In Name Only (Pine Falls #2) - Jennifer Peel Page 0,104
from him instantly warmed me through my blush sheath dress.
He swept back my hair. “If I could change that, I would. But I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make sure you never question again how I feel about you.”
“And how do you feel about me?” I flirted with my husband.
He leaned his forehead against mine, his warm breath bathing my face. “Dani, you’ve saved my life twice. First in Afghanistan, and then again when you gave me another chance when I didn’t deserve one. Without you, I’m not me.”
I brushed his lips with my own. His words touched my soul and erased any remaining doubts and fears that I’d had since his return. “Do you think Ariana and Jonah would mind if we were a little late tonight?”
Brock leaned away, a Cheshire grin on his face. “What did you have in mind?”
“I’d like to make love to my husband.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
“We should really go in,” I said breathlessly, leaning my head back so he didn’t miss a spot on my neck.
Brock’s warm lips brushed across my skin. “I’m good where we’re at. Unless you want to go home. I vote we stay in bed all weekend.”
“That sounds wonderful, but I have to run the gift wrapping shop this weekend, and then I start delivering gifts. Which you promised to help with.”
“Right,” he groaned, pushing me farther back against the leather car seat. “Just promise me we’ll go straight home every night.”
“If we must,” I teased, though I could think of nothing I wanted more. Making love to Brock had been what I’d always hoped it would be. I finally fully understood what it meant to make love. To share myself with someone so wholly. For the first time in my life, there was no guilt or shame. No wishing I could take it back. For the first time, I wanted to give more and receive more. I knew now what it meant to be one with someone. My someone.
“Believe me, we must.” He nuzzled my ear.
Though I hated to, I pushed him away. “We really need to go in there before they notice that we fogged up the windows again.”
“Like I care.” His lips crashed against mine.
“Brock,” I spoke against his lips.
“Fine.” He sat up, disgruntled.
“We don’t have to stay too long,” I conceded.
He gave me a crooked grin.
I flipped down the visor and looked in the mirror to see the damage Brock had done to my hair and makeup. I smoothed down my hair and applied a layer of gloss to my lips. “Does it look like we—”
“Had amazing sex? Yes.”
I playfully smacked his arm.
“What? It’s not like they won’t know why we’re late.”
“You’re not making me feel better.”
“I’d be happy to make you feel better.” His sexy undertones weren’t lost on me.
“I’m sure you would be, and I look forward to that . . . later.” I threw up the visor. “Let’s go.”
“Wait.” He tugged on my arm. “I want to give you something.”
My brow quirked.
“Not that. Now who has the dirty mind?” He chuckled.
I shifted my body toward him, giving him my full attention.
“I planned on doing this in a more romantic setting, and before we made love for the first time, but you surprised me tonight.”
My cheeks flushed. Not because I was embarrassed—because it was perfect.
Brock reached into his pocket and pulled out the small velvet black box I’d been keeping in my nightstand drawer. “I hope you don’t mind; I took this back because I wanted to give it to you the right way. The way I should have a long time ago.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I don’t mind at all.”
With a smile, he opened the box, and there shone my ring, brighter than I remembered in the light of the lamppost.
“Dani,” his voice broke with the sweetest emotion, “please be my wife.”
“I am your wife.” I loved saying that.
He carefully took the ring out and delicately slid it onto my finger before pulling it up to kiss it. “I love you.”
I stared down at my ring. It felt so different from the one he had placed on my finger the day we had wed. Though it was smaller, there was no dollar amount high enough to explain how much it was worth. How much it meant to me. The only words I could think of were, “I love you.”
“If you want, we can renew our vows. I want to give you the wedding you deserve.”