“No. No.” I waved my hand without looking at Blue, worrying my lip between my teeth as I racked my brain. “It needs to be something more...Stone.”
“How about flying a banner across the sky? One that declares your undying love and vows. Ems could whizz it around for you,” Blue suggested again, clearly enjoying being absurd.” although she might end up burning it…”
Rawson snorted, his face alight with amusement as he walked back to Ava’s side. “Well, you’ve run out of time to sort it out. Stone’s here.”
“What?” I screeched, my heart rate skyrocketing.
Ava cringed, rocking Faith as she cried a protest before settling down again.
“Sorry,” I mouthed. Ava didn’t notice, her gaze steady on Blue. Probably warning her to be quiet.
Rawson’s brows drew down, his hands landing on Ava’s shoulders. “Yeah, he’s just….”
Panic hit me, and I started to pace again. “Oh shit, if he’s here, I have to think of something. No, I don’t have to, but I want to.” Disappointed, I looked down at the carpet that I was wearing thin with my pacing and tried hopelessly to think of something, any gesture epic enough to suit Stone’s big personality and strength.
“It has to be something amazing, something powerful, and brave, that reflects his loyalty, but that shows how much I love his…his kindness, and the way he respects me, and his grumpy arse, and smile, and…touch,” I ended in a whisper. My boot soles twisted on the carpet, my breath expelling from my lungs as I hit a hard, broad body. Stone’s wintery pine scent filled my senses.It only got thicker as I inhaled sharply. My body froze, my heart pounding.Fuck…Heat flooded my cheeks, making them burn.
“You’re here…”
His low chuckle warmed me. “I am. I received a message and had the sudden urge to return. Connor didn’t argue. He knew I was….distracted.” His eyes sparkled with happiness and lust as his hands slid to my lower back, keeping me close. My skin prickled with a need to feel those hands all over me, preferably while I was naked. My body clenched at the thought, even though I’d had him inside me only a few hours ago. I couldn’t help it; his presence, his scent, those hands… I exhaled slowly. I was a starving woman! My forehead angled forward until I was resting against the solid plane of his pecs. Keeping my forehead there, I twisted to look at my sister. “How long has he been listening to my crazy rant?”
She smiled gently, cradling Faith against her shoulder. “Since you decided on a grand gesture to let him know how you felt.” She moved closer and kissed my cheek before straightening up and going on her tiptoes. I heard her kiss Stone’s cheek. “It’s good to see you. She’s missed you. Right. Come on, everyone. Out.”
Rawson coughed. “Right, yeah, ‘course.” Not even the Alpha of the Canadian pack would defy his mate’s firm demand, though I wanted to disappear into the floor when he barked. “Listen to my mate. Everyone out. Let’s leave Shan to her grand gesture.”
I cringed and groaned.
Stone’s quiet chuckle sent shivers through me. My body remained frozen, my forehead resting on Stone’s chest while there was a flurry of activity around us, followed by the quiet click of the door. Silence settled. I didn’t want to move, not when his very presence filled me with happiness.
“So, a grand gesture, hm?”
My face flushed, but I grinned even if it was down at the ground.
“Look at me, Butterfly.”
It was impossible to deny that commanding voice.
He cupped my cheeks. “I don’t need grand gestures. The biggest gesture you could ever do for me was accept my mark.” His fingers grazed over my scars. “And you already did that. But…” He dropped one knee.
My mouth gaped. I was about to ask what he was doing when I saw the beautiful ring clasped between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, and my words were swallowed in a gulp.
“Shannon, my mate, my fierce Butterfly, I didn’t think I was capable of loving someone as much as I love and adore you. You are strong, brave and kind, and even though you try to hide it, I see how much you love your family, both blood-born and found. This ring was my mother’s, and her mother’s before her, right back into the earliest times of the Fae before even King Ventris was ruler. Will you wear it and show everyone in both our worlds that I am devoted to you and that I will remain so for eternity? And so you know that my soul belongs to you forever.”
Oh. My. God. I didn’t know much about Fae matings, but that sounded like a forever declaration if ever I’d heard one. My vision blurred. “Who knew you could spout such pretty words, Stoney-boy,” I managed to choke out between my tears. I dropped to my knees with him and curled my fingers around his wrist, holding it tightly as I leaned in and brushed my lips over his. “I don’t know why you love me, but I’ll be grateful for the rest of my life that you do. My heart has never belonged to anyone but you and never will. Nothing would make me happier than wearing your ring, Stone Silverlake.” I pressed my lips harder to his until his tongue probed insistently against thesoftness of my mouth. I let mine tangle with his, and we stayed like that, tasting each other until Stone gently pulled away.
“Allow me?” His questioning look as he searched my face sent warmth unfurling in my gut. He was always concerned about me, even now, when we were both on our knees declaring our undying love. I released his wrist, and he took my left hand, slipping the stunning ring onto my fourth finger. It glinted with a sparkle and beauty that was definitely otherworldly. I gasped as it warmed and tightened around my finger enough that I didn’t think it would ever come off.
Stone smirked. “Perhaps I forgot to tell you that once it goes on, it will not allow itself to be removed from your finger until you die.”
I lowered my brows in a mock frown. “Yeah, you omitted that piece of information.”
“Sorry,” he said, looking anything but. A smug smile curled his lips as he stared at the ring on my finger.
“Not you’re not,” I murmured against his lips. “But neither am I.”
“Good.” His eyes took on a wicked glint, one of his hands twisting in my hair, the other popping the button on my jeans and slowly dragging the zipper down. “Did you follow my instructions?” His low moan was obscene as he saw the lace peeking between the parting teeth of the zipper, and he slipped his hand inside until he could feel my slickness. I swore under my breath as his middle finger slipped into the heat and tightness of my centre.
“Fuck, Shan, I think your grand gesture needs to be to ride me into oblivion.”
