‘And our friendship?’
‘I’d still have been there. Like I always was. Even last night… it wasn’t about leaving forever. It was about giving you the chance at the life you deserve.’
I step forward, head nodding, hand lifting to cover his heart as I look up into his eyes. ‘You were willing to love me up close and let me go so I could have the life I wanted.’ My voice cracks with the bittersweet beauty of it. ‘That’s the very definition of selfless, Ax. Don’t you see?’
‘Selfless or desperate?’ he rasps, his chest twitching beneath my touch, his warmth feeding into my palm as I curl my fingers into his chest. ‘I wanted you for so long. You were the first person to ever look at me with anything close to affection. Was it any wonder I fell fast and I fell hard?’ He covers my hand with his own. ‘I spent my life keeping you at arm’s length so I wouldn’t ruin you – or worse, risk you seeing me for the twisted mess I am. And then you go and ask me for a baby and I couldn’t refuse.’ His voice breaks. ‘But when I couldn’t even give you that… the one thing you so desperately wanted…’
‘Ax,’ I whisper. ‘I tried to tell you in the car, but you wouldn’t listen. The thing I so desperately want isyou. I wantyou. I loveyou. And if I can’t have a baby with you, I don’t want a baby with anyone.’ My chest throbs with every word. ‘Youarethe ache in my chest. Youaremy heart. You are— Ax, what the hell are you doing?’
He’s dropping to his knees – no,oneknee – and reaching into his pocket for?—
No way.
The small spearmint-coloured box from Celeste & Co. is unmistakable, and my fingers tremble as I lift them to my lips.
‘What are you doing?’ I breathe.
‘Something I wish I’d had the courage for sooner…’
He opens the box and a pear-shaped diamond twinkles up at me – but he can’t be…
He’s not…
Is he?
‘Harry Sinclair tells me it’s called the Ring of Hope,’ he says, all gruff. ‘Which felt fitting since I’ve only ever known it with you.’
He looks up at me, eyes full of warmth and just that… hope. And he’s never looked more devastating, more beautiful, more mine.
‘I love you, Taylor Stone. I’ve loved you for more than half of my life, and I will go on loving you forever more. Whether you say yes to me now or not, you’ve got me. I am yours.’
My knees hit the carpet as I fall towards him, tears already pouring freely as I pull him close. ‘And I’m yours, Ax. Always. Forever. Yours.’
His arms crush me to him, his mouth claiming mine in a blissful reunion that is everything and not enough at once.
‘I can’t believe I thought I lost you,’ I whisper against his lips.
‘You and me both, Baby Girl. But you could never lose me.’
He groans softly as he deepens the kiss, lifting me into his arms and carrying me to the bed without breaking away, the ring still clutched in his fist.
‘So… is that a yes?’ he rasps.
‘I think technically, you still have to pop the question…’
And yes, I want to hear the words.
I can feel his smirk against my mouth.
‘Taylor Stone,’ he murmurs, teasing my lips apart with his tongue…God, that feels good.
‘Will you do me the honour of being my Baby Girl for life?’
I laugh through tears, hands buried in his hair. ‘If that’s youasking me to marry you and be yourwife, then yes. Yes. One thousand times yes.’
Theo clears his throat at the door, and I duck behind Ax, cheeks blushing at being caught making out like a teen.
‘Kind of busy in here!’ Axel growls out.
