Page 37 of Sunshine & Sinful

“Sore. You?”

“Same.”

“You wanna tell me what’s going on? Are you havin’ regrets about what we did last night?” I ask, hoping that’s not why he’s upset.

“What? No. I plan to do that a lot more. Why would I regret it?”

“Oh. You do, do you?” I tease, bumping him gently with my shoulder.

“Yeah. I do. Do you object?”

Curbing a giddy, girlish smile that threatens to break the surface, I tap my finger to my lips and hum as if contemplating whether we should have sexy times again in the future. Not appreciating my hesitation, Sunshine growls and nips my shoulder with his teeth, and I shiver at his playful gesture. A moment later, he licks the sting away, lingering far too long for it to be considered appropriate. Not that any of this is appropriate in present company. Lily will have questions—lots of them. I’m sure of it.

As if on cue, the dark-haired beauty skips into the living room and plops onto the chair in front of us,wearing the biggest, toothy grin. “Are you getting married?” she asks out of nowhere, shocking the crap out of me.

Sunshine snickers as if he finds it funny as I gape at them both.

“What makes you ask that, Lily?” I croak, then slap Sunshine’s hand away as he rests it on the inside of my thigh and gives it a gentle squeeze that sends an unexpected jolt of arousal to places I don’t wish to deal with right now. It’s crazy enough I’m draped over his lap, and I like it. I like it, maybe a little too much.

Giggling as if my question is absurd, Lily tucks her legs under her and pulls the blanket off the back of the chair to stay warm. “Because of Pops’ ring. The one he bought you.”

“The what?” I squeak.

“Lily,” Sunshine scolds softly, not mad at her little tattle but not happy either.

Eyes rounding like she made the world’s biggest oopsie, Lily covers her mouth.

I turn to the man in question. “A ring, huh?”

“Do you remember what I asked you last night… In the middle of… Ya know?”

Oh, I remember. I just don’t want to focus on it because that means far more than sex. I’m surprised he’s even bringing it up. I assumed it was in the heat of the moment—a slip of the tongue. Marriage proposals don’t usually come during sex, but men declare their love all the time in the height of passion. Then again, we always say I love you to each other when we’re not engaged in anything more than a text, standing in the kitchen, orsaying goodbye. It’s second nature. We love each other. We always have. I guess his I love yous mean more than I thought. Then again, maybe mine do, too, a little.

“I remember,” I reply.

He squeezes my knee. “You didn’t answer.”

“I didn’t think you were serious.” How could I think he was serious?

“I’m serious.”

“Colton.”

“We don’t have to talk about it now because Lily’s here, and we have a lot more to discuss, even after she leaves, but I asked, and I’ll ask again ’cause I meant it.”

Oh.

“You want to…”

He nods as if that’s a silly question. “Yes. Without a doubt. You are mine. Wearing my ring or not doesn’t change that.”

You are mine.

The declaration tumbles through my head.

His.

Wild raven-sized butterflies flap in my chest. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

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