Her heart squeezed, and she smiled as she straddled his lap. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she said, “I’ve been thinking.”
She placed a whisper of a kiss on his lips as she stared into his loving eyes. This man made her so happy that there were times, like now, when she felt as if she’d burst. Agreeing to a second chance with him was the best decision she ever made.
Tristan squeezed her bare thighs, effectively pulling her out of her thoughts. “What have you been thinking about?”
“You. I thought about what you said about not wanting to travel for endorsements, and I get why. I’ve missed you so much, I almost broke down last week and hopped a flight here despite some important meetings.”
“God, I would’ve loved that.” He gently brushed her long bangs away from her eyes, something he did often, and her heart fluttered. “I missed you so damn much, I’ve decided even three days apart is too many. We need to revisit those other endorsement deals. Oh, and I’m not interested in any coaching positions unless they’re in Chicago or you’re planning to travel with me.”
“Umm, don’t say no to those yet. The offers, as they stand right now, are incredible, and we haven’t even started negotiations yet. But we’ll talk about those when we return to Chicago. There’s something else I want to discuss,” she said, her heart rate inching up as she reached into the pocket of the shirt she was wearing. “I love you even more than I did the first time we married. I know you said you’re in this for the long haul, and so am I.” She held up the platinum wedding band that she had purchased recently. “I was wondering… will you marry me again?”
Tristan’s mouth dropped open when his gaze landed on the ring, and several emotions flashed across his features—shock, admiration, but then his eyebrows pulled together into a frown.
“Dammit, Cree! Why are you—”
“Your ass better not say no.” She slapped his hard chest playfully. Considering how many times he had brought up marriage in conversations, she knew he was on the same page as her. She just wasn’t sure why his handsome face was scowling.
“I won’t say no if you don’t say no,” he said and pulled a Tiffany blue box from somewhere under the table.
Now Cree was the one sitting with her mouth hanging open.
“Tonight, I had planned for us to have a nice romantic dinner at a ridiculously expensive restaurant where we could eat steak and seafood. Not this bird food you ordered from room service. But no, you insisted on us having a quiet night in, and you had a taste for sushi. Now, you’re messing up my proposal with one of your own. What the hell, babe?”
Cree covered her mouth and laughed. She laughed even harder when she reached for the jewelry box and he pulled it out of reach. “Don’t blame me for getting the jump on you, and besides, you could’ve said no.”
Tristan chuckled and shook his head. “What am I going to do with you? You’re the most stubborn, infuriating, and play-too-much, woman I know. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you grinding your bare ass on top of me while I’m trying to have a serious moment here.”
Cree couldn’t help it. She laughed again, and she definitely knew he noticed because his erection, though behind his pants, was hard between her legs.
“With all that said,” he continued and turned serious, “I don’t want to live a life without you. When I lost you and our marriage ended, I thought I’d never find happiness again. Then fast forward thirteen years, and putting up with your stubbornness, that joy I thought I lost returned when you came back into my life.
“You’re that missing piece I need to make my life complete, and I don’t want to go another day without you knowing just how much I love and adore you. I want to build a life with you. I want to wake up every day with you snuggled against me in my arms. And I also…” He swallowed hard and glanced away before returning his gaze to her. “I also want to have children with you. As many as you’ll give me.”
He opened the lid of the box, and Cree gasped. Her hand flew to her chest as she gawked at the gorgeous emerald-cut diamond ring that had to be at least five carats, the stone clear and blinding.
“Will you marry me? And you better not say no.”
They both laughed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on tightly. “I want everything you want, and I’d love to marry you,” she said close to his ear, before pulling back.
Tristan slipped the ring onto her finger, and then his lips covered hers. Their tantalizing kiss sang through her veins, and Cree’s senses reeled. If someone would have told her even a year ago that the man she never stopped loving would come back into her life and ask her to marry him, she would’ve called them crazy. Thrilled they were getting their second chance, she couldn’t wait to be his wife.
Unable to help herself, she ground on top of him. The friction from his sweatpants against her mound already had her wet for him, and she moaned against his mouth. Even through his clothing, she could feel how hard he was, but she wanted to feel him inside of her.
Before she could demand he take off his pants, he lifted slightly with her still on top of him and slid them down before reclaiming his seat. Cree started to readjust herself so she could slide down on top of him, but he gripped her waist hard enough to hold her still.
“Just so we’re clear,” he said through gritted teeth as if he was barely hanging on and already on the verge of losing control, “no more going to the door to let in room service when you’re not wearing any panties. That shirt is thick, but it ain’t that damn thick. I don’t want anybody else seeing what’s mine.”
Cree snorted and gripped his shoulders as she lifted up. “Are we doing this or are you going to keep barking out orders?” she asked as she slowly lowered herself onto his thick shaft.
He was in the middle of saying something else but hissed when she settled on top of him, and her inner walls hugged him tightly. She felt all of him, his long, thick shaft filling her completely.
A dizzying pleasure swirled inside of her while Tristan gripped her hips, with all his unbelievable strength, and slid her up and down his length. The man was hella strong, and with each thrust, some of her control seeped away.
“Oh, baby, yessss,” she purred as they moved together.
Tristan’s hands moved from her hips to the buttons on his shirt. After his fingers fumbled with one of them, he let out a string of curses before ripping the shirt open, buttons flying everywhere.
Cree started to laugh, but it turned into a whimper when he palmed her breasts. He pushed them together, squeezing and kneading them as he sucked on one of her nipples and then the other.
