“Yes.I haven’t killed anything since you’ve been gone,” he said in a low voice, brushing his lips across my forehead.“I hired someone to keep them alive while I went into my depressive spiral.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you considering the circumstances,” I whispered, looking up into his blue eyes.
“I didn’t want to disappoint you when it came to our flowers,” he said, squeezing a path up my arms.“Even though I disappointed you so very badly in all other arenas.”
I let my gaze wander over the exposed lines of his tattoos, his broad, powerful shoulders, the sharp jawline I’d traced with my fingers so many times.
“There were some disappointments,” I said quietly.
“But maybe there can be some pleasures, now.”His gaze searched my face.“Some fulfilling moments.To balance out those disappointments.”
“This better not be about my booty,” I teased.
“Your booty can be involved,” Nash said with a grin.“But I want to make it up to you.No matter how long it takes.”
I contemplated the apricot petals of the peonies as I mulled over his words.“I’m scared.”
"So am I.But I'm more scared of losing what we have."He wet his bottom lip, his gaze so intense I thought I might wilt.“A little discomfort is a fair price for growing into a better version of myself.At yourside.I might have been an idiot before, but I’m not dumb enough to fuck this up again.”
I dabbed at the corner of my eye, where some tears were trying to escape.Nash leaned in closer.
“I’m not good at being vulnerable.But I’m going to get better, because of you.I saw how much you put on the line for us.For me.You loved me, even when it was risky.The least I can do is return that.You are an inspiration to me, Clara.In every fucking way.”
The tears weren’t so easy to keep back now.“Stop it.I’m nobody.You’re the one who’s an inspiration.”
“Don’t you talk that way about my inspiration,” he chided with a smile.“Or you know where I’ll have to put my proof.”
I dissolved into laughter.He was so close now, the scent of him wrapping around me, that heady mix of pure man and expensive cologne.My eyes fluttered shut.
“You’re everything, Clara.To Mia.To me.I want you two in my life for the long run.”
“I’ve been telling myself that I…shouldn’t want you in my life.Because I can do it alone.”I swallowed hard, smoothing my palms over his chest.“I don’t want to do this alone.I can, but I don’t want to.”
“You don’t have to.I’m here.And I’m not going anywhere.Because I intend to remind you of the truth as often as I can.”
“Which is what?”
“That we’re husband and wife,” he murmured, one of his hands smoothing its way up the side of my neck.“Totally in love with each other and unable to stop saying it.”
I laughed, tipping my head into the palm of his hand.“It’s okay.I like to hear it.”
“I think you should know what I did,” he said, “in Queens.All the properties are in a non-profit trust to better protect them from fucking Sebastian.And, well, this land trust needed a name, you know.So I named it after you and Mia.So there’s no doubt about how important you both are to me.For as long as I breathe.”
The meaningfulness of that move made tears spring to my eyes.I could barely see him now through the blur of my collected tears.
"Can we try again?"His voice was low, intense."Not because of an inheritance or a business deal.This is me asking you to build a real life with me.No contracts or conditions.Just love."
The tears were slipping out now."Nash…"
"We’ll shred the contract.We can…make a statement about what happened, if you want.Have a second wedding.Whatever feels right, we can do it.Because what matters now is you choosing me.And me choosing you.Every day.For real this time."
I looked at this man I'd fallen for four years ago in a penthouse hotel room.The man who'd proposed a fake marriage that became the most real thing in my life.The man who'd broken my heart and was now sitting here, putting it back together piece by piece.
"Yes," I whispered."I want that so much."
His face broke into the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen.
“May I kiss my wife?”he murmured, his lips mere inches from mine.
