Page 62 of Curvy Desire's Second Shot

He led me to the table, pulling out a chair for me like a perfect gentleman. I sank into it, my heart racing as he took the seat across from me. The moment felt surreal, like something out of a dream.

“I wanted to do something special for you,” he said, his gaze steady. “For us.”

“You already do that every day,” I said, my voice trembling slightly.

He smiled, reaching across the table to take my hand. “This is different.”

We talked for a while, the conversation easy and warm. He asked about my day at the community center, about the new art program we were developing, and I asked about his latest project at work. It felt like any other night, but there was an undercurrent of something more—something I couldn’t quite name.

When the meal was finished and the plates were cleared, Hudson stood, holding out his hand. “Come with me.”

I let him pull me to my feet, my heart pounding as he led me toward the edge of the clearing. The fairy lights cast a soft glow around us, and the world felt impossibly still.

“Naomi,” he said, turning to face me. His hands rested lightly on my shoulders, his gaze locked on mine. “I’ve been thinking a lot about how far we’ve come. About everything we’ve been through. And I know one thing for sure.”

“What’s that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“That I don’t want to face another day without you,” he said, his voice steady and filled with emotion. “You’re my anchor, my light, my home. And I want to build the rest of my life with you.”

Before I could respond, he dropped to one knee, pulling a small box from his pocket. My breath caught as he opened it, revealing a simple but stunning diamond ring that sparkled in the soft light.

“Naomi Ray,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “Will you marry me?”

The world seemedto tilt as I stared at him, my heart swelling with so much emotion I thought it might burst. Tears blurred my vision, but I managed a shaky laugh as I nodded.

“Yes,” I said, my voice breaking. “Yes, Hudson, I’ll marry you.”

His face lit up, and he slipped the ring onto my finger before standing and pulling me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest, my tears soaking into his shirt as he held me tightly.

“I love you,” he murmured against my hair, his voice filled with warmth. “More than anything.”

“I love you too,” I said, my voice muffled but sure.

As we stood there,wrapped in each other’s arms, the fairy lights twinkling around us, I felt a sense of peace I hadn’tthought possible. This was it. Our future, our forever. And I couldn’t wait to start it with him.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Naomi

The morning of our wedding dawned crisp and clear, the air carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers. I stood by the window of a small cottage near the venue, watching as the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees. The soft rustling of fabric and murmurs of excitement from my friends filled the room behind me, but my focus was on the day ahead.

It didn’t feel real—at least, not yet. After everything Hudson and I had been through, the idea of standing in front of our closest friends and family, pledging forever to each other, felt like a dream. But it wasn’t. It was happening. Today.

“Naomi,” my best friend Jess said, breaking me from my thoughts. She stepped up beside me, her smile wide. “You’re going to take his breath away.”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “He’s already seen me like this a million times.”

“Not like this,” Jess said, motioning to the simple but elegant lace gown I wore. “Not like the woman he’s about to marry.”

Her words made my chest tighten, and I turned to face her fully. “Do you think... do you think this is it? Our happy ending?”

Jess smiled, taking my hands in hers. “I don’t think it’s an ending, Naomi. I think it’s just the beginning.”

The ceremony was heldin a clearing surrounded by tall trees, their branches arching overhead like a natural cathedral. Rows of wooden chairs were set up beneath the canopy, and fairy lights strung between the trunks added a soft glow. Everything felt perfect, down to the smallest detail.

Hudson stood at the altar, waiting. He was wearing a charcoal gray suit that fit him perfectly, but it wasn’t the clothes that caught my breath—it was the look in his eyes. He wasn’t just watching me as I walked down the aisle; he wasseeingme, his gaze filled with so much love it made my knees weak.

As I reached him, my hand trembling slightly in his, he leaned in, his voice low enough for only me to hear. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

---