Boy Trouble

Her face falls, and she glances down at the short black dress. The phrase “little black dress” doesn’t do it justice. What she’s wearing is a heart-attack-inducing scrap of lacy material that hugs her curves in all the right places.

I’ll never survive this dinner party.

I move before she even has a chance to doubt her selection for another second. “You look absolutely stunning in this dress. I’m a little worried I won’t be able to keep my hands off you.”

She beams up at me with a blinding smile and slides her hands up my chest and around my shoulders. “Yeah? I kind of like it when you can’t keep your hands off me.”

I groan a second time, right before I claim her lips with my own. My tongue delves deep in her mouth as she wiggles against me, frying my brain cells. “We’re going to have to stop this or we’ll never make it on time.”

She gazes up at me and smiles. “You know, we don’t really have to go.”

I bark out a laugh. “You’re the guest of honor, my love.”

Marley rolls her eyes, making my dick twitch. I fucking love it when she’s sassy. “I don’t know why we’re even having this little… thing.”

Running my hands down her bare arms, I reply, “It’s not every day you turn twenty-three.”

“That doesn’t mean we have to do this big party. We could have stayed here with a lot fewer clothes on,” she says, stepping out of my arms and retrieving her clutch from the dresser.

Our dresser.

There was never an official invitation to move into the penthouse with me, but about a month ago, she just stopped going back to her parents’ place. Her clothes slowly shifted from her closet there to mine here, which was fine by me. In fact, I like it better this way, knowing she’ll be here after a long day at the office.

“Tempting, but if we don’t show up, you know our families will just converge on us here, and there’s nothing romantic about your brother and my grandpa busting into this place when I’m eating you for dessert.”

Her eyes flash and darken, her breath hitches in her throat. “Then we should get going before the party moves here.”

Reaching for her hand, I lead her to the elevator. The moment we step inside and the doors close, I pull her into my arms once more and kiss her pink lips. “I may have to share you with our families right now, but later tonight,” I whisper, nipping at her bottom lip, “you’re mine.”

Her smile is slow and sexy. “You’re on, Morrison.”

Epilogue - Marley

Marley

“Have we been here long enough?” I ask Eli as he approaches me and slides his arm around my waist.

“You not having a good time?”

“I am.” I nod. “But you know we were going to do that thing.” I widen my eyes, making him laugh.

“We have the rest of our lives to do that thing. Tonight is about you.”

“That’s what I was hoping for,” I reply with a hint of mischief in my tone.

He leans in close, causing a shiver to race down my spine. “It’s happening, baby,” he says huskily, his lips next to my ear. “I’m a sure thing.” He chuckles, pulling away.

“All the more reason we should leave. Now.” I bat my eyelashes at him, trying to get him to cave.

“You take my breath away.” He grasps my hands in his and smiles down at me. I see nothing but love in his eyes. “I don’t know what I did in this life to deserve you, but I’m grateful that you’re mine.”

Moving in close, I stand on my tiptoes and kiss the corner of his mouth. “I’ll always be yours.” I’m not just spouting off words. I mean them. Since we’ve been together, I’ve discovered that my heart is so deeply entwined with his that I don’t know where he ends and I begin. I know there will never be another man in my life who could make me feel as cherished and loved as Eli. I feel him in my soul.

“You know, I’ve been thinking about that,” he tells me. “About you always being mine.” I open my mouth to say… something, but I’m frozen when I watch him drop to one knee and stare up at me. “Marley, I don’t want to live this life without you. I want to work side by side with you during the day and come home with you every night. I want a house, and a dog, and as many babies as you’ll give me. I want you. Forever. Always.”

Tears race down my cheeks, and my smile is wide as I watch him reach into his pants pocket and pull out a small black velvet box. There is a slight tremble in his hands as he opens the box and presents me with a heart-shaped solitaire diamond. “Eli,” I breathe.