Page 97 of Those Heartbreak Scars

“No. I know you’ve been homesick. You need to come home. And you are my home. Wherever you are is where I’m going to be happy.” He curves both palms around my ass. “I’m going to buy us a house we both like. In a neighborhood we both like. I want you to move in with me. Actually… I want you to have my babies, but that might be jumping the gun a bit so we can come back around to that later.”

“Oh no.” I take hold of his jaw and suck on his bottom lip. “I definitely want to have your babies. We could practice right now.”

He grabs at the hem of his shirt and drags it up over all those statuesque muscles. His ribs are mottled with angry looking bruises.

“What the hell, Gray?”

“It must have happened when I was mugged,” he says.

“Do they hurt?”

“Not as much as it hurt to miss you.” He kicks off his shoes and unlatches the buckle on his belt. Pants and then socks come off before he shoves his boxer briefs down from his hips.

Scooping me up, he steps into the shower. He fills me in drawn out thrusts while our mouths meld and our tongues collide.

The feel of him moving inside me takes my breath away. Makes my insides molten and my clit throb. It’s not too long before I’m clenching around him. Coming so hard that I see stars behind my eyelids.

He groans against my neck. Nips my skin with his teeth and shudders through his own climax. “You make me happy, Rica. Only you. I have never been as perfectly happy as I am when I’m with you.”

“I hope you feel that way forever,” I say as he lowers me to my feet. “Because I’m going to. I’ve loved you since I was fourteen. I don’t think anything will ever change that.”

We finish washing up and climb out of the shower to get ready to join the others down at the pool. I pull out a turquoise bikini and put it on. He dresses in Bermuda shorts and an open button down.

“You left this behind.” I hand him his watch.

He looks at it for a long time. “I’ve had this watch since I signed my first client. I wanted to celebrate what I’d accomplished. It was expensive and frivolous and completely unnecessary, but I knew that every time I looked at it, I would remember the high I felt that day. What I was capable of. And what I wanted my life to be. I haven’t gone a day without it until I left it with you in Amsterdam.”

“I know how much it means to you.” It’s why I made sure to bring it home. I was going to give it to EJ to get back to him. But him being here is much better.

“It looks better on you.” He hands it to me. “I want you to wear it. It’s not a promise ring or an engagement ring or anything like that. At some point I’ll put a ring on your finger.”

“You will?” My heart flutters.

“I’m all in with you, Rica. Head over heels in love with you.” He cups my cheek and kisses me. “So yes, I can see us getting married, but there are some things I still want to plan out just right. Like getting down on one knee and proposing to you.”

My chest grows warm. My smile bigger.

He wraps both arms around me as tight as he can. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. This is where you belong.”

My heart is so full.

“Seeing it on you in Amsterdam made me realize you make me feel the same way. It would mean a lot to me if you would wear it until I replace it with a ring. So that even if I have to travel to build the business, or I can’t be with you when you need me, you can look at it and remember that’s how I feel about you. Know that I’m doing my best to get home to you.”

I thrust out my wrist. “I’d like that.”

He helps me with the buckle on the strap. “I like the way it looks on you. Cute. Sexy.”

“I like that it’s yours.” I twist it around, taking it in from every angle. It’s waterproof so I don’t have to take it off to go in the pool, but I probably will give it to him for safekeeping when I do since it’s so important to him. It means a lot to me too. “I’m wearing my boyfriend’s watch. You’re my boyfriend, right?”

He can’t hide his smile. “I hope that’s a given considering I’ve told you I plan on getting down on one knee.”

“You’re always on your knees, Mister Puss.” I press my lips together at the heated look he gives me. Warmth pooling between my thighs again.

“Unless you want to get stuck in this room you probably shouldn’t taunt me like that.”

“You’re right. We should join the others.” We need to spend some time easing ruffled feathers, and I haven’t seen everyone in so long.

He tucks my phone and the room key into his pocket. “Are you ready?”

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