“Write it in the gratitude journal,” I’d joked.
I bit my grin as I replayed the memory, and just like that, I’d had my fill of enjoying Iain asleep. So arching my back, I rubbed myself against his stiff morning wood, my smile spreading as I heard his breathing growing heavier in his sleep.
And then I heard the very moment he woke up, because he inhaled deep with the sexiest sound. It was sleepy satisfaction mixed with just pure raw maleness, and it had me that much more aroused as I felt him bury his mouth into my hair and stretch his boxer briefs off his erection.
We didn’t get out so much as a “good morning” before my panties were ripped down and we were panting, my back pressed flush against his chest as he gave short, hard thrusts that shook the whole bed.
But he’d found his way on top of me before we finished, and when he spurted hotly inside me, I knew we were sharing one thought, because after the sharp groan and the shudder, we came down staring into each other with the same breathless smile and bright little look in our eyes. I was still on the pill, but it didn’t matter.
It was a fun fantasy for now.
“You know, we do have plans for the day,” I laughed after we finished and laid in bed for another forty-five minutes.
“I know. But this is nice,” Iain said, making me grin because I had a little collection of these moments—all the times he was the relaxed one. The one who didn’t care what time it was or what we had to do.
“Okay, well, I need to shower before we meet everyone for brunch, and I’d invite you to join me, but I don’t want any chance of us running any later than we already are,” I giggled, letting Iain pull me back into bed once, then twice, because dammit, it was pretty easy to lure me back to me him when he was stretched on his back with that magnificent torso on full display.
But by his third attempt, I got serious and officially got up to go shower.
“Don’t take too long in there,” Iain called into the bathroom from outside.
And since we were on track to be at least twenty minutes late, I took the quickest shower I could. Upon getting out, I grabbed the plush white hotel robe off its hanger in the bathroom and padded barefoot outside, where Iain was still sitting at the edge of the bed.
“Iain! Why aren’t you dressed yet?” I asked, though I failed at sounding remotely mad because Lord was he brutally fucking gorgeous with his thick hair tousled and his sweats hanging low on his hips. Something about that look just made me feel at home, and I was already smiling, helpless by the time he came over, till he was standing close enough to tip his head down and brush his smooth lips over mine.
All it took was a short, sweet, almost torturously soft kiss for me to feel like my head was floating off on a cloud.
But then he drew away and when I opened my eyes to look into his, they were glowing on me. Burning so green that it took awhile for me to notice what he held between us in his hand.
A little velvet box.
My eyes went wide. A short breath of air escaped my parted lips and tears stung my eyes the moment he opened it to show me the diamond ring inside.
It was absolutely exquisite. Beautiful and bright. Sparkling endlessly for me as I felt Iain brush a tear from my cheek.
“Holland,” he murmured, drawing my wet eyes back to him. “I don’t have the words to describe how much I love you. For always being the one in my corner. The woman who makes me strong,” he said, cracking a smile as I let out the first happy sob. “You’ve already made me a better man than I could’ve ever dreamed of being and all I want to do is keep making you prouder. Every day. As a husband. A father. I want everything with you. I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you make me.”
I was full-on crying by the time he asked the question, nodding and
saying yes on repeat before he could even finish the words “marry me.”
And as he slipped the ring onto my finger, I realized why Mia had been so insistent on a manicure.
“You finally got some useful help from Mia, huh?” I teased through my tears, making Iain laugh as he held my ringed hand and kissed me all the way back to the bed.
It wasn’t long before I was feeling his weight on top of me again, wearing nothing but the diamond that was going to make me his wife.
And as we tangled on top of the sheets, Iain murmuring about how bad he wanted to see me in that white dress, I smiled against his lips, not even bothering to pinch myself, because this was my life—my whole world in this one bed.
The man of my dreams was actually mine.
And it couldn’t be realer.
Epilogue
IAIN
Eight Years Later