“A vacation you can’t afford to take! I know that you’re getting the safety line off the ground. I know you found a way, and you’re just taking off for two weeks while all of that is going through? Why? Because I told you that you needed to take a break?” She put her hands over mine. “I won’t be the reason that you miss out on everything you’ve worked for.”
“I’m not missing out on anything,” I assured her. “I have thousands of people who work for Silas Tech, Daisy. I’m capable of delegating. I don’t have to handle every project myself, and honestly, if I do, I’m denying those very talented people a chance to shine and grow. I’m exactly where I want to be. Right here with you.”
Her face puckered. “You’re making it really hard to find reasons to say no!”
“Then don’t.” I kissed her forehead. “Just be with me. Fight with me. Tell me when I’m being an arrogant ass. Go to war with me, Daisy, just don’t leave me.”
“I want you so badly, but dating didn’t go so well for us,” she whispered.
“Yeah, well…I thought about that, too.” I slid off the couch and hit one knee in front of her, taking the velvet box out of my pocket. “I’m not the reckless kind. Never have been. I like to make my decisions based on facts and logic. But you and me, we defy logic. We surpass it. We don’t need facts because we already are one. There’s no me without you, Daisy. I’ve never been so certain about anything in my life as I am about the way I feel about you.” I opened the box, revealing the solitaire engagement ring I’d bought yesterday from Harry Winston. “I love you. Be reckless with me, Daisy. Marry me.” I kept my eyes locked on hers.
“You’re serious,” she whispered, covering her mouth with her hand.
“I’ve never been more serious. A very wise woman told me this is what you do when you love someone, you promise to spend the rest of your life with them, so marry me.” My heart froze. There it was. I’d put it all on the line and now it was all up to her. “I’ll make sure you never regret it. Hell, I won’t even ask you to sign a pre—”
“Yes,” she whispered, a slow smile spreading across her face as she nodded. “Yes. Let’s do it. Let’s be reckless.” She surged forward and kissed me.
“You don’t even want to see the ring?” I laughed, tugging her off the couch and into my lap.
“I don’t care about the ring,” she said, her mouth against mine. “I just want you.”
The ring fell from my hand as I grabbed her ass with both hands, holding her against me as I kissed her. Our mouths collided, melded, the feeling so right, so perfect, that I could only moan.
I shifted, lifting her into my arms as I rose, sitting back on the couch with her in my lap. Fuck, this was heaven right here, Daisy in my arms, her heart safe in my keeping. This was all I ever wanted.
The kiss spun out of control, and I didn’t give a damn. There was no teasing here, no playful nips or maddening, lingering caresses. This was all primal heat and need. My heart rate skyrocketed, and the way she rolled her hips over mine had me hard in the span of three heartbeats.
“I need you,” she whispered, reaching for my shorts. “Please, Asher.”
Holding her tight, I arched my hips and tugged them down. Her hand wrapped around my cock, stroking me from root to tip. A growl rumbled in my chest.
“Tell me you’re ready for me.” I swept my hand under her dress and between her thighs.
“Touch me.” She kissed me hard, tugging my bottom lip between her teeth.
I was too impatient to remove her thong, so I ripped the lace on both sides of her hips and threw the fabric to the floor. Then my fingers were on her, dipping into her pussy to find her even wetter, hotter than I remembered.
“You only get better.” I thrust two fingers inside her to be sure she was ready.
She cried out, gripping my cock tighter.
“This only ever gets better between us.” I pumped my fingers within her, curling them right where she liked, using my thumb to stroke her clit.
“Stop teasing me and take me,” she demanded, rising on her knees and bringing the head of my cock to her entrance. I slipped my hand free. “Or I can take you,” she whispered, smiling against my mouth as she sank down and down.
“Fuck,” I groaned, cupping the back of her neck and thrusting my hips upward, claiming every single inch of her.
“Like heaven?” she asked once she’d taken me to the hilt.