She sucked in a startled breath as those final three words came out of Maddux like they’d been locked away forever and were a little rusty. But Arabella knew this man well enough to know that he’d never say something he didn’t mean. His declaration was not what she’d been expecting, but it was everything she could ever want or need in her life.
Emotion gathered in her throat, making it difficult to speak. “Maddux . . .”
“I know,” he said, as if he understood what she was trying to express. “It shocked the hell out of me, too, but all I’m asking is that you give me a chance. That you give us a fighting chance.”
Happy, hopeful tears were already rushing to her eyes. “Yes.”
His expression softened at her words, his smile a wonder to behold. He framed her face in his palms, the gentle caress of his thumbs along her cheeks belying the strength in those big hands. “You are the first woman I’ve ever wanted to spend every single day with. We don’t have to get married right away. We can have as long of an engagement as you like. I just need you to know how committed I am to you and that you mean everything to me.”
His hands fell away for a moment as he withdrew a black velvet box from the front of his pants and opened the lid, causing her to gasp at the gorgeous ring he revealed—a perfect oval diamond surrounded by at least a dozen more brilliant stones.
“I want you to move in with me because I can’t stand another fucking day in my apartment without you in it,” he went on, blowing her away with this vulnerable side to a man who was always so controlled and held his emotions in check. “I want you to be the beauty that always calms the raging beast inside of me. You’re the only one who can. Just say yes.”
The word was on the tip of her tongue, but there was one thing holding her back from going all in. “What about your brother and your sister?”
“They gave me their blessing,” he said with a huge smile that put all her fears to rest. “But even if they hadn’t, I’d be here. Know that you come first for me, and always will, Bella. You’ve changed my life in so many ways. Let me spend the rest of our days together showing you what you mean to me, and the kind of future we can have together. I think it’ll be pretty fucking awesome.”
He was so sure of himself she couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled up out of her. “Yes, Maddux. I do love you, and yes, I want all those things, too.”
He put the ring on her finger, and she squealed in pure joy and jumped up into his arms. His reflexes were sharp, and he easily caught her as she wrapped her legs around his waist, threaded her fingers through his hair, and kissed him with all the heat and depth and emotion rising inside her.
“Take me to my bedroom, please,” she whispered against his lips as his hands cupped and squeezed her ass. “Down the hall, second door on the left. I want to consummate this engagement as soon as possible.”
He groaned but didn’t argue, and as soon as they arrived in her room and he had her on the mattress, all their clothes came off in a mad rush to feel bare skin on skin. And then she was spreading her legs for him, making room for him in between. With a wicked grin, he lowered himself there and trailed hot, damp kisses up the inside of her thigh until his mouth covered her sensitive flesh and his lips and tongue and fingers had her trembling and moaning and coming beneath the onslaught of all that exquisite pleasure.
He moved up and over her, fitting his cock at her slick entrance, gradually pushing in and filling her until their bodies came completely together in one deep surge that had her crying out and clinging to him and Maddux shuddering with restraint.
He gave her a few seconds to catch her breath before he began moving in earnest, the friction of his thrusts driving them both back up to the peak, where they finally succumbed to the white-hot heat of passion waiting on the other side.
Once they both recovered, Maddux rolled to his back and gathered Arabella against his side. Content and overflowing with happiness, she snuggled against him and rested her head on his chest and slid one leg between his, entwining them intimately.
“You’re coming home with me today, Bella,” he said huskily, his tone brooking no argument. “And just for the record, I’m keeping you.”
She smiled up at him. “For how long?”
“Forever,” he promised, his arms tightening around her. “A lifetime. An eternity. Because now that you’re mine, I’m never letting you go.”
Arabella was okay with that. It really was hard to believe she’d wrapped her heart, soul, and life around his so quickly and completely, but the truth was, this man owned her. All of her. He had from that very first night when he’d taken her in exchange for her father’s debt.
Their love story wasn’t a conventional one, but for Arabella, the fairy tale was tangible and real.
And so was her happily ever after.