Page 69 of Unexpected Temptation

She opens her mouth to let out the sweetest moan I’ll ever hear. Looking down at my cock sliding sweetly into her, I growl as I see her thick, white release flowing down my length.

The night catches up to me, the violence, the agony. It catches up, but then it dies. Nothing else matters.

“I love you,” I snarl, unable to hold back anymore as my seed rushes up my shaft.

“I love you too,” she moans, bouncing up and down on my dick, her cheeks flushed, her neck red too, everything filled with her red hot passion.

“Oh … my …God.”

I collapse atop her, needing the contact, my hips pounding into her, completely lost in her curvy body. I lean back so I can watch her take me. My entire length blazes, and come erupts out of me in wave after wave as I let go.

When I finally pull out, she whispers, “Did you mean it?”

I lean down and kiss her again. “I. Love. You.”

“Really?” she whispers.

Suddenly, I turn away, searching for my pants. I grab the ring box and turn back to her. She’s sitting naked on the side of the bed, her thighs glistening with both our releases.

“My mom gave me this before she passed,” I tell Maya, falling to one knee, not giving a damn that I’m naked. “She told me, when I found the right woman, not to hesitate. I love you, Maya. I was going to throw it in the fire.” Throwusin the fire. “But I can’t. I couldn’t. I loved you the first moment I saw you in that window when I saw the love between you and Loki. I’ve just been trying to fight it.”

“You’ve had a tough night,” she whispers, her voice wavering with hope and raw emotion. “Don’t rush into anything you’ll regret.”

“The only thing I regret is pretending I could ever resist you,” I tell her, opening the ring box.

She gasps, staring at the elegant princess-cut diamond, the white-gold band glinting in her eyes.

“Are you?—”

“Don’t ask me if I’m sure,” I growl. “I was sure the second I saw you. Marry me, Maya. No more messing around. No more doubt. No more pain.” I take her hand, holding it passionately.“Marry me.”

Finally, after a pause that has me wondering if I’ve made a mistake, tears make her eyes glisten. She offers me her hand, nodding, clearly too overwhelmed with warmth and happiness to speak.

Once I’ve slid the ring onto her finger, she leaps at me, her hands roaming over my body. We don’t need to get undressed the second time.

EPILOGUE

MAYA

Six Weeks Later

Istand at the edge of the grave, feeling the wind cut through my coat. The sky is gray, matching the weight in my chest. As they lower Mom’s casket into the ground, it feels like a piece of me is going with her. The solemn words feel like a distant hum, drowned out by my beating heart.

Tristan stands beside me, his hand firm on my shoulder. I lean into him, seeking strength. I’m on autopilot, just trying to survive this moment.

Tristan guides me to a quieter spot under a large oak tree as the crowd thins out. The leaves rustle above, a reminder that life goes on, even in the face of loss. I wipe my eyes, trying to find the words that have been trying to burst out of me since the night before. I take a deep breath, and, finally, the words tumble out.

“Tristan, I’m pregnant.” The shock on his face mirrors my own disbelief. We stare at each other momentarily, the weight of the news settling in alongside our grief.

Finally, he firmly takes my hands in his. “Maya, listen to me,” he begins. His voice is rough but filled with a determination that cuts through my agony. “Life’s a fight, and it’s damn hard sometimes, but love … love is what makes it worth it. Even when everything seems hopeless, love is what pulls us through. This baby,ourbaby, is a piece of your mom living on. It’s a new beginning. We’re going to get through this. You hear me? Together.”

I nod, a flood of hope and happiness rushing into me. I don’t even care if I should be crying sad tears. I let the happy ones flow. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. “We’re going to make it, Maya—for your mom, us, and this baby. We’re going to build a life together. Everything—the sanctuary, your career, our lives—will be perfect. I promise.”

I bury my face in his chest, letting his strength flow into me. For the first time since losing Mom, I feel light in the darkness. Love can come from hopelessness. With Tristan by my side, I know we’ll find our way.

So much has happened. We’ve got so much fighting left to do, but it’s worth it for each other. It always will be.

EPILOGUE

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