I should be groveling more.”
“You gave me a building.” She held up the papers. “And a signed script and chocolate and sunflowers and a glittery boot with my name on it . . . and I’m never giving you that sweatshirt back, not for as long as you live.”
“You can have every single one in my closet, all that I haven’t bought yet. They’re all yours.”
“Such romantic words.” A grin. “If only we weren’t talking about hoodies.”
“Would you rather me talk about you?”
Humor in her eyes. “Yes.”
“Okay then, let’s start with these beautiful, gorgeous brown eyes. I can stare at them for hours and still not discern all the secrets.”
“Ben.”
“And these lips.” He ran his thumb along the bottom one. “I could taste them for days and—”
“Ben.”
“—and still never be satisfied.” She moaned, but he kept going. “And this heart.” He stroked his fingers along her chest, just over where it pounded against her rib cage. “It’s huge and brave, and I am utterly amazed at its strength.”
“Ben!”
“What?”
“Just shut up already and kiss me.”
“I love you, and I just have to tell you one more thing.”
“Ben,” she groaned. “What is it?”
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
She burst out laughing.
And when he finally got to slant his mouth across hers, her laughter slid across his tongue, filled his heart and soul to overflowing.
It was the best thing he’d ever tasted.
Epilogue
Stef, one year later
She smiled when she woke up.
But she did that a lot now.
In fact, she did it every day, but most especially on mornings like this. Saturday sleep in days and beach days and work days and . . . his arm tightened around her waist, his lips pressing to her nape.
Every day.
She woke up happy every single day.
Because she had Ben.
And herself. That was just as important.
“Morning,” Ben murmured, his voice husky as his hand slid down between her thighs. The man had skills like that, could easily arrow right to the spot that would bring her the most pleasure.
Not just in bed, either.
Her whole life was happier.
And not just because she lived in a penthouse, either. Though she couldn’t lie that the view was good. Maybe even incredible, if one considered the naked man in bed next to her.
Okay, not maybe.
It was incredible.
Ben’s fingers brushed over her clit, and she moaned, shifting her thighs apart so he could reach better—
Right as two furry bodies launched themselves onto their bed.
Ben groaned, not in pleasure this time.
But Stef just laughed. “They know it’s beach day.”
Ben groaned again, but it was good-natured this time. “I’m up,” he groused as Fred climbed on top of him, licking his face. “I’m up.”
Except he didn’t get up.
Instead, he rolled to the side, retrieved something, and said to Fred, “Give this to your mom, would you?”
And like the good boy he was, Fred turned and deposited whatever it was onto her lap. It took her a minute to fish the drool-covered box out of the blankets, then another to push Fred and Sweetheart back enough for her to sit up.
“What’s this?” she asked breathlessly.
Even though she already had a good idea of what it was.
Ben just smirked. “You’d find out if you opened it.”
“Or you could tell me.”
“Or”—he pressed her fingers to the lid—“you could just open it and find out.”
“Or—”
“Stef.” He leaned up, kissed her until her lungs threatened to explode. “Open the damned box.”
She started to, stopped. “It better not be another building.”
“Stef.”
She opened the box, gasped, even though she’d already known what was inside. Because the ring was beautiful and exquisite and too much and . . . she loved it. Loved him.
So freaking much.
“Will you—”
“Yes!”
She launched herself into his arms, kissing him with every bit of love and joy and affection she possessed for this man. But she only got to kiss him for a few heartbeats before two furry beasts joined in on the party.
Four tongues in the mix wasn’t ideal.
But those other three tongues were also her family.
Which, she got, sounded gross and weird and wholly unappetizing.
Still, they were her family, even with the dual doggy breath, even with Sweetheart wriggling between them, licking her chin and Fred knocking the air out of her as he climbed on top of her to settle on her chest.
Even with Ben—
No, especially with Ben, smiling down at her as he dodged paws—and tongues—to slide the ring on her finger, proving to her day in and out that he was a good man.
The perfect man for her.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I—”
There was a