possibly have.

"No. I want you to be my husband." I added making my thoughts and feelings very clear about what I wanted when it came to our future.

"Really?" He asked shocked at my words. I had always gone back and forth about marriage and if it was something that I actually wanted. With Luke, I never had to question if I wanted it. I knew I wanted it. I struggled for most of my life, not knowing what I wanted or where I was going to end up. But I now knew that I was going to end up wherever Luke was.

After getting dressed, we made our way to his favorite hometown breakfast place before heading to the flower shop. I picked out the flowers while he grabbed a cute little sign to stick in the ground next to the headstone. He seemed very proud of himself so I wasn't going to be the one to burst his bubble.

I wasn't sure if he was holding himself together because of me or because he was actually healing. As soon as we pulled up to her headstone, Luke got out and right away started cleaning the dead flowers and leaves.

I set the new ones down before sitting down a few feet away from him watching him. After he was satisfied with his job, he sat behind me and pulled me into his chest.

"It's good to know that someday you want a baby." I smiled looking over my shoulder at him.

"Someday." I repeated. We sat here for a little over and hour before he decided he was ready to go. "Does this help you realize that you need to forgive Michael?" I knew that they had hung out a few times but they would both banter and throw things in each other's faces.

"Maybe." He shrugged. Lynn was now more than halfway through her pregnancy. I had tried to be supportive of her as she reached out a few times but I also wanted to support Luke. It upset him when he found out I went to dinner with her and as much as I tried to explain to him that she just needed a friend, we still got into a fight about it. "He didn't invite me to his wedding."

"I know, darling." I answered holding his hand as he drove. He drove me around seeing places that he remembers from high school. Where he had his first kiss. Where he broke his foot. Where he broke a toenail in half trying to jump a fence. "Do you miss this place?" I asked.

"Yes. But not like how you think. I miss the memories. I miss the people. But my life now is much better. I have more. I'm happy."

"Do you think we would have somehow found our way back to each other if I had never moved there?" I asked as he started driving towards the airport.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked. I nodded looking over at him.

"I bought a plane ticket." He said.

"Well yeah. We have to go home."

"No. I mean to see you. I bought it two months before you moved there but the flight wasn't for another three months. Then you showed up." He was planning to come back to me.

"Then why didn't we get back together right away?" I asked. That was one of the things that had killed me. He didn't look at me as he parked the rental car.

"I still stand by what I said. I liked where my life was at. I won't regret being single." I dropped the subject. I already knew his feelings about it, I wasn't going to push the subject to the point where we fought about. It didn't matter. We were both at a spot in our life where we were ready to be together and to take this relationship further than we ever have before.

*****

I could tell how difficult it was for Luke for us to get on the plane after saying goodbye to his family. As much as he loved his life in L.A, I could tell he was missing his family. Being four hours away was nice. If he needed something he could call and they could drive in and help him, now they needed to take a plane. Visiting wasn't as easy anymore.

Of course I was excited to get home and sleep in my own bed. Ashton had been texting me for days asking to hang out as soon as I got back. It made Luke jealous how close I had gotten to Ashton after our breakup. Of course I tried to reassure him that nothing ever happened and nothing ever will happen.

"He's still texting you?" Luke asked as he was driving us home from the airport.

"Yeah. He wants to do dinner." I answered texting him back. He grabbed the phone from me and stuck it under his left leg so I couldn't reach it. "Very mature, Luke." I rolled my eyes. Our relationship almost seemed like it just picked up right where it left off. We had a small period where we were totally in love, sex three times a day, sleeping in my bed every single night. Now we were back at the point where we were comfortable together.

And even when we fight, I was still head over heels in love with him. And I knew that he trusted me but when we were together he always wanted me to have my full attention on him.

"He's my friend, Luke." I answered turning my body so I was closer to him. "And he's your friend."

"You almost slept with him." I sighed.

"But I didn't. He stopped me every time because he's a good friend. I wanted it. I'm not going to lie." He gave me a side eye while I talked. "But I knew it would hurt you. And maybe I wanted to at first. But now I know how much it would crush you. I couldn't do that to you." I added.

"I don't need details of what you were planning."

"You have to trust me, Luke." I sighed. "I would never ever do something like that to you."

"I do trust you." He answered squeezing my hand. "I just can't lose you again." I giggled a little because there was no way he was ever going to lose me to Ashton.

"You think you're gonna lose me to Ashton?" I asked. "You should be worried about Calum." I joked but I was able to get a smile out of his as he shoved me with his hand.

"Stop." He laughed.

"I love you. Only you." I leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Want me to prove it?" I giggled. He looked over at me.

"I'm driving, darling. Later." He smirked.

"Okay, but I'm still going to dinner with Ashton." I could hear the phone vibrating against his leg and the chair. "Give it to me."

"Tell me I'm the best you've ever had."

"Oh honey. Like you need me to tell you." I rubbed my hand along his thigh. "Now give me my phone." He slowly handed it to me and I answered it.

"Hello, Lover." I smiled just to piss him off. I was going to tease him about him being jealous forever.

"Um, hi." Ashton said into the phone almost embarrassed. "Is Luke listening to you call me that?"

"Yes he is. What's up?" I asked.

"Michael and Lynn are going to come over for dinner. I wanted to invite you guys too." He commented.

"We'll be there." I smiled not giving Luke the decision but I knew he would want a meal when we got home. "We'll be home soon and we're gonna shower and then we'll come over."

"What are we doing?" Luke asked trying to take the phone from me. I swatted at his hand with my free hand.

"I'll talk to you later, Lover." I hung up on Ashton.

