Page 6 of Healing Bonds

“You’ll see. Oh, I am so excited!” she squealed, reaching in the back for the food, almost knocking the bag over in her haste.

Something was about to happen; I could feel it. With her unusual excitement and the secret exchange between Ace and Ryan, nerves began to bubble up in the pit of my stomach.

Expecting the worst, I pushed open the door to the lobby of the apartment building, fighting the urge to text Ryan as we took the elevator up. Celine was bouncing on the heels of her feet the whole way, a huge fucking grin breaking out on her face the higher we went.

What in the hell was going on?

“Stop looking so nervous. Smile,” she ordered. I huffed. “Your man is home, and he’s waiting for you just behind that door.” Celine pointed at my red front door, juggling the food in one hand and her phone in the other. “Open the door already. I’m starving!”

Pulling out my keys with shaking hands, I unlocked the door and let it swing open.

And there, in the middle of our small apartment, was my man, on one knee, surrounded by rose petals, and holding a bouquet of my favorite pink roses and a little black box with a beautiful ring inside.

“Holy fuck!” I shrieked.

Chapter Two

RYAN

Sweat gathered on the back of my neck as the lock on the front door twisted. It swung open, revealing the most beautiful woman in the world. Amber was standing there, her red hair tamed in a sexy updo that left some of it down for me to hold when I kissed her, the rest up and out of her alluring, green eyes. She was wrapped delectably in a red dress that ended right above her knees with sleeves that covered most of her arms. My favorite part was the slight dip in the neckline that gave the briefest hint at the cleavage hidden beneath. It was the perfect amount of teasing.

She stood there, jaw slack, green eyes wide, and all I could do was stare at the absolutely beautiful woman who I was about to ask to be mine for the rest of our lives. I couldn’t help but trail my eyes down her gorgeous body, taking in her long, freckled legs, her feet that were wrapped in tan heels that made heralmostmy height, and those fucking toes painted bright ass red. This woman knew exactly what I liked.

And Ilovedher in red.

“Holy fuck!” she suddenly shrieked, her hand reaching out for the wall to steady herself as she wobbled precariously on her too-tall heels.

“Come on in, baby.” I grinned at her. How could I not when I had been dreaming about this moment for the last damn year? I was dying for her to finally be mine in every way I could imagine claiming her. And I wasn’t wasting anymore time. We’d already lost enough.

Ace had been a lifesaver, along with Celine. They both helped me plan everything—from designing a custom ring to making sure the apartment was covered in her favorite flowers and also giving me time to prepare with a bullshit run to the store.

Amber stood near the door, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at me, blinking crazily as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Ryan?” Her voice shook with tears and nerves, and warmth spread through my chest. This woman was so fucking perfect.

“From the day you tried to attack me to check on my sister, you have been the only one on my mind. You’re the reason I can breathe because your soul is pure and beautiful. You’re the stars in my sky on a dark night, and I wouldn’t want to be with anyone else. You, Amber, are the love of my life.”

As I paused to swallow the lump that suddenly formed in my throat, I watched her walk further into the room toward me. She sank to my level, her shaking hands latching onto me. Her green eyes met mine, captivated and hopeful.

No one had ever looked at me that way, so completely in love.

No one but Amber, my beautiful spitfire.

“I want to wake up with you beside me in the mornings. Ineedto spend my evenings looking at you across the dinner table after a long day at work. I need to share every boring detail of my day with you and hear every detail of yours because I love hearing your voice. I need to spend the rest of my life laughing with you, and most importantly, my beautiful girl, I need to spend the rest of my life falling more and more in love with you every single day.”

Putting the flowers on the ground beside me, I gently cupped her damp cheek in my hand. My thumb traced her cheekbone, and my eyes focused on her bottom lip as she worried it with her teeth.

Fuck, I needed to kiss her.

“Amber, my little spitfire, will you marry me and be mine forever?”

She nodded, her pretty green eyes blurring with tears. Her left hand fluttered up to her throat, while her other hand clasped mine. “Yes. Oh, God, yes!” she croaked, her voice constricted with tears and happiness.

Her arms flew around my neck as she propelled herself onto me. I laughed as we both crashed backward, our bodies wrapped tightly around each other, my lips searching for hers on instinct. Despite the chaos, I managed to find them and finally claim them as mine.

Kissing her was like coming home.

Ace and Celine cheered, both of them holding their phones to record the moment. I sat up, holding Amber to me, and found the forgotten, black, velvet box with her ring. She stared at the ring, her green eyes huge, her lips parted in shock.

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