Total pages in book: 156
Estimated words: 157140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“We did, and you’re stuck with me now.” She leans up to kiss my cheek.
How does she do it? Even a chaste peck makes my dick steel.
“I came so close to losing you. I’ve never been so scared of anything. Eliza—”
“Wait,” she cuts in. Panic washes over her face. “He’s not getting out of jail, is he?”
I hate that she’s still terrified. The color drains from her face. It’s the same look I see some nights when she’s tossing and turning next to me.
I always kiss her awake, pulling her away from those nightmares, back into my arms.
“Never!” I whisper, squeezing her hand. “That shithead went down for life. I made sure of it. I hired the whole A-list of lawyers for you, for Destiny, and for Aster. He’ll rot when he’s got assault stacked on manslaughter, plus armed robbery of a minor. I didn’t mean to scare you when—”
“Oh, man.” Her hand flutters to her chest. “Oh, thank God, Cole. I was afraid that’s why you brought it up, even if it’s kinda unlikely...”
“Didn’t mean to scare you. I only mentioned it to say if I ever lost you, I’d lose my mind. I won’t, Eliza. You are mine, tonight and forever.”
She smiles so wide I break into a grin.
“I am. Want to stop for a minute? I brought something new for you to try.”
I gaze out at the ocean. We’re not quite to the turtle beach yet. I turn around to look up the big hill behind us, but I can’t see Destiny.
“Let’s go a little farther first. It’s such a nice evening,” I say.
As if on cue, the island wind blows on us.
“Sure. Where do you want to stop?”
“Let’s find Destiny’s turtles.”
“You’re spoiling her. Surely, she doesn’t own the sea turtles?”
I smile. “Try telling her that. They’re always the first and last thing she wants to see when we get here.” We keep walking through paradise before I slow down and ask, “Eliza, have you been happy with everything?”
“You mean with us?” She pauses and looks at me.
“With us, with living with me. You’ve basically turned into a co-parent the past few months. I didn’t know if it would be too much.”
“No way! Having you and Destiny around rocks. Co-parenting is only an issue if it is for you or her.” She beams like the sun. “Sometimes, I think ending up in that fish chest was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“You can’t be serious?” My mouth drops.
“It got me you, didn’t it?”
Damn her logic.
“I was already yours. I never would’ve let you walk out of my life,” I growl, taking her hand and kissing it, grateful it’s long healed.
“Maybe I just wanted you to chase me.”
I stare down at her. “I chased you across the whole damn Puget Sound, all right.”
“I know.” She throws her arms around me, breathing me in.
The bag over her shoulder slides down to her wrist. She pulls a thermos out, screws the top off, and pours black liquid into it.
“Try this,” she urges.
Her concoctions are always delicious, so I take a big swig—and instantly regret it.
Miraculously, I force myself to swallow.
I’m not sure if I’m fake grinning or grimacing, but it’s so sour I can barely close my mouth. “Uh, what is that?”
At least someone’s having fun.
Eliza laughs so hard she almost falls over.
“You look like you sucked a lemon,” she sputters, wiping at her eyes. “It’s fine. That’s supposed to be guava and Hawaiian blueberry. Looks like the fruity flavors were a little loud.”
Big-ass understatement.
I swipe my tongue around, trying to erase the taste. “They can’t all be hits. I think that’s what I love the most about you—”
She’s still laughing, wiping her eyes. “What? That I can make you gag with sour coffee?”
“You don’t quit. You’re a honey badger after all, and you’re so fucking mine. I can’t imagine life without you in it.”
For a second, I glance up the big hill at a flash of movement. It’s Destiny, watching and waving to me.
It’s now or never.
I fall to one knee, taking the small, precious object from my pocket.
“Eliza Angelo, I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. I can’t live without you, and now I need to know this is for life. Preferably without any big flowery speeches because with you, I’m always impatient. Will you marry me?” I slide the ring on her finger before she can answer, staring up at the woman I desperately want to make my wife.
For a few brutal seconds, she’s a pillar.
Frozen. Staring. Breathless.
Then she throws herself into my arms, screaming, my ears ringing as her voice softens to a high-pitched “Yes, yes, holy crap yes!”
I stand there, smiling like a madman as I wrap my arms around her, crushing my mouth on hers.
We spend the next few minutes tangled and devouring each other.