“Fuck,” he roared as he slammed into me.
His orgasm fueled another one of my own and I clenched around him with all my strength.
We collapsed onto the bed with Slash still inside me. His essence coated the inside of my thighs, and the smell of our passion was in the air.
He brushed the hair away from my neck and dropped a kiss against my throat. “I hate that I can still see that bastard’s bruises on you.”
I gently traced his knuckles, mindful that they were probably still sore. “They’ll fade in time. And he’ll never bruise me again.”
“You’re not going to ask what I did to him?”
“Would you tell me the truth if I did?”
“No.”
“Then it’s a good thing I don’t need to know. I just know you’ll do anything to protect me. To protect our baby.”
“God, woman. I fucking love the shit out of you.”
I wriggled against him, causing him to hiss. I wasn’t ready for him to leave yet. I wanted him inside my body for as long as possible.
His hands slid down to caress the gentle swell of my lower belly. I closed my eyes happy, sated, protected.
* * *
Slash’s wandering hands woke me from my doze. He traced patterns on my skin, eliciting goose bumps. Our sheets were rumpled and hot.
“You hungry?” I asked.
His thumb grazed my nipple, which pebbled immediately. “Starving.”
Laughing, I felt him harden against my leg. He prodded at me from behind and then he sank into me. We moved as one, slow, gentle this time. My release built gradually, and I came.
He grasped my hip and continued to rock into me until he finished.
“I’ll never get tired of this,” he murmured against my hair.
“I hope not,” I said quietly.
“I want to do this every day for the rest of my life. I want every laugh, every tear you have to give and every moment in between. I want you to have my babies, Brooklyn.”
I reached up and grasped the back of his head and turned my lips to his for a kiss. His tongue swept into my mouth, and he kissed me so deep I felt it in my bones.
With a sigh, I pulled away. I smiled up at him. “Ask me.”
“Now?”
I nodded.
“Be my Old Lady, Brooklyn. Become my wife. Take my name, take my ring. You’ve already taken my heart.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. “Yes, Slash. My answer is yes.”
Epilogue
Three weeks later
Linden handedme a vibrant flower bouquet made up of orange ranunculus, yellow craspedia, wildflowers and pale pink roses. “You look beautiful.”