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“You had champagne sent up?” I hadn’t even noticed when we entered the suite. Sure enough, there was a bottle in a bucket of ice on the coffee table with two flutes sitting beside it.

“I wanted tonight to be special.” His dimples flashed, making my stomach flip dangerously. The man was a walking temptation, and it was obvious he had some pretty devilish things on his mind.

Or did he? Because once I went over to the table to get the bottle, I noticed the gold ribbon tied around the neck and the ring dangling from it—an emerald-cut diamond set in platinum, so big and sparkly it took my breath away.

“What the—” I turned around to ask what the hell this was all about, but the sight of Jackson on one knee made me forget how to speak.

“I know we haven’t been official for very long,” he said, his eyes shining up at me, sparkling almost as much as the diamond ring. “But I’ve known you a long time, Winter Monroe, and you have always been a part of me. The past couple of months together with Liam… they’ve been the happiest of my life, hands-down. I know beyond a doubt I intend to spend the rest of my life with you, doing anything and everything to make sure you’re happy, fulfilled, and secure. And that you know how completely loved you are.”

I couldn’t breathe. I could barely hear him over my heart’s rapid drumbeat. His amber eyes shone, their warmth reflecting his love. I could only hope my tearful smile reflected it back to him.

“I want to be a family forever,” he said, reaching out to take my hands and hold them tight. “And I want the world to know you’re mine. This beautiful, talented woman loves me. Will you let me have that? Will you be mine?”

“Jackson Bennett,” I whispered, choked with emotion. “I have been yours for a long time. You’ve never had to worry about that. No matter where I was, I was always yours.”

“How about we make it official? Will you marry me, Winter?”

“You bet.” I laughed as he jumped to his feet and swept me up in his arms, kissing my lips, cheeks, and forehead. There was so much joy, almost too much. I wasn’t sure I could take it.

But no, of course I could, because we had waited so long for this. Reaping the rewards of my hard work was nothing compared to reaping the rewards after spending so long yearning for this, yearning for him.

Instead of untying the ring or popping up the champagne, he carried me to the bed, still kissing me even after laying me down. “I love you,” he whispered before his kiss deepened. I sank into it, moaning into his mouth while I kicked off my shoes and wrapped my legs around him. Mine. He would always be mine. And we would be a family, and nothing in the world could tear us apart. The world had tried and failed.

I arched into his touch, offering myself to him while his hands took a familiar tour of my body. The familiarity didn’t matter. I would never get tired of what he did to me. He lit me up inside and set me on fire, body and soul.

Right now, he was sliding a hand between my back and the mattress to unzip me. Once he managed that, his mouth moved lower so his lips and tongue could paint my skin, claiming me all over again. My hands tangled in his hair, a string of moans following every ragged breath while the heat in my core raged hotter with every sweep of his tongue.

His dick pressed against my pussy, probing me from behind his khakis. When I linked my legs behind his ass and pulled him closer, he grunted like an animal before taking my nipple into his mouth and sucking until I jerked my hips in response. “That’s right, I love it,” I panted, holding his head close, watching him pleasure me. All that did was get me hotter, making me grind against him harder, searching for relief.

And I had a lifetime of this to look forward to.

“Easy, there,” he whispered when I humped him almost frantically. Lifting his head, he chuckled down at me. “You can’t use it if you end up breaking it, you know.”

“I need you like I need air,” I whimpered, groping him, tugging his clothes before sliding my hands under his shirt and over his back. I was so hot and wet, it hurt, and the ache didn’t ease once he’d slid my thong down my legs and over my feet.

“I should buy you diamonds more often…” Getting up on his knees, he pulled his shirt over his head, then opened his belt and fly. It wasn’t the diamonds. It was him, the promise of him, and the promise of a future together.

And his body, of course, and what he could do to mine. I reached for him, eager to have him in my arms again. Once he lowered himself on top of me, I shoved his pants down his legs using my feet, our tongues tangling in another deep kiss, my arms wrapped around him, clinging, clutching. He had never been as precious to me as he was then.

It was sweet relief, the way he probed my swollen slit before sliding through my folds. “Do you want this inside you?” he asked, though the strain in his voice was obvious. I wasn’t the only one being tortured as he came close to my entrance, then pulled back.

“Yes,” I whimpered. “I want you to come inside me.” I knew how it drove him crazy, taking me raw, filling me with his seed with nothing between us. Being on the pill, the risk was less than minimal. Maybe someday we could talk about giving Liam a brother or sister. For now, though, all that mattered was getting him inside me where he belonged.

Once he was, I gasped, holding my breath to concentrate on every inch of him, feeling him work his way inside, stretching, filling, and making my toes curl before I locked him in place with my crossed ankles.

“I could spend the rest of my life here like this, and I would die a happy man.” A grunt followed his brief smile once he pulled back, then pushed forward again. Deep, so deep, deep enough to make me forget everything but the sensations stirring in my core.

“Yes, fuck me,” I begged, throwing my arms to the sides, sliding my hands over the silky duvet while my head rolled from side to side. Every stroke took me closer to the edge to the dark, peaceful bliss my body craved. When he got on his knees and lifted my hips to take me deeper, I could have wept with joy. “Jesus Christ.”

“This sweet pussy loves my cock,” he grunted while I could only nod my agreement, too busy moaning to speak. I did love it. I needed it.

And I was going to come with him inside me, his hands running over my body, his animal grunts getting louder each time his body crashed against mine.

“Fuck, yeah,” he growled, fingers digging into my hips as he took me faster. “Getting tighter. Come for me. Come all over me.”

I couldn’t help it. The wave crashed all at once and pulled me under into sweet, explosive bliss. Jackson slammed deep one last time before filling me with fresh heat.

“God, you’re so good.” My body hummed, loose and warm with pleasure, by the time he slid free and lowered my hips. But instead of lying next to me, he got off the bed without a word. I propped myself on my elbows, waiting to see what came next.