Hard to Handle (Love in the Balance 2)

Yes. To all of the above.

Aiden’s heart beat erratically in his chest as he stared at the woman in front of him. He loved her; he knew that. He’d known that. But not until this very moment had he seriously considered what he was considering now.

He glanced around the full room. Shane, Crickitt, his brothers…Angel over in the corner with her husband. Was he really willing to risk asking Sadie here? Risk that she might—hell, probably would—say no? Asking would be a leap of faith. Without a net.

“Cat got your tongue?” Sadie purred. She was an exquisite, naughty angel. A beautiful winged creature with tiny horns poking up out of her blonde curls.

Aiden’s brow quirked in challenge. Yeah. He was willing. She deserved no less than to be called out on her sexy antics. And he deserved no less than Sadie in his life. Forever.

God, that sounded good.

Aiden pulled Sadie against him and spoke roughly, “I think you know my answer. Now don’t move out from in front of me for a minute or the entire party will know it, too.”

Sadie may have had the upper hand, but Aiden saw her resolve slip as he pressed against her. Desire bloomed in her brown eyes, and her lips parted as she took in a breath. Aiden nearly smiled.

Not so composed and in control now, was she? He loved when she dropped her guard, when she had no choice but to be led around by her emotions like the rest of the human population. It was a small triumph, but enough to spear him forward.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Aiden murmured into her ear, keeping her tightly against him as he steered her in another circle on the dance floor. “I’ll make love to you,” he said against her cheek. “And I’m talking about the kind of long, slow, agonizing, so-good-it-hurts love.”

She shuddered in his arms. Aiden nipped her earlobe and whispered, “I’ll make love to you until your toes are permanently curled.”

A small sound escaped her throat. One he’d bet she didn’t mean to let loose. He licked the curve of her ear with the very tip of his tongue. “Until you’re too weak to move…”

Sadie’s fingers fisted the front of his shirt, wrinkling it all to hell. He couldn’t care less. Nothing thrilled him more than the sound of the sharp intake of air between her teeth. Proof that her control was shattering into a million pieces.

“But I have stipulations,” he murmured, sliding his hand as low on her back as he dared.

Sadie’s feet moved to the music, but the rest of her body was still. “Oh?” she breathed.

“Mmm-hmm. Want to know what they are?” Aiden abandoned her ear and pressed a kiss onto her neck.

“Uh-huh,” Sadie said. It wasn’t a yes, but he hoped she’d give him one next.

Aiden pulled away so he could look at her and moved her hair over her shoulder. He stroked the back of his knuckles down her cheek and came to a stop in the middle of the floor. Her eyes widened slightly.

“Marry me.”

Sadie’s throat convulsed as she swallowed hard. “That’s not funny, Aiden.”

He expected her to be nervous. He remained calm, moving them to the music again and holding her gaze. “I’m not kidding, Sadie.”

She blinked a few times and gave him a shaky smile. “We can’t get married just to—just to—”

“Make love for hours on end?” he finished, allowing his smile to break free.

Sadie tried to narrow her eyes, but she didn’t quite make it. Instead, her cheeks grew pink and she darted her eyes left then right before landing on his face again. “That’s not a good reason to get married,” she whispered, angling an uncomfortable smile at the couple dancing near them.

But they weren’t close enough to overhear. And in a second, the whole room would know his intentions. He just had to get her past this part, make a confession…the confession.

“You’re right. That alone isn’t a good reason to get married,” he said with an intentional sigh. “I have another reason.”

Sadie shook her head, just barely. “Aiden.”

It was a plea he ignored. She deserved to know. He deserved the chance to proclaim it. “I love you, Sadie. I always have. I never stopped.”

She inhaled. Held it. Bit her lip.

Well, she hadn’t run from him. That was a good sign. “We’re good together, you and me,” he said. They were. They complimented each other in a way that was both synchronized and opposing at the same time. “We can talk for hours,” he continued. “We can kiss for hours,” he said, resting his cheek on hers and lowering his voice. “And I bet we’d be great at the long, agonizingly slow, making love part.”