Tangled Games (Dating Games #5) - T.K. Leigh Page 0,38

man removes it from the display. “That’s an eight carat tanzanite stone surrounded by an additional two carats worth of diamonds. Do you know much about tanzanite?”

“I don’t.”

“It’s one of the rarest stones in existence. In fact, it’s a thousand times rarer than diamonds. The stone was named by Tiffany’s after its place of origin in Northern Tanzania. It’s estimated there’s only a thirty-year supply left. In my opinion, it’s the perfect choice to commemorate a once-in-a-lifetime love.” He beams and hands Anderson the ring.

Anderson takes my left hand in his, his eyes trained on mine as he removes his original engagement ring. When he brings the tanzanite ring up to the same finger, he arches a single brow.

He doesn’t make any move to put the ring on my finger yet, giving me one last chance to change my mind. I don’t need him to say it. Once we do this, once I walk out of those doors to meet the press for the first time and his father announces his formal approval of our engagement, there’s no backing out.

But I couldn’t walk away from Anderson even if I wanted to.

My stare unwavering, I nod.

He slides the ring onto my finger, then raises it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. Neither one of us says a word, but I can’t help but feel like there’s been a shift inside of me.

I pray it’s for the better, not the worse.

Chapter Twelve

Anderson

“Is it possible to pull a muscle in your face?” Nora remarks later in the evening as Creed drives from my estate on the outskirts of the city and toward the vibrant city center. “Because I’m pretty sure I have.”

“How so?” I ask, stealing a glance at her.

There’s something different about her now that our engagement has been made official and my father has announced to the world that, in eight weeks, she’ll be the Crown Princess of Belmont, and eventually queen consort. But all of that comes second to the most important aspect of my father’s announcement. In eight weeks, I’ll be her husband, our hearts and souls bound together even more so than they are now. Most men might be nervous. Not me. If possible, I would have married her today.

I truly am the luckiest bastard in the world.

“From smiling all day for the cameras. If this is to become a regular thing, I may have to work face exercises into my workout routine.”

Chuckling, I grab her right hand, lifting it to my lips, brushing them against her finger where the engagement ring I got her sits, the family ring on the left. It meant a lot she insisted on still wearing my ring.

“I can think of a few ways to stretch those face muscles.” I mischievously waggle my brows.

“I bet you can.”

“We’ll start when we get home, if you’d like.”

“Is that right?” She pulls her hand from mine and shoots me a playful glare.

“You’re the one who said your face muscles could use a workout. I’m simply offering my services. Consider me your…personal trainer.”

Her lips pinch together into a tight line. “I wouldn’t want to burden you. Shouldn’t you check with your private secretary first to make sure you have room in your schedule for what I can only assume could be a rather time-consuming task?”

I dip my head toward her, my mouth a breath away from her neck. “I’ll make the time to feel your lips on my cock.” I linger there for a beat. I don’t even need to look at her to know her expression is flushed, her breaths coming quicker. Then I pull away, confirming my original suspicions. “I think two hours a day is a good start.” I lean back in the seat, extending my legs as far in front of me as possible and place my hands behind my head, the picture of relaxation. “Feel free to start now.”

“Such an opportunist.”

“Like I said, I’m simply offering to help.”

She curves toward me, trailing her fingers down the t-shirt I changed into, per Esme’s instructions to not wear a suit. As her hand approaches my belt, she stops. “Baby, you wouldn’t be able to last two minutes.”

I raise a brow. “Don’t think so?”

“I know so. If memory serves correctly, last time I sucked your dick, you went quick.”

I graze my lips against hers, a lightness in my chest at our easy banter and conversation. It reminds me of the people we were back in New York. Gives me hope we’ll still be those people,