“The sooner you do as you’re told, the sooner we’ll eat.” I stare down at her.
“In that case…” She spins around, and I secure the blindfold over her eyes.
“Good girl,” I purr in her ear. She rewards me with a lustful shiver. “Come.”
I lead her along the hallway to the library, where the hearth fire keeps the frigid January air at bay.
For our anniversary, I had the staff move a table in here and leave our dinner on hot plates. The table’s fully set, complete with candlelight and flowers. But none of that is what I want her to dwell on when she removes the blindfold.
Moving in front of her, I face Ravenna and drop to one knee. “Take it off now.”
She removes the material from her eyes, and gasps as her gaze sweeps the room, then drops to meet mine. Her lips part.
I hold the small velvet box between my palms. “Ravenna.” I clear my suddenly tight throat. “My love, I should have done this years ago. You have my whole heart, my devotion, and my loyalty. On this day, our anniversary, I ask you to marry me again.”
Flipping the hinged box open, I reveal the gold and diamond Claddagh ring I had especially designed for her. The heart in the center is a single solid diamond, held in hands of gold. Smaller diamonds outline the crown above it.
“That’s beautiful,” she whispers in awe. “Yes, I’ll always marry you. Every single year for the rest of our lives.”
My chest swells with a mixture of possessiveness, pride, and love. I slide the plain gold band from her finger and replace it with the Claddagh ring, heart pointed toward her, to signify that she’s married. That her heart belongs to me.
“You took the words right out of my mouth,Irlandese.” She drops to her knees, taking my hands in hers. “You have my heart, my loyalty, and my friendship—which I think is important in a marriage. I offer you this as a symbol of my devotion.”
Ravenna retrieves a ring from her pocket. It’s a gold band with a Claddagh design in the center. Slipping the old ring from my finger, she exchanges it for this new one, a blush on her cheeks.
She grins. “I love that we both got each other Claddagh rings for our anniversary.”
Tipping her head back, I brush my lips over hers. “I love that they come from the same designer.”
“What? How can you tell?”
“Because I’d recognize Old Man Torrin’s work anywhere. He’s the best Irish jewelry maker in the city, even though he operates out of that shady little spot in Brooklyn.”
She laughs, the sound soothes my soul. “Do you mean to tell me that we’ve been secretly visiting the same jeweler, narrowly avoiding running into each other, these past few weeks?”
“I do. What are the odds?” Before she can answer, I spin her around and pull her back to my chest. My fingers skim down her side, and I splay them over her stomach.
Even though she’s three months pregnant, I still can’t believe that I’m starting a family with the love of my life. Everything I’ve ever wanted Ravenna has given me—and so much more. Sometimes I’m in such a state of awe that all I can do is soak it all in.
I dip my face closer to her ear. “I can’t wait for your belly to grow huge with our baby, to feel the little one move and kick, and to finally meet him or her when they enter this world.”
“Patience,amore mio. We have a long way to go before we reach the end. Pregnancy’s a marathon not a sprint.”
I chuckle at her analogy. “I know. Every day will bring us something new. I’m so happy to be on this journey together.”
A contented sigh leaves her lips, and she places her hand over mine. “Me too.”
Tilting her head back, I claim her mouth. She tastes of mint, honey, andmine.
Epilogue
THREE MONTHS LATER
RAVENNA
“I’m so happy that you’re finally coming home, Elle. I’ve missed you so much.” It’s true. Sisters, especially twins, should never be this far away from each other for so long. Part of my soul has been living in Italy for years now, and without Elena, I don’t feel complete.
“I’ve missed you too,” she says on the phone. “But I’ve also discovered myself here. You know how I love reading, and now I’ve been writing too. I’ve really discovered my voice. Touring around the country with Gin last year opened my eyes to how life can be so much more. Now thathe’sgone, I feel safer in this world than I ever have.”
