Page 74 of Summoning my Grumpy Demon Boss

I spin in his arms to let him gather me up into the hug he’s been waiting to give me.

“Now you’ve got somewhere to paint your prize-winning picture, babe. Somewhere that’ll have light from every angle, and no worries about making a mess.”

I stretch up on my toes and kiss him, thinking just how lucky I am. “Luke, it’s my dream studio.” I don’t even need the daylight to know that I’ll be surrounded by gum trees and I might even have a view of the water from up here. “You built me my dream.”

He grins and presses one more soft kiss to my lips. “Baby, I’m going to fix it so all your dreams come true. Dream studio, dream house. You name it. ’Cause I got everything I ever wanted in you.”

I’m about to tell him to take me to bed when he drops to his knees. When he looks up at me and reaches into his pocket, I know what he’s reaching for and I’m excited to see it.

The ring he pulls out is as perfect as the rest of it. It’s a white gold band with a small elegant diamond set in a simple box setting.

“Mia, is it too soon to ask you to marry me?” The look he gives me is full of longing and I feel nothing but warmth when I take the ring and slip it onto my finger.

“No.”

His face falls just a little.

“I mean no, it’s not too soon! And yes! Yes, I’ll marry you. Only let’s have a small wedding. Just family and friends.”

He jumps up to kiss me hungrily. “Exactly what I was thinking. Kraken weddings are always on the beach. Shoes are optional. Absolutely no stationery required.”

I wrap my arms around his strong shoulders and sneak a peek at my new ring sparkling on my finger as I hug him. It looks so good there. It’s as if Luke somehow came and gave my life a renovation, and all of a sudden I’ve got everything I always needed, but never knew I wanted.

When he lifts me to carry me down the stairs to our bedroom, I look up at him in absolute awe.

“I love you, Luke.”

“Love you, too, Mia. Always.”

THIRTY

Mia

I fan my hands in front of my face, trying desperately to cool off. “Is it just me or is it hot in here?”

Objectively it’s not a hot day. In fact there’s a slight chill in the breeze off the ocean, but not much of it penetrates the tiny tent Tegan and I are crammed into.

Tegan withdraws her face from the flap of the tent and looks around at me. “It’s a little stuffy, yeah. What are we waiting for again?”

“My parents said they’d be here.” I run nervous hands down the sleek front of my simple white dress. “I can’t decide if I want them to come for real or not.”

“Pfft. Better if they don’t.” Tegan rolls her eyes, which looks like quite an effort under the two sets of false lashes she’s wearing. I think she got more dolled up than me and it’s my wedding day! But I’d expect nothing less from Teegs and I’m one hundred percent happy with my decision to let Luke plan a relaxed beach wedding. I didn’t spend hours at the hairdresser, or thousands of dollars on my outfit.

None of it matters anyway, because it will all be wrecked the moment we get in the water for the mating ritual.

I summon up my courage. “OK, let’s do this. Now or never.”

Gripping Tegan’s hand tight I brush aside the tent flap and step out onto the sand. Then I freeze. I expected to see the few rows of chairs Noah and Jack laid out filled with only our friends and family. I did not expect to see half the people in Kraken Cove lining the edge of the beach to watch!

“Oh, god. I don’t think I can do this.”

“They came.” Tegan jerks her head to the front row of fold up chairs where my mum and dad are perched uncomfortably. They look far too dressed up in a suit and cocktail dress, but I did tell them it was on the beach. I guess they didn’t believe me when I said not to go fancy.

“Oh no. It’s too much pressure.”

Someone presses play and the portable speaker starts playing the music we chose that somehow sounds all wrong now.

“Mia, hey.” Tegan takes hold of my shoulders and turns me to face her. “Look at me. You can do this. You found a good one. That’s what this is all about. Not your parents, not them. You and him.”

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