He grins and stepping forward kisses me on the cheek. “I’m proud of me too, not only that, but I’m proud of you, Sirena. You finally look content.”
“That I am and all because of this handsome and caring man.” I grin up at Garrett and watch him blush at the praise.
My family laughs before they wander off to mingle with other guests, leaving us alone. Garrett tightens his hold around me and places one hand on my stomach in a gesture that tells everyone, I’m his.
“How are you doing?” he asks, gently rubbing my stomach now that we have a moment to talk between ourselves, still being watched by the curious eyes of the guests.
I meet his concerned gaze and smirk. “Having your hands on me is making me hot.”
His eyes widen in surprise, which he follows with a laugh. “Hot, hmmm?”
“The caress of your hands has me imagining them lower.” I chuckle. “I think we should dance before I need to sit down.”
“There’s a spot just over there with our name on it,” he suggests playfully.
I nod as he leads me over to a quiet spot on the dance floor.
He wraps his arms around my waist and holds me tightly in his embrace. It’s frustrating not being able to get as close as I’d like because of my belly, except that’s forgotten when I see the way he’s looking at me. My nipples pucker to attention and the area between my thighs grows warm and swollen with need.
“You look flushed,” Garrett observes. “Are you okay?”
I slip a hand behind his neck and whisper, “I need you.”
His hands tremble on my back. “What?”
Teasing him, I nibble on his earlobe, and I feel a subtle shudder wrack his body. “I said I need you . . . inside of me.”
He groans and drops his forehead to my shoulder while he exhales on a shaky breath. “Of all the places to need sex.” He chuckles, which ends on a groan as I press closer, rubbing against his erection.
“I don’t need sex, I need you to make love to me.” I slide my hands through his hair and feel him shudder again at my touch.
“Sirena,” he groans, his breaths growing heavier.
Taking pity on the man, I tell him, “I’ll be fine until you take me back to the room, and then we’ll have a quickie before you come back down here.”
He groans and chuckles. “I need to calm down before we go anywhere.” Our eyes meet, and he gently cups my face in his hands. Caressing my cheeks with his thumbs, he whispers. “I love you.”
“You make my knees weak when you look at me like you are . . . with all your feelings for me clear in your beautiful blue eyes.” I turn my face and place a kiss to his palm, and then, my cousin interrupts us.
Alexander looks between us and with a smirk on his lips, says to Garrett, “Haven’t you got a hotel to open?”
Garrett laughs and wrapping an arm around my waist, follows Alexander to the middle of the dance floor as a hush falls over the ballroom.
I’d much rather be sat on the sidelines, especially in my pregnant state, but my man obviously wants me beside him, and that fills me with joy, and nerves. There are so many people watching us, and I catch a few people frowning when they look at me, and then to Garrett.
I know what those people are thinking and the thing is, I really don’t care. Nothing and no one will alter my love for the man standing proudly beside me.
He’s incredibly handsome and he fills out his tux more than enough to make me swoon—so delicious and I can’t wait to be alone with him later. He accepts the microphone in the quiet room and when he says, “My fiancée and I would like to welcome you to The Hudson Nirvana . . .” I don’t hear anything else because his introduction thrills me and so does the look of pride in his eyes when he says those words.
I guess there is no time like the present to announce to all our friends and family who are present this evening that we’re moving forward in life together.
By the time the speech is over and the applause has died down we’re surrounded by people eager to offer congratulations. They offer well wishes, not just for the hotel, but for our engagement as well.
The room becomes warm, hot even, just before it starts to become blurry, and as though at the opposite end of a tunnel to me, I hear Garrett talking, asking if I’m all right. I clutch his arm with my sweaty hand and then before I can register what exactly is happening, I feel strong arms lift me. Seconds later, I’m sitting on a sofa with Garrett rapidly waving something in front of my face to try and cool me down.
My vision starts to clear and with relief, I breathe calmly and know that if I don’t calm Garrett down that we’re going to be taking a trip to the hospital. Reaching out, I pull him closer and lay my palm against the side of his face. “I’m okay, now. I promise.”
“You nearly passed out, Sirena,” he says. “You scared me.”