Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors #2) - Layla Hagen Page 0,89
hour, but it was nothing compared to how I felt now—completely wrapped up in Ryker. When I ran a hand through his hair, lightly tugging at it, I felt him smile against my mouth.
“That counts as yes?” he asked, pulling back, smiling from ear to ear.
“What do you think?”
I looked between us when he took my left hand in his. He slid the ring on before interlacing our hands again, just holding them tight. This felt surreal. I wanted to find the right words to tell him how happy I was, but I couldn’t form any words at all. Ryker didn’t seem to share my predicament.
“I love you, Heather. I can’t wait for us to be a team. A family. Every day, when you wake up, I want you to look at our life together and smile. I’ll make sure of that.”
Oh goodness, why was he saying all these sweet things? I’d just discovered they were my kryptonite.
“And how?” I asked playfully, determined not to become misty eyed.
Ryker let go of my hands, cupping my face.
“You’ll see. You don’t have to know everything right away.”
“Ah, so one of your tactics is to always keep me guessing?” I was grinning now.
“One of my many tactics.”
“In that case, I’m promising the same in return. Not the guessing part. The smiling part.”
He kept cradling my face, and something told me he wasn’t done making me swoon.
“Whatever you want, you name it, I’ll get it for you. Do it for you. I’ll be there for everything. The busy days, late nights. Shopping trips for which I still have to sharpen my negotiation skills. When you have a deadline, I’ll be there pushing you toward the finish line... celebrating after it. When you’re too stressed, I’ll help you relax.”
“I think I know how you plan to do that.”
He gripped my waist possessively before skimming one hand down to my hip, pressing his fingers on my skin. I licked my lower lip. His eyes flashed.
I traced my hand over his chest slowly, loving the way his grip on me tightened, as if he was barely hanging in there. The passion was always there, simmering just under the surface.
“I promise that I’ll give in every time,” I said with a wiggle of my eyebrows. “And pretend to be surprised.”
He pinched my ass. I yelped, in turn pinching his arm. When I realized he was about to retaliate, I took a huge step back.
“Okay, okay, I didn’t really mean that. You’re quite good at surprises. And promises.” On a sigh, I added, “How can I keep up? Oh, I know! I promise I’ll always be up for anything from getting down and dirty to generally just taking care of you,” I finished.
Ryker’s eyes were full of happiness. I’d had no idea that you could feel joy like a physical force inside you. Only now, I felt as if there was so much of it that it couldn’t possibly fit inside me.
“Define up for anything,” he said playfully. “Does it include naughty trips to my office or sneaking behind the red curtain during galas?”
“That’s a no on both counts,” I said seriously.
“We’ll see about that.”
I laughed, stepping closer again, touching his jaw, tracing his lips with my fingers, because apparently I couldn’t keep my hands off him for even one full minute. I just loved feeling him against me. Bringing a hand to the back of my head, he pulled me into a kiss. It was different than the one before. Hotter, even more urgent. As if in a haze, I realized we were moving through the room. I almost stumbled, and blindly reached a hand backward—there was a wall here somewhere—but Ryker was ahead of me. He’d braced one hand against the wall, pushing me against it with his hips. He needed a hard surface for leverage so he could kiss and touch me the way he wanted to. The realization sent a wave of heat through me. I rose on my toes, needing leverage of my own.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked.
“How to seduce my fiancée tonight.”
“And what are the options? Your fiancée would like to weigh in.”
“Does she now?”
“Oh, yeah.”
“Well, then. Can’t deny my fiancée’s first wish, can I?”
***
“This is an engagement ring,” I told Avery later that evening, after we picked up her and Mom from the airport. I was a little nervous but a lot excited to tell my little girl about our plans. We were at our apartment, and Mom had slipped