"Michael and Lynn are going to Ashton's for dinner and we're going too." I commented handing him the phone even though it was mine. "And you're gonna have fun!"

"You are crazy." He pulled into his spot at our apartment building but neither one of us moved. "We're having sex in the shower." He said before getting out. I scrabbled out of the car after him. By the time I got to him he was pulling our bags out of the trunk. I wrapped my arms around him and stood on my tip toes to kiss him. He dropped the bags and held my face to him. He lifted me to sit on the edge of the trunk while kissing my neck.

"Someone's watching." I moaned trying to push him off.

"Let them." He pulled away just long enough to get the words out. I was quickly able to jump off the trunk and turn so he couldn't get near my neck. "You're no fun." He commented grabbing the bags. I grabbed the rolling suitcase and we both quickly headed upstairs. The cat and Loki both met us at the door. Loki often went back and forth between apartments but Nicole offered to watch her while we were gone. "Is Nicole home?" He asked dropping our stuff onto the couch.

"Who cares." I raced to the bathroom with him close behind me. He locked the door as soon as he got inside. I was able to get the shower started before he started attacking my neck. I nearly tore his shirt off him and tried to get his belt undone. "Wait." I panted trying to shove him off. He stepped back to give me space and in that time I was able to take my clothes off and step into the shower.

He stepped in behind me but let me wash my hair before touching me again. I turned to face him as the water from above our heads hit us. His eyes were closed which gave me the perfect opportunity to sink down to my knees and grab him. He moaned as soon as I got my mouth around him. I pumped him with my hand with what I couldn't fit in my mouth.

"God, baby." I looked up at him. He had one hand gripping his thigh and the other was pressed against the wall to keep him steady. I closed my eyes and worked right to the point where he was going to orgasm before pulling off and standing up. He right away grabbed me and held me against the wall. I wrapped my legs around him so he could thrust into me. He rubbed my clit while thrusting into me.

"Luke." I moaned resting my head against the wall. It didn't seem long before we both orgasmed and were trying to catch our breath. He wrapped his arms around me and stood right under the water. "I'm drowning." I laughed trying to step out of the stream of water pounding onto my head.

"I would never let you drown." I laughed as he kissed me. "I love you." He whispered.

"You have no idea how much I love you." I smiled turning the shower off because I really was about to drown. I stepped out and grabbing a towel to wrap around my body before handing one to him and heading into my bedroom. I quickly got dressed before drying my hair with a towel and putting it up into a bun.

When I turned, Luke was already fully dressed but left his hair wet and curly.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Yup." He smiled grabbing my hand before heading to his apartment even though he mostly stayed with me now. We walked into the apartment and could already smell tacos.

"Oh god." I groaned. I should have known that they were going to pull this at some point. "You're an asshole." I greeted Ashton coming into the kitchen who just raised his margarita glass at me. I sat down at the island with Luke sitting next to me. Calum was making rice and enchiladas. Ashton of course was busy making drinks.

"Want one?" He asked.

"One." I held up one finger but I knew he wouldn't send me over the edge since the last time we got drunk together, I ended up in the hospital getting my stomached pump. He set the drink in front of me and I was already nervous to drink it. Luke got up and grabbed a Loyal just as Michael and Lynn walked in the front door. Her belly was so cute but she looked uncomfortable. "Hey!" I smiled. "How are you feeling?" I asked offering her a seat.

"Exhausted." She answered. I frowned. Celeste made it seem like pregnancy was a walk in the park. "This sucks you know." Her words freaked me out. "Don't get me wrong, I love him but my god." She sighed.

"It's a boy?" I asked.

"Oh! Yeah!" She smiled. "We just found out." She rubbed her belly.

"Can I feel?" I asked.

"Of course." I rested my hand on her stomach waiting to see if he would move.

"There's life growing inside you."

*LUKE P.O.V*

I left McKinley to talk with Lynn and I followed Calum out onto the balcony to smoke. We were silent for a few minutes before he spoke.

"How's it going?" He asked.

"Good. Everything is good." I smiled. "Never been so happy in my life." I answered honestly. "And I know that people say that you shouldn't rely on other people to make you happy but she is just... I'm not happy without her. I would be doing things and be thinking to myself "she should be here."" I took a drag before blowing it out.

"Is she the one?" He asked.

"She's always been the one." I answered looking over at him. He didn't seem shocked by what I said. I always made it pretty obvious that I loved her and I wanted to be with her.

"You're gonna marry her." He stated.

"I plan to." I answered. "I'll probably ask her next year." I shrugged. It wasn't something that I wanted to rush into but I also knew that we both wanted it. She didn't seem freaked out by the idea of getting married anymore and while I had her on board, I was gonna do it.

"And kids?" He asked.

"One or two." I shrugged. "However many she wants." I flicked the ash off the cigarette. Michael and Ashton both came out to join us.

"What are you talking about?" Ashton asked.

"Marriage."

"What about it?"

"I'm gonna marry McKinley." I confirmed.

"You asked her?" Michael asked.

"Not yet. Probably within the next year I will." I answered putting out the cigarette. "She's it for me." I answered truthfully. "I have never felt a love like this before. I've never felt like this with anyone ever."

"You're whipped." Calum commented.

"I'm fine with that." I shook my head. "Cause she has a nice pussy." I smirked making him groan.

"Shut the fuck up." He shoved me making me laugh. "Go suck a dick."

"Nah we did that before we came." I shrugged. I stood up and headed back into the house. Seeing McKinley just sitting and talking and knowing that we were both in love with each other was the best feeling. I never wanted to be away from her. I wanted to spend every waking minute I could with her. I couldn't wait to start our forever together.