Page 69 of Always Right

I took her lips in mine, hearing her soft sight as she relaxed into my arms, forgetting everyone else. I was done trying to keep it all wrapped up when the feeling was about to burst out of my chest. The woman made me feel everything tenfold, so fucking intense it felt like I couldn’t breathe. She moaned softly as my fingers dug into her hips and my erection pressed against her belly, but she didn’t seem to care. I deepened the kiss as her hands settled on my chest, not breaking apart until we heard cheers from the other side of the water.

Hannah pulled away with a smile playing on her lips. “I love you,” she whispered.

Even if she wouldn’t have said it, I would have known. It was like the wall that once guarded her heart had been demolished, nothing more than its cruel memory left. She leaned in, nuzzling my neck, forgetting there were others with us...her need to keep our relationship private long gone. I held her in silence, savoring the moment of her being in my arms so care free, so comfortable until she spoke again, her words quiet...a small confession in the midst of the night.

“You're my forever."

"Then marry me."

The words left my mouth before I had a chance to think about them but I didn't regret them, not when she nuzzled closer to me, as if the words comforted her.

"Maybe not this year," I continued, "Maybe when we've been together longer and we see how things work out...but I want you to be my wife. I want to spend the rest of my life with you because you're my forever, too."

She looked up at me, pressing her soft lips against mine for a few seconds. She didn't run, didn't say a damn word until I brushed her hair back, our fingers intertwined.

"What if I don't want to wait?"

Holy shit.

“What do you mean?”

I could see her cheeks reddening, even in the dark of the night. She ran her teeth over her bottom lip, her hand settling on my chest and I wasn’t sure how the hell she couldn’t feel how my heart was about to explode.

“I feel like we’ve wasted so much time, Derek...and the outcome is always the same. We always end up together. I don’t want to waste any more time. I want to be with you...I want to be yours forever. I want the good and the bad and everything in between.”

She sounded so fucking sure, so confident. “Are you sure about this, Hannah? Just a few days ago you couldn’t even look at me and logically speaking—"

“Logic hasn’t gotten me anywhere.”

I swallowed thickly. Nothing would make me happier than Hannah being my wife and yet... “When are you thinking?”

“Tomorrow.”

I let out a laugh, shaking my head. Just a few days ago she was unsure of what she wanted, unsure if a relationship between us was even possible, and now she was talking about marriage. Logically, I knew maybe it wasn’t the best choice but as she stood there, her eyes full of life, I knew I’d do it. If she wanted to, if she was sure, I’d make her my wife and never let her go. “You know that would mean no more turning back, right?”

“I’m not looking back anymore, Derek.”

“What about a wedding? A party?”

Hannah smiled, her gaze fleeting to our family as they talked on the other side of the water. “Yeah...that would be nice, but I don’t need it, Derek. All I need is you and our girls.”

I chuckled, kissing her hard, taking in every second.

She stayed in the water for a few minutes longer before going back to our cabin with the goal of finding the perfect wedding dress in less than twenty-four hours. Evie swam toward me with Nathan, and everyone else followed along.

“So, I feel like you have a lot to tell us,” she said, wiggling her brows.

I ran my hand over my face, but deep down, I knew that if Hannah was making this decision, I was going to give her everything she ever dreamed of.

“How would you feel about planning an event?"

Chapter 25

Hannah

I had been married before.

My wedding with Nathan had been an extreme—too many invited, too much attention, too much of everything for a relationship with nothing. Now, as I waited with Derek hand in hand with no one else but our daughters, I realized none of that had mattered. The attention, the luxury, the beautiful dress, it had meant nothing because I hadn’t been in love.

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