“Don’t tell me no, River.”
“I just did. I’m not losing you, Royal. I won’t do it.”
“We don’t know how this is going to play out. I need a clear head, and I need to know that if something happens to me, you’re going to do what I tell you to.”
“By what? Leaving you? I won’t do it.” Royal sighs heavily.
“You’re so fucking stubborn.”
“But that’s why you like me.” I smile to myself. Royal chuckles, and it vibrates through me as I lie curled into him.
“You and that mouth.”
“You like my mouth.”
“I think it’s more than that, River. I’m pretty sure I love you.” Now I gasp. All the air rushes from my lungs as I try to make sense of it all. He loves me? Could he really? “Are you just going to overthink it?”
“You love me?” I ask as if I’m in shock.
“Yeah, I love you. You make me a better person, River. I didn’t think I was terrible before, but I see what I can be when I’m with you, and I like it.” Tears spill down my cheeks once more at his words. He presses a kiss to the top of my head, and I cry more.
“I love you, too.”
“Good. Now get some rest,” he urges as I sniffle.
“You can’t drop that bomb on me and then tell me to rest,” I laugh.
“What do you want then?”
“You, Royal. I want you.”
“You have me, River. You always will.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. I did put that ring on your finger, didn’t I?” Now I laugh again.
“River Wild. I thought I would be River Ferguson forever.”
“You sure you don’t regret going to the courthouse that day?” he asks.
“Hell no. I think that was the best thing I’ve ever done. You know my dad said that he would make sure no man would marry me,” I tell him.
“Oh yeah? Did you laugh in his face and tell him that one already did?” he laughs.
“I wish I could have. I couldn’t even imagine the fit he would have thrown if he knew we were married.”
“So it all worked out for you.”
“You too.”
“I’m not touching your money, River.”
“Our money, Mr. Wild. We’re married. Half will be yours,” I tell him with a laugh.
“No. That’s all yours.”
“Royal, come on. We can make things work with that money. I even have an idea,” I tell him.
