Page 50 of Hook Up

I love getting her worked up. Not to worry, I’ll calm her back down in a few minutes. “Not my style. Come on, let’s take a walk.”

“Fine.” Greer falls into step beside me, her face marred with a frown. “You’re still a jerk for saying that.”

“Duly noted, but I need you to cheer up, grumpy girl.”

We stroll in silence for several minutes, my heart rate increasing with each step. I know what I want. I just pray she wants it, too.

Suddenly, she jumps ahead a few steps, loosening the hook of her bikini top. “I think I may go skinny-dipping again.”

“Please do,” I murmur, my cock begging for release.

Tracing a finger down my chest, she sends me a scowl. “You’re not invited.”

“That’s just mean.”

“Takes one to know one.” Greer turns on her heel, but I’m not giving her a chance to walk away.

“Greer Harlow Gray, get back here.”

She pauses mid-step, turning back to face me, a look of confusion on her features. “What did you call me?”

“Your name. Or it will be if you say yes.”

Am I terrified? Absolutely, but not because of what I’m about to ask. I’m scared shitless of how she’s going to respond.

Swallowing back the fear, I smile, sliding my hands along her face and stealing a kiss from her lips.

My lips.

My woman, or she will be before the trip is over.

“You’re not going to miss me, Gigi. Do you know why?” I sink to one knee, grasping her hands like lifelines. To be honest, sheismy lifeline. “I’m not going to give you a chance to miss me. I have a better idea. Marry me. Be my wife. Live every day with me. Have a boatload of kids with me. Justbewith me. Be mine.”

Her dark eyes widen and I feel the trembling beneath her skin, but she’s yet to say a word.

“Some might say it’s fast, but they don’t realize I’ve loved you my entire life. I’ve been waiting for you for decades. I don’t want to wait anymore.” I fish into my pocket, pulling out a velvet pouch and dumping out the contents into her palm—two platinum wedding bands. “One for you and one for me. I even had them inscribed with our initials and the words forever us.”

Greer’s silence is killing me, but I forge ahead. I have to. My one mission is convincing this woman that she needs to share her life with me. “I’ll get you an enormous diamond but I want it to be perfect, and they couldn’t finish it in time.”

Now her jaw slackens, a single tear drifting down her cheek. I only pray it’s a happy tear and not a sign she’s about to flee into the water, never to return.

“For a woman who’s never without a retort, you’re very quiet, Gigi.” With a deep breath, I prepare to deliver my final argument. “I know you don’t believe in marriage, but you believe in love. Run with that. Believe in us. I’ll take care of the rest.”

She wipes away the tears, her hands shaking in mine. “You want me to take all my ideas about love, marriage, and children and throw them out the window?”

“Yes.”

I barely get the word out as she tackles me into the sand, peppering my face with kisses. “You’re crazy.”

“We’ve established this fact already. But am I the kind of crazy you want spend your life with?”

Straddling me, she leans over, that gorgeous smile lighting up her face. “You’re the only one I want to spend my life with.”

“You’ll marry me?”

“Yes, Ryder, I’d love to be your wife.”

A euphoria washes over me, far stronger than any finish line or championship. Rolling over on top of her, I claim her lips, my hands hiking up her skirt as I free myself, sinking inside her, a low groan rising from us both.

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