room.
“You do? What is it?”
He led her to the couch and made her sit down. “Wait here and close your eyes.”
She did as he asked. “Is it kinky, Jack?”
He smothered a laugh as he lifted the gift gently in his arms. “No, nothing kinky but if you want that later I’m sure I can think of something.” In fact, his mind was now distracted with all sorts of ways he could make her kinky fantasy come true.
Walking over, he knelt on one knee in front of his firefly. “Open your eyes.”
Astrid blinked, and he watched the joy cross her face as she took in the tiny, sleeping, Pomeranian puppy that fit in his palm.
“Oh, Jack.” She took the pup from his hands, not catching on to the extent of things yet. Her hand stroked over the soft fur before her fingers caught on the tags. Her eyes lifted to his as she lifted them to see the diamond ring attached to the collar.
“Astrid, I know I fought it at first, but once I gave up the fight, I realised that you were the most exquisite, beautiful person both inside and out. Your courage and strength are a thing to behold, and I love you more than I can ever express. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you and raising a family with you at my side. Will you marry me?”
Astrid grabbed his cheeks and pulled him close as tears poured down her face, and the puppy lay sleeping between them. “Yes, Jack, I’ll marry you.”
“Oh, thank God.” He kissed her softly and held her against him, relief pouring through him that she’d said yes.
Astrid pulled away with a laugh when the puppy squeaked. “Were you worried I’d say no?”
“Not really, but I wanted it to be special, and you never know for sure. You might have changed your mind.” He took the ring from the pup’s collar and pushed it onto her finger as she admired it. It was a beautiful solitaire diamond in a princess cut with a diamond band he knew would look gorgeous on her.
Jack got on the couch and pulled her across him so he could hold her close, settling the newest edition to their family on her lap.
“Never, Jack. You’re never getting rid of me. Not ever.”
“Good because I don’t know what I would do without you in my life every day.”
“Who would’ve thought when we met, we’d end up here.”
“Not me. I thought you were a sexy pain in my ass determined to drive me crazy.”
Her laughter rang through the house they shared and were making into a home where he hoped one day to raise their kids. “I thought you were sex on legs but also a stuck-up asshole who wouldn’t know a good time if it bit him on the ass.”
His fingers trailed over her shoulder, and she shivered at his touch, always so responsive to him. “Is that so?”
“Yep.”
“I think that’s a challenge.”
“Not really. I learned long ago that you’re not what I thought but if you want to see it that way, then there’s only one winner here, and that’s me.”
His lips feathered over her neck. “Hmm, devious too. How about we put this guy to bed and take this celebration upstairs?”
“Cupid. His name is Cupid.”
“Do you have any idea the shit I’ll get for that?”
She turned and kissed him quick. “You’re man enough to handle it.”
He didn’t know how she did it, but with no effort she made him feel like he could slay dragons and he still had some to slay for her, but they would wait. Tonight was about the future, not the past.
“Let’s put him in his bed.”
“Lead the way.”
He led her to bed, where he had champagne and chocolate strawberries waiting for later, but for now, he just wanted to make love to the woman who would be his wife, his forever.
Later as they lay in bed, their limbs entwined so he didn’t know where he finished and she began, he reflected on everything that had happened the last few years and knew despite everything, he wouldn’t change a thing if it brought him here.
Astrid’s head on his chest tipped up, so she was looking at him, her green, amber eyes soft and slumberous. “What are you thinking about?”
His fingers brushed her shoulder in slow sweeps. “Just how happy I am, and that I wouldn’t change a thing.”
She snuggled closer. “Me neither. This right here is the happiest I’ve ever been,