The look in Harper’s eyes told me he approved of it immensely.
His elegant fingers slipped behind my tie as he yanked me down to claim my lips again.
“You look so fucking pretty,” he whispered when we parted.
I felt pretty. I felt fucking beautiful, all dressed up for him in the clothes he had chosen for me.
“Thank you, Sir.”
“Now let’s go to dinner so we can get you nice and fed before I find out what that suit looks like on the suite’s floor.”
The suit was fitted enough that having an erection, like I did right now, wasn’t at all comfortable, or subtle.
But Harper seemed intent on leaving all sexual advancements building behind those perfect diamond eyes rather than acting on them.
I knew this was about to be a very uncomfortable dinner.
The table he’d reserved for us was against the glass serving as a wall. While the restaurant wasn’t as high as our room, it still made me queasy if I looked outside for too long.
He didn’t seem to have the same issue. His eyes took in the city and view with interest before they turned on me and remained there.
The entire place had dimmed lighting, with a wooden wicked candle on every table that crackled and popped like a tiny fireplace. It smelled of vanilla and some other spice I couldn’t name but decided I very much liked.
Harper’s hand found mineoverthe table. This was undoubtedly a date. Of course, we both knew that, but what surprised me was that anyone else who looked at us was sure to know it too, and yet here we were. And it had beenhisidea to be seen with me like this.
“Are you sure about this?” I couldn’t help but ask, even as my thumb smoothed over the soft skin of his.
He nodded. “I’ve never been surer of anything than I am of you.”
My heart was aching again with how full it was. “Even if people see us?”
“Let them see. Let the whole world know that you’re mine and I’m yours. I’m done hiding, Benny. I want to stand in the light with you.”
My eyes burned as I nodded. “I’d like that.” My voice broke.
“I’m sorry it took me so long.”
I shook my head. “Don’t be sorry. Don’t you ever be sorry. You’ve done nothin’ wrong. I’d have waited forever for you if I had to.”
“Because you’re good.” His fingers slotted between mine as he brought them to his perfect lips. He kissed over my knuckles.“You’re the best person I know, and the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I want to be the best I can be for you as well. I want to give you everything. All that I have and all that I am.”
I huffed, using the hand that he wasn’t holding to wipe away a stray tear. “All I want from you is to be happy.”
“You make me so happy.”
Another tear. “Why does it feel like you’re gonna propose or somethin’?” I joked, because I was feeling too many things to express them in the way I wanted to.
He didn’t laugh, and my heart either gave out or was beating so rapidly I couldn’t feel it anymore. Maybe it really had exploded.
“Would you?”
I swallowed. “Would I?”
“Marry me?”
It was taking everything in me not to stand up in the middle of this fancy ass restaurant and scream to every person in this building and the entire city beyond my answer to that question.
Instead, I spoke loud enough for only him to hear. “I’d marry you right now. I don’t need a fancy dinner or a fancy suit or even a ring. I’d marry you in sweatpants in my livin’ room. I’d marry you in the shadows and I’d live there happily wantin’ for nothin’ but your company.”
