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“It ends with us waking up together every morning for the rest of our lives. It ends with us surrounded by kids. It ends with me loving you as long as I’m breathing. And it ends with us getting everything we want in life. Together. Forever.”
Tears prick at my eyes as he slips the ring on my finger.
“Grace Violet Richford, I don’t care if it’s next week, next month, or a year from now, but I want to spend the rest of my life with you. On our terms. Will you marry me for real?”
My answer doesn’t even take half a second.
“Yes!” I say, and he stands, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into a kiss.
When the cheering starts, that’s when I remember we are in a room full of people.
I wipe the happy tears and then turn back to the reporters. Some look pissed, while others are smiling wide and snapping pictures.
I hold up my left hand and shout into the microphone, “I’m getting married!”
Brooke and Wren both come out of nowhere to hug me, and we gush over the ring as Gavin, Dutton, and Preston all exchange congratulations of their own.
As the excitement continues, I step around the girls and grab Preston’s hand, pulling him behind me to my office, locking the door immediately behind me.
He pulls me in for a kiss, but as soon as his hips press to mine, I push him back.
“Before we do that, I need to talk to you,” I tell him.
He nods and steps back. “Anything you want.”
He sits on the edge of my desk, and I stand between his legs, my hands on his shoulders.
“I’m sorry for the way I reacted when the first article came out.”
He brushes his thumb over my bottom lip.
“We’re going to fight, Sunny. It would be hard to spend a lifetime together and not do it, but I promise you next time, I’m not walking out that door.”
“And I promise to talk things out with you, always.”
He kisses me softly.
“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” he asks.
I mean, outside of where we are going to live, the state of both our careers, the fact that he said he wanted kids but I don’t know how many, and how we should plan for—
“Tell me what’s going on in that head of yours.” He chuckles.
“It’s a lot,” I say and lean more into him.
“I’m ready for it,” he says.
I let out a laugh. “How about we worry about it … later? I mean, this, us, you did say it’s forever.”
His eyes light up as he nods and lets out a low whistle. “Why, Grace Richford, are you learning how to become laid-back?”
I laugh harder, letting my gaze flicker to the desk.
“I could be if you—”
I don’t get to finish that sentence before he spins and plants me on the desktop, his lips on mine without another word.
I smile through his kiss.
