Ask Me For It

Chapter 19 - The Other Woman

⚠️ This chapter has mention of anxiety and eating disorders ⚠️

HFT'S POV

"You know... since you agreed to marry me, we should probably discuss what our future will look like." I'm bringing this topic up again since all I do is dream of a future with Jo. I don't give a fuck about any version of the future without her by my side. She hops up on the counter, and I move to stand between her legs, placing my hands on either side of her. We're waiting for the oven timer to go off on the blueberry oat muffins we're making for breakfast. "I can see you moving in with me, taking over the running of the home, cooking and cleaning. We'll have five children, two girls and three boys, and you'll homeschool them while I run the business. We'll have to move into a bigger palace with that many kids. We'll all sit together for family dinners that you so lovingly will prepare. We will both tuck each of them in at night. Then, of course, you'll turn your attention to your loving husband and fulfill your other wifely duties... throughout the night." I tease her giving her my best cheeky smirk.

Her hands thread through my hair, and I begin leaning down to kiss her, except she moves her mouth towards my left ear. "I don't recall saying yes, explicitly, to you." Her sweet soft voice reaches me while I feel her other hand grab my right ear lobe and yank it. "As for the future, if that's the type of marriage you're looking for, maybe you need to find yourself someone else because I, for one..." I don't let her finish that thought. I grab her ass and pull her flush to me and kiss her the way she kissed me in the lake when I first brought this up. "You know I was teasing you!" I say against her lips, not bothering to pull away, but my eyes have now found hers. "Don't ever suggest me being with someone else, Jo - not gonna happen." I give her a peck and finally pull back. "... and you did agree to marry me." I tug her bottom lip to the side with the swipe of my thumb. "That kiss was a yes. Although, I do still need to hear you say it." I tilt her chin, so she's looking up at me, eyes questioning her, compelling her. "Say it, Jo."

Just then, the timer goes off, and she pushes against my chest lightly so she can slide off the counter and get the muffins. I quickly grab the dishtowel, not able to find the oven mitts in time, and beat her to it. Once the tray of muffins is out and I've placed them on a cooling rack, I toss the dish towel over my shoulder and turn back to her, caging her between my arms and the counter. "Say it." A smile spreads across her lips, and she pushes herself up on her toes while pulling the front of my t-shirt, urging me to lean down to meet her halfway. As I lean in, she says what I've been dying to hear. "If you'll continue to meet me halfway like this for the rest of our lives... then yes, Hero. When the time comes, I'll marry you." She kisses me through her smile, and I can't help the smile that's tugging on my lips too. Little does she realize that I'm not just going to go halfway. I'll go all the way through hell and back for her. Only for her!

******

It's our second last day here in our blissful little escape from reality. I'm terrified of what will happen when we go back to pretending like we aren't together. She's done her co-op placement now and will be living at home with her parents, Brent and Mercy. We're sitting out in the front of the cabin by the fire pit. Jo's prepping our sticks with marshmallows to roast over the fire. "Hey, when we get back, will you still try and come over to my place regularly? I just... I don't want us to go back to being distant with one another while we have to put up a front." This is a sensitive topic, and we've been so busy enjoying each other's company and feeling like a normal couple that we've avoided this topic altogether, but we do need to discuss it.

"I think that's all we can do. We can't risk the people we love, Hero. This trip is a risk itself. We've been cautious, but it's constantly at the back of my mind that something will happen. When we're back, and I have to deal with seeing you and Mariam together, I may need space from you to process everything. It's just tough to watch you two all over each other." She doesn't look at me as she hands me my stick with a marshmallow on it. "Fuck that, Jo. That's the opposite of what we should be doing. I don't want you to pull away when we should be working on strengthening our relationship. We can't let anything come between us. We both know this isn't a situation we're in by choice. We both know we have to hold up our end to ensure everyone's safety. Please don't punish me by staying away from me." I keep my eyes trained on her and can see she's thinking carefully before she speaks.