Sugar

Shocking.

Breathtaking.

A true sign of the next step in their relationship.

Tears blurred her vision as she looked at him.

“Sugar, please marry me, sweetheart, continue to make me the happiest man on this planet.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, the grin on her face wide as she nodded her head. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes, so much yes.”

He slipped the ring on her finger then got to his feet, pulling her up to stand and embracing her.

A round of applause rushed around the restaurant and she hadn’t even realized that they were entertaining the crowd.

Pressing her face against his chest, she groaned.

“Could you imagine how bad this would have gone if you’d said no?” he said.

She chuckled. “Is that why you came to a restaurant? So I wouldn’t have a choice?”

“You know, I didn’t think that far ahead. I’m in love with you and I just knew you had to feel the same way about me.”

“You just knew that, did you?”

“I’m a damn fine catch and totally hot and sexy. You’re one lucky woman,” he teased, chuckling after he spoke.

“You’re spoiling a perfectly good proposal.” She nudged him in the chest playfully.

“I just thought I’d lay it out for you. You know, make sure you know exactly what you’re getting.”

Placing her palm against his heart, she felt it beating. She knew exactly what she was getting and no one was ever going to take that away from her.

That day in the dog run, she’d found her soulmate. Maybe they’d both been a little damaged before they came into each other’s lives.

“How about we order dessert? Then I’ll take you home and we can properly celebrate.”

She rolled her eyes, the joy and laughter filling her heart. He really was a crazy man but he was going to be her crazy man. She felt herself filled with excitement for what the future held for the two of them.

This wasn’t the end of their story, not even by a long shot.

This was very much the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Epilogue

Fourteen months later

Sugar fell back on the bed, exhausted, sweat covering her body. She ran her hand over her forehead, beads of perspiration lining her fingers. Candles were lit all around their hotel suite, their wedding night far more magical than she could have ever imagined.

She closed her eyes and smiled when she felt Colton run his fingers along the outside of the thigh, over her hip, and settle them right underneath her breast.

“God,” he breathed out roughly, the feeling of his warm breath skating over her neck and sending chills along her body. “I could take you again right now and it still wouldn’t be enough.” He planted light kisses all along her throat, over her collarbone, and finally sucked in a nipple, his mouth hot and wet, the suction doing wicked things to her.

He lifted her hand, the light catching her wedding ring, making it sparkle. She watched as he brought her ring finger to his mouth, sucking on the digit, bringing his lips closer to the diamond and band. When his lips brushed against the ring, she held in her moan, never even realizing that an act so mundane could be so erotic.

Colton pulled his mouth off her finger and murmured, “My wife.” He looked her in the eyes. “Mine.”

She couldn’t believe she was married to Colton, that they’d tied the knot, said their vows … would be together for the rest of their lives. It seemed like a fantasy, or maybe she was stuck in a dream. It was crazy how everything unfolded, how she’d gotten knocked over by his dog all that time ago and here they were now, newlyweds, ready to spend the rest of their lives together.

Colton placed his hand on her belly and she looked over at him, smiling.

“Who do you think will be more surprised that you got knocked up before we were married, your folks or mine?” He chuckled and leaned in to kiss her softly on the lips.

She was only about two months along, but they hadn’t told anyone about the pregnancy. It wouldn’t have mattered anyways. She and Colton were ecstatic over it. He’d make a wonderful father, and although she was a little bit scared and apprehensive about being a mother, she was already so much in love with the baby she carried that she could’ve cried.

“Honestly, I think they’ll all be over the moon. I think they’ll be so happy for us.”

“Yeah, I think so too,” he said and grinned. He pulled her against the hardness of his chest and she snuggled in. “And your friend Sassy, she’s one firecracker.”

Sugar laughed. “She is. She’s always had that spark in her. It’s why I love her so much.”