“I hate the thought of you unhappy.” He nodded, taking her hand and rubbing it with his thumb. “I had to talk to you before the party because I didn’t want you to disappear tonight like Cinderella. I had to see the look on your face when I finally said I love you.” He shook his head in admonishment, but he was fighting a smile. “Of course you had to beat me to it.”
Melanie’s heart back-flipped, making her pulse kick into hyperdrive. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve hurt you so many times, I thought you deserved the truth, even when I wasn’t sure what you’d say.”
He cracked his half smile, the one that made her feel as if her heart was an ice-cream cone in the summer sun. He reached for her other hand. “I love you and I want to be with you, but I need to know that you’re in this for real, for the long haul. I can’t handle it if you get skittish and run off again.”
A single tear rolled down her cheek. The man who’d once had a revolving cast of women wanted to know if she was capable of sticking around. “I only ever ran because I was scared of how badly it would hurt if it didn’t work. I’m not scared anymore.”
“I mean it, Melanie. The long haul.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, navy blue box. “I want you to be my wife. I want to spend my life with you.”
Melanie’s hand flew to her mouth. She knew that box—it was from Harry Winston. She gasped when he opened it and revealed a stunning emerald-cut platinum engagement ring. She was almost scared to touch it, worried it might disappear—she’d only dared to fantasize about a moment like this with Adam. She’d never dreamed it might actually be true. “It’s so beautiful.”
“Do you want to try it on?”
She nodded eagerly.
He plucked it from the box and slid it onto her finger. The diamond sparkled like an entire constellation.
“Oh my God, Adam. I love it. But how’d you get a Harry Winston ring so quickly?”
“I made it worth their while to tend to my needs. And I believe there’s a bigger question on the table at the moment.”
She stopped staring at her hand, instead looking into the face she hoped she could wake up to every morning, forever. “You want to get married?”
“I figured that a signed document was the way to go with you.” He grinned from ear to ear. “I’m hedging my bets here.”
A breathy laugh escaped her. Was this really happening? Her entire future had done a one-eighty in a matter of minutes. “I never want to let you go. I want nothing more than to be your wife.”
He tugged her to him possessively. “Come here.” He wrapped one arm firmly around her waist, swept her bangs from her forehead with his free hand. “I can’t believe you said yes to something. No argument or negotiation or anything.”
She loved it when he took charge, held her in a way that said she was his. “Not just a little something either. A big something.”
He cupped the side of her face, rubbed her jaw with his thumb, sending goose bumps across her chest, over her shoulders and down her arms. Then he kissed her—soft and heavenly, practically begging for her to lean into him. She threaded her arms inside his jacket, craving his warmth and touch. Every second of holding on to this incredible man washed away the misery of the past year. Adam was hers.
* * *
Now that Melanie was his, kissing her, having her in his arms, was so much more satisfying than Adam could’ve imagined. Pulled against his body, her heat radiated into him, spiking his body temperature. The suit wasn’t helping. Her mouth was sweet, her tongue swirling in a deliciously naughty way, every second of it driving him insane. She was at least partially undressed beneath her robe. He’d seen the gorgeous swell of her breasts when he’d arrived at her door.
He pulled the tie at her waist, unwrapping the most precious gift he’d ever have, pushing the silky fabric from her shoulders to the floor. His hands slid down her back, cupping and squeezing the velvety skin of her bottom. No panties. Perfect.
Melanie laughed, her lips vibrating against his. It was so damned sexy. “Adam, honey, there’s no time. We’re supposed to be at the party by six thirty.”
Her arms weren’t merely buried inside his jacket. She’d dipped one of her hands below the waistband of his pants. It only made him that much more determined to have her, body and soul. Now.
“There’s no way that you say you’ll marry me and I don’t take off your clothes and make you lose all sense of direction.” He nuzzled her neck, taking in her intoxicatingly sweet fragrance.