Page 168 of The Romance Adventure

“Eu te amo sempre,” he repeats. “I love you always.”

Unlike when he called himself daddy, referring to the dogs, and I used mommy, this one doesn’t fly under the radar. The air is suddenly close, the room smaller than ever. The sun brightens and my heart tumbles in my chest.

A long moment passes before I ask the obvious question, “I wonder who it belonged to?”

“A Brazilian. Maybe even someone in my family.”

“Your mother?”

He shakes his head. “No, her ring was silver. But it could’ve been my grandmother’s or anyone’s, really.”

“I like the idea that it belonged to your grandma, though. How do you say that in Brazilian Portuguese?”

“I called her avó.”

“Do you speak Brazilian Portuguese?”

“I’m a little rusty.”

“Say something.”

Magnus grins and his dimple peeks out from the stubble across his cheek. “I did.”

“Say it again,” I whisper, moving closer.

“Eu te amo sempre.”

His eyes flicker as they dip toward my lips.

I lean in close, once more inhaling his manly scent.

Magnus tips my chin toward his and our mouths fuse together.

As always, the current between us is strong. It sends sparks everywhere, like little stars blistering the space behind my eyes. There’s no need for the bright light overhead. We’re illuminating the room, could probably supply the whole town with power.

His rough stubble reminds me that I’m still on Earth and not floating in another galaxy, but we may as well be in Magnus-Lallyland.

Magnus

CHAPTER 16

If I weren’t as disciplined as I am, I’d be thinking about Lally twenty-four-seven. Instead, it’s just twenty-three-six and a half.

I told her, Eu te amo sempre.

This is it. She’s my future.

There’s no going back.

And as I spin the ring on the table, I realize all I want is to go forward.

“Yo,” Ryan says, entering the kitchen at the rental.

“Yo ho,” CJ says, coming in behind him.

“I brought a bottle of rum,” Royal says.

“Are we celebrating something?”