“Because after you’d fucked my pussy and my mouth and my ass and then took care of me like I was the most precious thing in the world to you, I felt empty and confused and sad. I started to wonder if I’d had sex with you because it was the only thing I could give you in exchange for how much you’d given me.”
A fresh surge of nausea bubbles in my stomach. “I made you feel like I expected you to give me something in exchange?” I ask.
“No,” she says quickly. “Never. All you did was give, and it scared me. No one is that nice. No one is just good. But you are. You’re the best person I’ve ever met.”
“But you still thought I was trying to buy you?”
“No,” she says loudly. “I lay beside you and really thought about everything you’d done for me and how that made me feel. It took me literally moments to realize that I loved how you touched me, how you treated me, how you cared for me, and I felt guilty that all I had to offer you in return was me. Sincethe day you found me, you’ve given me everything. When you asked me to marry you, I wanted to say yes, but I have literally nothing to offer you. I’m a homeless, unemployed, dumb ex-stripper, and you’re you. You’re strong and sweet and caring. You’re everything, and I’m nothing.”
“Don’t say that,” I growl. “You’re fucking everything, Verity,” I snap, hating the way she’s talking about herself like she’s lesser just because she was struggling when fate brought me to her.
“I’m not, Warrick. I’m a mess, and I thought if I could contribute, then it’d make us more equal. Like I had value. When James told me about the job at the ranger service, I thought you’d be excited.”
Huffing out a shaky breath, I shake my head. “But I wasn’t.”
Her lower lip trembles as she shakes her head. “I can’t keep taking from you, Warrick, when all I have to offer in return is me.”
“All I want is you. I’d give up everything else in the world, except you,” I tell her.
“I was angry and I was mean and I pushed all my feelings of inadequacy onto you. I said I felt like you were buying me, but what I actually meant was that I felt like I was taking advantage of you. That I was exploiting you and your desire to look after me. I’m sorry, Warrick, I’m so sorry,” she sobs, her whole face crumpling as her shoulders shake.
Exhaling an unsteady breath, I stare at her, wanting to go to her, to wrap her in my arms and tell her it’s okay. But is it?
“I love you,” she whimpers. “I love you so much. I realized it when I was out at dinner the other night, but I wanted to have something more than just me to offer you before I admitted it out loud. I wanted to not just be the homeless girl that you need to save. I wanted to tell you how I feel about you when I didn’t need you to take care of me. When all I needed from you was just for you to love me back.”
“You love me?” I question, shocked.
She nods. “I don’t want to live in that apartment. I want to live here with you. If you don’t want me to have a job, I won’t. I’ll do whatever you need, just don’t send me away,” she whimpers, her eyes alive and begging me.
“You love me?” I ask again, needing to hear her say it.
Sucking in a breath, she quickly wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I love you, Warrick. I love you, and if you still want me, I want to marry you. I want forever with you because I’m yours. You saw it before I did, but I see it now. I’ve always been yours.”
I’m barely aware of moving, but the moment my lips find hers, the ragged parts of me that have been bleeding without her all start to merge back together again. I love this woman more than anything else in the world. She was meant to be mine, and I was meant to be hers.
“Ask me,” she says, dragging herself away from my lips long enough to speak.
Wrapping my arms around her, I lift her off the floor, then carry her up the stairs to our room. Placing her on her feet again, I head into the closet and yank open the top drawer of my dresser. Finding the red velvet box that I’ve carried around with me as I’ve moved from place to place, I grab it, then go back to Verity.
Dropping to one knee in front of her, I suck in a slow breath, then exhale. “Amore mio, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you, and I’ve been falling deeper and deeper with every second we spend together. I love you more than I ever knew it was possible to love another person, and it would make me the happiest man alive if you’d agree to be my wife. Marry me, Verity. Say yes, and let’s start the rest of forever.”
Fresh tears drip from her cheeks as she nods. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you so much, Warrick.”
Standing, I pull the vintage engagement ring that belonged to my maternal grandmother from the box and slide it onto Verity’s finger. It fits perfectly, and the sight of her wearing my ring settles the anxiety deep inside of me that I didn’t even know I had.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispers reverently, staring down at the large diamond.
“It was my grandmother’s. If you don’t like it, we can?—”
“No. No, I love it. It’s perfect,” she gasps, clutching her hand protectively to her chest.
“Good. I didn’t really know her, but according to my mom, my grandmother inherited it from her mother, and she got it from her mother. All of them were happily married. My mom told me the ring was lucky and to give it to the woman I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.”
“Are you sure you want—” Verity starts, but I kiss her to shut her up.
“It looks perfect on you. But it’d look even better if it was the only thing you were wearing,” I say with a smile, as I slowly tug her clothes off until she’s naked except for the diamond on her finger.
“Now that’s perfect,” I purr as I lift her into my arms and lay her down on our bed.
