My heart pounds against my ribs like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. Sweat beads on my forehead despite the cool ocean breeze, and my palms are so clammy I have to wipe them on my jeans. I can barely breathe as I watch Jesse's face.
My legs tremble, and I'm grateful I'm already on one knee. If I were standing, I might collapse from the sheer intensity of this moment. The ring box in my hand feels impossibly heavy, as if it contains all my hopes and dreams for our future together.
"Yes," Jesse breathes, his voice thick with emotion. "God, yes, Martin. Of course yes!."
My heart explodes with joy. I surge to my feet, nearly dropping the ring in my rush to rip it out of the box and put it on his finger. Jesse's arms are around me in an instant, crushing me against his chest. I bury my face in his neck, inhaling his scent as tears of happiness stream down my cheeks.
His body shakes against mine, and I realize he's crying too. But when I pull back to look at him, he's grinning so wide I'm concerned his face might split right apart. A laugh bubbles up from my chest.
"I love you," I choke out. "So feckin' much. Christ on a bike, look what you do to me!"
Jesse laughs, and cups my face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away my tears even as his own continue to fall. "I love you too, Marty-love. More than I ever thought possible."
I gaze at this man. This love of my life, his face radiant with joy, and I'm struck by how far I've come. Only one year ago, I was convinced I'd spend the rest of my life alone, clinging to Richard's memory like a lifeline. But now, here I am, engaged to this incredible man who's brought light back into my world.
It took me a while to learn it, but Jesse, together with some help from Celeste, helped me truly understand that loving him doesn't diminish the love I had for Richard. In fact, it's the exact opposite: it honors that love.
I can almost hear Richard's voice, teasing me for taking so long to open my heart again. He'd be thrilled to see me now - happy, in love, building a future with someone who cherishes me.
I can barely contain my excitement as we hastily gather up our things and pack away the trash from our romantic dinner. We stumble across the sand, giggling and stealing kisses like lovesick teenagers as my heart races, desire coursing through my veins.
We practically sprint home, our hunger for each other thick in the air. I fumble with the house keys when we reach the front door as he ghosts his hot breath across the back of my neck. My cock surges to attention in my pants, making it nearly impossible to focus on the damn door lock.
Finally, the door swings open. We tumble inside, dropping our beach gear unceremoniously on the floor. Before I can catch my breath, Jesse pushes me up against the door, his body pressing into mine.
"God, I need you," he growls, grinding his hips against me.
I moan, my head falling back against the door as his lips find my throat. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer, andhis hard length presses into my leg, ramping up my desperation for him.
He slides his hands under my shirt, splays his fingers across my back, and pulls me more tightly against him. My breath catches. There's almost nothing hotter than when Jesse gets desperate and feral like this.
With a fierce growl, he lifts me off my feet, pressing me harder against the door, so I wrap my legs around his waist. His taste drives me half mad and his tongue tangles with mine, stroking and teasing and sending shivers down my spine. My head spins and my body begs for more as we press into each other, every gasp and moan spinning us up even higher.
I thread my hands through his hair, holding onto him like I'll never let him go—because I don't plan to. He teases the skin just above the waistband of my jeans with his fingertips, and I rock my hips against him in search of more friction.
My heart is galloping, my skin on fire. With a sharp tug, I put just enough distance between us to yank his shirt over his head, breaking kiss just long enough to admire his gorgeous, bare chest. But then his lips are on my neck, his teeth grazing my pulse point right above my own t-shirt, and I rasp out a low groan.
His mouth travels downward, lips and teeth grazing my collarbone. My head falls back, letting out another wanton moan. All I can do is cling to him, my fingers digging into his muscled back, trying to pull him even closer.
"You feel so damn good," he murmurs, his voice husky and filled with need. His hands slide lower, cupping my ass and hitching me higher against him.
He bends his head to tease my nipples through the material of my shirt, biting and nipping at them until I'm a writhing, panting mess.
"Jesse," I groan, my voice hoarse with need. "Bedroom. Now."
With one last scorching kiss, he tears himself away and sets me down, his eyes dark with desire. My legs are wobbly, but somehow I manage to stay upright as he grabs my hand and pulls me up the stairs to our room.
A familiar thrill sparks in my chest as we stumble to our bed, both ripping off our remaining clothes as we go. God, I love surrendering control to this man.
He pushes me onto the bed, and I sink into the mattress, my heart racing as he hovers over me, his eyes burning with raw desire. With another low growl, he captures my lips, kissing me deeply.
His mouth is demanding, possessing, and I can't get enough. I slide my hands over his broad shoulders, down the strong muscles of his back as I arch into him. I moan into his mouth, my body burning everywhere we touch.
He trails kisses down my neck, and I let out a whimper. When Jesse's like this, so controlling and fierce, I'm nothing but putty in his hands, powerless to resist as he explores my body with his lips and tongue. It's by far the most sensual, arousing, erotic thing I've ever experienced. The physical chemistry we share is something I've never known, and I'm completely addicted to it.
His mouth continues its scorching path, leaving me breathless and begging for more. Each touch sends more shocks of pleasure through me, and what little control I had left slips away. I'm his to command, and surrendering everything to him thrills me like nothing else.
"God, Jesse," I gasp as his lips find a particularly sensitive spot on my neck. "I need—"
