I grab her hands and bring them to my lips, kissing the back of her palms. I’m doing everything I can to avoid losing control, but I’ve waited so long that I’m teetering on the edge.
“I’ve been watching you every single day you were at the restaurant,” I confess, brushing my hand down her soft cheek.
“What?”
“I tapped into his camera feed, and that’s how he found out about my obsession with you.” Isabelle gasps, but she doesn’t freak out by the revelation. Her eyes widen, and then she whips out a wicked grin that goes through me and I return it.
“Obsession?” Her hand splays across my abs, aiming downward with just the tips of her fingers brushing my shaft. Fuck, I shiver, ready to unload a full sack of cum just for her.
“A deeply insane, dirty obsession.” I cup her hair and tug her head back to look up at me with more force than necessary, but I want her to understand that I’m a man possessed, a beast aching for his mate. “Trust me when I say that I might never let you go.”
“Are you going to lock me away?” she utters, eyes staring into mine while her breathing intensifies. Her bright eyes darken, and her scent fills my nostrils from the heated lust coming off her body.
Pulling up my pants, I shove my erection out of the way as best as I can to zipper my slacks. Sliding my shirt over my shoulders, I lean my head down an inch from hers as I expand on my crazy. “Lock us together until our babies start school.”
“Luckily, this is a huge home.” A knock on the door startles us.
“Yes,” I growl out, buttoning my shirt closed.
“Just wanted to let you know it stopped snowing.”
“Thank you. Please take the rest of the day off,” I call out. Staring at Isabelle, I say, “Give me a minute.”
Stepping from the room, I see Rita walking away. “Good luck, Franco and be nice. I want my own pseudo grandbabies to spoil.”
“You will.”
I have one thing to do first before anything goes a bit further. Hurrying down to my office, I close the door, open the medicine cabinet a pop in a pain pill because I’m starting to feel the strain of earlier. My thighs burn from the overexertion, but I don’t want her to see me weak.
Then I walk over to the wall and open the safe. Taking out what I need, I close it and come back to my woman. “I’m not letting you leave without this.” I grab her hand and slide on the four-carat diamond ring. “Marry me.”
“That didn’t sound like a question.” She pats my chest.
“I’m not giving you a chance to leave.” I hold her tightly in my arms as I look down at her perfect face.
“I’m not going anywhere.” She kisses my chin. “I fell in love with you from our first encounter and the times I’ve overheard your family mention your name, to all the online articles about you and your new way of living.”
“You mean the fact that I’ve hidden away like an angry beast?” I ask.
“Yes. I wish you hadn’t, but we can’t change the past. We can only move forward.”
I bring her tightly to my chest and ask, “Will you marry me, Isabelle?”
“Yes. I’ve waited two years for this moment.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long.” We kiss and then finally break apart. “I promise to make it up to you.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, Mr. Fiore.”
Suddenly her phone rings in my pocket with a Pour Some Sugar on Me ringtone.
“You have my phone?”
“Yes. It was sitting on the other side of the passenger seat.” I reach into my pants and hand it to her. I see it’s Anabelle, so I don’t get too jealous about the ringtone.
“Hey. Yes. I’m sorry. No. I promise I’m fine, but I didn’t have my phone. Franco ran back out in this blizzard to get it for me. It’s like he’s trying to get laid or something. Yes, ma’am. With Fabio?” I snarl as she continues, but I can’t hear what her sister’s saying.
“Did you hear her?” she asks me after she ends the call.
“No, but what the fuck are you doing with Fabio?”
“Silly, jealous man. My sister will be coming here with Fabio so that we can be together for Christmas.”
“Oh. God. Just the thought of him taking you away from me…”
“The only one who took me away from you—was you.”
“You were always with me.” I pull out my phone and show her a picture I stole off the camera footage. She’s making my dinner and smiling as if it’s something she loves to do.
“How did you get this? Never mind, I’m assuming you could screenshot the videos.”
“Yes. The cameras were my only way to you. It’s how my brother found out about my obsession with you.”