Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 15867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 79(@200wpm)___ 63(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 79(@200wpm)___ 63(@250wpm)___ 53(@300wpm)
All thoughts vanish from my head as she leans forward and kisses me, smiling against my mouth. "I love you, too."
I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to me, kissing her until she's breathless. "You're moving into my room, and you're going to be my wife. My real wife."
"Mmm. You promise?" she murmurs, eyes sparkling.
"I fucking swear," I growl, sucking at her lower lip.
"And this still counts, right? For my dad's loan, I mean."
I laugh, burying my face against her sweet-smelling throat. "Yes, as long as you don't mention either of our fathers again for the next few hours while I show you your new bed. Thoroughly."
Maria's answering laugh is soft and needy. "You've got a deal."
EPILOGUE
MARIA
One Year Later
After our balcony confession, I didn't return to the guest room for months. By the time we reentered to turn it into a nursery, I'd all but forgotten what it looked like.
The sideways vanity mirror made me blush, though. Even though I was obviously pregnant with Xavier's baby.
"Remember—" he started, and I had to clap a hand over his mouth before he said something ridiculous in front of the decorator we hired.
"Yes, I remember," I hissed before dissolving into laughter. "I remember quite well, actually."
The nursery turned out beautifully, but of course, baby Liam would be sleeping in our room for the foreseeable future.
Labor was as terrifying as I imagined it would be, but an epidural and my husband at my side made it bearable. And the reward—a red-faced, blanket-wrapped, miniature clone of Xavier—was worth every awful contraction.
After the parade of well-wishers, including Xavier's father, who was ecstatic to meet his grandson, have departed, and it's only Xavier and me once more, I feel like I can finally breathe again. I’m lying back in the hospital bed with Liam sleeping in my arms when Xavier offers to hold him.
"Let's trade."
"For what?" I ask, confused. Xavier's grin tells me something is up.
"You'll see. Hand over the baby."
Slowly, I hand Xavier our son, careful not to wake him, and once he's safely tucked in the crook of his arm, my husband plucks a small silver gift bag out of the duffle bag he brought from home. I take the bag from him, feeling its weight, and then shake the contents out into my hand.
It's a black velvet box, with an embossed logo I didn't recognize.
I flip it open and gasp. A single, perfect diamond ring glitters up at me, surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds in an elegant platinum band. It's stunning.
"Oh my God," I say, my voice shaking. "Xavier, what—"
"You can keep the first one," he says, motioning down to my plain gold band. "But I remember how you said you preferred platinum to yellow gold, and I figured if we were going to have a real wedding this time, it should start with the sort of ring you want. This time, your friends and family will be there. You pick the location, the decor, everything."
"Are you..." I shake my head in disbelief, hardly able to find the words. "Is this a proposal?"
"Yes," he says firmly, "and I'm not taking no for an answer. Marry me. Again."
I laugh, feeling tears stinging at the corners of my eyes. "I guess we are pretty good at it by now."
"I guess we are," Xavier agrees. "What do you say?"
"Yes," I whisper, watching Liam start to stir from all the excitement. "This time, try not to wrinkle my dress."
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
XAVIER
Ten Years Later
It's taken ten years to finally get a week-long vacation with my wife, but from the looks of our suite and private beach, it's all about to be worth it. Our three children are with my mother, and I’m already buzzing at the thought of having Maria all to myself.
The only thing making me pause is the hesitation on Maria's face as she unpacks her new white bikini. She's biting her bottom lip the way she does when she's thinking too hard, her brows drawn together.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, I don't know." She turns to look out the floor-to-ceiling window at the Amalfi Coast beyond. "I think I just overestimated my self-confidence, is all."
I walk up behind her, slipping my hands around her waist and leaning in close. "Are you kidding me? You're gorgeous."
"Flatterer." She smiles, leaning into me. "It's just … it's been a decade and three kids since we've had an adults-only beach vacation, and my body certainly doesn't look like it did back then. I don't want to disappoint you."
"Maria," I say firmly. "You're hotter than you've ever been. Your curves drive me wild, and I love knowing you can take all I can give without breaking. Now put on the damn suit and let me see you."
It's supposed to be lighthearted, but when she turns in my arms to look at me, her eyes are suspiciously misty. "You mean it?"