Page 53 of A Man of Prestige

He laughs and kisses the top of my head. My stomach growls.

“I think we better feed you,” he whispers.

“One more minute,” I murmur as I watch the ducks.

He’s quiet for a few moments. “It was when I brought you here that I knew you were the one.”

I look up at him. “What do you mean?”

He turns to me and cups my face. “I have never confided in anyone like that before, and even though I couldn’t admit it to myself, I knew then that you were different. You meant more to me than I ever thought possible. You changed me.” He pauses and smiles as he pulls his hand away.

I grin, but then he pulls back from me, and I look at him in confusion as he slowly drops to one knee.

Sebastian

I love that I’ve surprised her. I pull the small velvet box from my pocket and crack it open, revealing a princess-cut diamond surrounded by small blue, green, and brown gems because it matches her extraordinary eyes.

She looks at me in shock.

“Alexis Nicole Martin, I don’t know how I didn’t notice you as an intern. I’ll never understand that. But the second you walked into my office for your job interview, my world turned upside down, and I never want it to turn upright again. Those eyes of yours—”

“It’s called central heterochromia,” she whispers with a giggle. My grin widens because I know she’s explained her unusual eye color to me before after I commented about it while making love to her one afternoon, but for the life of me, I can never remember what it’s called.

I wink. “They are beautiful, but not as beautiful as that big brain of yours and that wicked sharp tongue and that kind heart.” I press a hand to her chest, and she places hers over mine.

“You are the most beautiful soul I’ve ever met, inside and out. Kara couldn’t have sent me a more perfect angel on earth if she tried. I know it’s been a crazy start to our life together, but I promise to make it up to you every day for the rest of our lives.” I pause and search her eyes, hoping she’ll say yes. “I love you. You’ve shown me how to be a better man. You make me complete. And I don’t want to go a day without you. Be mine, Alexis, be mine forever.”

Her eyes glisten as she nods. “Yes,” she says and then grins and with a whisper only I can hear adds, “Senator.”

I laugh at my smart, sassy fiancée as I slide the ring on her finger and pull her onto my knee so that I can kiss her. We laugh as we pull away and stare at each other. For one brief moment, it’s just us, no other sounds can be heard…until the clapping starts.

Alexis turns and gasps as she looks to see Conner, Vivienne, Aiden, Ella, my mother, her parents, and her sister all standing behind us. She glances back at me.

I shrug. “I wanted our family to be here to celebrate.”

She climbs off me and runs over to give everyone hugs. I glance at my mother who actually has tears in her eyes. She walks over and hugs me. “I’m so happy for you, Bastian. So very happy.”

I stand there shocked at her showing of emotion. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust her completely, but slowly, very slowly, I’m starting to let her into my life.

“Thanks, Mom,” I say before turning to Conner and Aiden who both shake my hand and give me quick hugs with pats on my back. “Come on, everyone, let’s go get breakfast,” I add with a wave of my hand as a limo pulls up to take us to the restaurant where we’ll celebrate.

Everyone climbs inside, and when it’s just Alexis and I standing outside the car, she turns to me.

“You, Mr. Senator, are full of surprises,” she says as she wraps her arms around my neck, “and you know what?”

I pull her against me and lean down so our lips are nearly touching. “What, little dove?”

“I think I might just like that about you,” she answers as she leans up and kisses me. I smile against her lips because, for the first time in my life, I feel complete. This woman fixed something in me that I didn’t even know was broken. And no matter what I do, I’ll never fully be able to express to her how much she means to me, but I will sure as hell try to for the rest of our lives.

Epilogue – Conner and Vivienne

Conner

“Can I take off this bandana now?” Vivienne asks as her hands come up to her face. I reach over and grasp them.

“No, and stop trying to remove it,” I growl.

She grins and it makes me grin, and the fact that she can’t see me grinning only makes me happier. Even after all these months, I still love these moments of faux conflict between us. We like to press each other’s buttons. It’s our love language.

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