Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“Really?”
It’s sinking in, and hope is starting to fill her eyes. There’s one more thing, though . . .
“Really. There’s just one catch.” I grin teasingly so she knows it’s not anything bad. In fact, I hope she thinks it’s a great condition of this whole deal.
“And what’s that?” Autumn answers as she runs a finger over the buttons of my shirt.
“You never leave me again.” I’m serious, and my tone reflects that. “I don’t think I could handle being hurt like that again. I’ve been a complete mess since you left.”
The confession is ripped from my heart and laid bare at her feet.
“I didn’t . . .” She starts to argue, but stops herself as she sees the pain plainly exposed on my face. “You thought I left like . . . your mom?”
My eyes drop to the floor, but I nod silently.
“I thought I wasn’t good enough for you. I left because I couldn’t stand the idea of sharing you. I don’t share well,” she tells me forcefully.
“Me neither.” I step in closer to cup her jaw in my hands, lifting her face until she looks at me. “That’s why I don’t want that to ever happen again. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”
Her smile is soft and sweet, and I trace her bottom lip with my thumb, wanting to feel her happiness. She puckers her lips to place a gentle kiss to the pad of my thumb. “Always.”
Her Harry Potter reference makes me stupidly happy.
“I’m glad you feel that way because . . .” I drop to one knee before her and take her hand. “Autumn Fisher, I love you with all my heart and want nothing more than the honor of loving you, making you happy, and building a life with you as long as we both shall live. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh, my God! Are you serious?” she shouts, and I can feel her hand shaking in mine. “We’ve only known each other for a month!”
She’s right, but I don’t care. I have never known love until Autumn, and I will do anything to keep it now that I have her here with me. “I love you. And you love me. That’s all that matters.”
There’s a tiny moment that I’m filled with doubt when she doesn’t answer immediately, and then she throws her arms around my neck, tackling me. Lying on top of me on the concrete floor, she kisses me over and over, saying, “Yes, yes, yes.”
I grip the globes of her ass tightly, pressing her core against me to feel her heat. I want to feel every inch of her so I know this is real and not another one of the dreams that have plagued me since she walked out of the last fashion show. Those always end with my startling awake when Autumn says no to my proposal.
But she didn’t say no. She said yes, and this is real.
I kiss her passionately as I reach into my pocket to pull out the box that holds the ring I chose especially for Autumn.
I slip the ring onto her finger, and she breaks our kiss to look at our entwined hands and her new engagement ring. “It’s beautiful,” she whispers.
“Yes, you are,” I agree. She glances up to me, happy sparkles dancing in her eyes. Lowering my voice, I tell her, “I want to make love to you wearing only this” —I touch her ring, and then her necklace— “and this. It’s been too long since I’ve been inside you. Did you touch yourself when we were apart?”
She bites her lip and shakes her head. “I was too sad.”
“Then we need to make up for lost time. I want to mark you, mark every corner of this studio, make it ours, inspired by our love and our lovemaking. You’re going to do great things. We’re going to do great things together.”
I lift her and guide her to stand. Following her up, I take Autumn’s hand and pull her toward the stairs in the corner. “Starting with upstairs.”
“What’s up there?” Despite asking, she’s following me eagerly.
“On-site apartment,” I explain as I lead her to what I’ve already been calling our bedroom. “Our new place, and our bed with fluffy, soft bedding that I want to claim you in.”
“Whoa,” Autumn murmurs at my words, or maybe it’s as she sees our apartment. It also might be the combination of both.
It’s not fancy, or even finished. The property needs a total gut job, actually, but the contrast between the luxurious bedding and the peeling walls is beautiful in a strange way.
But nothing is as interesting as the woman in front of me.
I trace down her side to the tie at her waist, and with one flick, the entire dress opens, revealing her sumptuous cleavage and curves. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Princesse,” I murmur darkly as I cup her breasts. I rub my thumbs over her already hard nipples, and she arches into my touch with a hiss. Needing more, I reach behind her to undo the clasp, and her lacy bra drops to the floor.