Bad Engagement (Billionaire's Club #10) - Elise Faber Page 0,63

his suddenly throbbing temple. “Apparently.”

Kate turned, wrapped her arms around him. “They love you.”

“I circle back to my original statement,” he muttered, “and repeat apparently.”

Warm whiskey eyes slid up to his. “I think we need to come clean about the engagement.”

“Why?”

She frowned. “Jaime, I don’t want to lie anymore.”

“Neither do I.” He stepped back.

“Exactly,” she murmured, turning for the kitchen. “So, I’ll just go in there and let everyone know—”

He snagged her hand, tugged her back to face him.

“Wh—?” She began, brows drawn together.

Probably because he wasn’t on his feet any longer.

Instead, he’d sunk down onto one knee.

“Jaime.”

He reached into the jacket he hadn’t even had a chance to take off yet and pulled out the ring he’d bought with Tammy. More plans gone askew—he’d thought to sneak Kate out back, to snag a quiet moment and make her truly his.

Instead . . . family.

Instead . . . give and take.

Instead . . . he found he didn’t give a shit if it was the perfect moment. He just wanted this woman in his life.

Forever.

“I didn’t ask you to marry me properly the first time,” he murmured and opened the box. “Will you make me the happiest man on the planet and marry me, Kate McLeod?”

“After a long engagement,” her dad muttered.

Kate jumped, he blinked, and they both turned, saw that both of their families had crowded into the hall. She sighed and shook her head, a slow smile curving that luscious mouth before she dropped down next to him, leaned close, and whispered in his ear, “If I say, yes, will you grow your hair back and share all your man-bun secrets?”

Jaime burst out laughing.

“What?” his mom said. “What did she say?”

Kate turned, smiled at their respective families gathered around, at the nosy and love-filled hallway, then turned back to Jaime and threw her arms around him. “I said, yes.”

A cheer went up as she pulled back, turning away from him again, her gaze going to her father’s. “And yes, for the long engagement.”

Harry nodded approvingly.

But Jaime wasn’t paying attention to any of them. He had Kate in his arms, albeit facing the wrong way.

Spinning her, he tugged off the moonstone ring then slipped the diamond on her finger and used the excuse of mistletoe overhead to kiss her senseless.

He kissed her as the doorbell rang, as voices echoed in the hall behind them, as bodies shuffled by them because they were blocking the path to the rest of the house.

He kissed her as her father cleared his throat, clearly telling him it had been long enough.

He kissed her until his head spun, until she pushed against his chest, and broke away for air.

But he still didn’t let her go.

“I love you,” she said, cupping his jaw.

“Hey, that’s my line.” He nuzzled her throat.

Behind her, the sounds of the party intensified, and Jaime knew their moment was almost over, but he still couldn’t get his hands to release her. Though, realistically, he wasn’t trying very hard, not when it felt so damned good to have her close.

“You sure about this?” she asked as he helped her to her feet, and though she looked up at him with love, with trust, Jaime knew she still needed time and affection and patience and care, knew she’d give him the same back.

“More sure than I’ve been of anything in my life,” he said.

Kate tucked herself into his side. “Good,” she said. “Because you’re stuck with me.”

He laughed.

And then because he could, he kissed her again.

Being stuck with Kate wasn’t a bad place to be at all.

Epilogue

Part One

Kate

“I didn’t get a chance to give this to you,” she told Jaime two days later, setting the small package she had tossed in the direction of the Christmas tree after that day at the mall on his chest.

They were naked in bed.

A common occurrence around the man.

Giggling to herself, she tugged up the blankets and nudged the package at him when he didn’t immediately move to open the present. She’d forgotten about it in her excitement in showing him the lace. Then forgotten again in the rush to get to her parents’ house and once more after the excitement of his family showing up.

The McLeod crew had hit the pause on presents, not wanting Jaime’s family to be left out.

Then she’d had her time with her friends yesterday, and Jaime had spent Boxing Day with his family doing their own exchange and traditions . . . and she’d forgotten until she’d spied the palm-sized package