Page 168 of Now and Forever

You could hear a pin drop.

My heart pumps at a frantic pace.

I love him ... I love him and I adore him. This is the romantic Eric who drives me crazy.

I walk out of my apartment, approach Eric, and, standing on my tiptoes, I draw my mouth close to his, suck on his top lip and then his bottom lip, and, after biting him with the tips of my teeth, I declare, “You’re not boring. I like your bad temper and your face when you’re in a bad mood, and I’m not going to let you change.”

“Agreed, darling.” He nods with a big smile.

“I love you, Iceman,” I finally say. “And I’m sorry too.”

Eric closes his eyes and hugs me. He squeezes me against his body, and everyone claps. We kiss, and I melt into his arms, wishing I could never let go.

We stay like that for a few minutes, until he pulls away from me. Everyone falls silent. “Baby, you’ve given me your ring back twice, but I hope the third time’s the charm.”

I smile. Surprising me again, he kneels, and, showing me the diamond ring, he blows me away.

“I know you were the one who asked me to marry you last time on impulse, but this time I want to be the one who asks, and most of all, I want it to be official and in front of our families. Miss Flores, will you marry me?”

My neck itches. The hives!

I scratch. A wedding!

Eric looks at me and smiles. He stands up, puts his mouth against my neck, and blows sweetly. At that very instant, I accept he’s my warrior, and I’m his, and, holding his face in my hands, I look him straight in the eyes and answer, “Yes, Mr. Zimmerman, I want to marry you.”

Inside the apartment, everyone jumps for joy.

Eric and I hold each other and look into each other’s eyes. I grab the door handle and close it behind us. My lover and I are standing on the landing, alone.

“You organized all this for me?”

“That’s right, baby! I had to call in the artillery in case you didn’t want to hear me, or see me, or kiss me, or give me a chance,” he whispers, kissing my neck.

I could eat him up!

“I’ve missed something,” I say, happy as a clam as I accept his sweet kisses on my neck. “What’s that?” he asks, looking at me.

“The little bottle of pink, strawberry-flavored stickers.”

Eric lets out a laugh and gives me a flirty smack on the behind.

“That and everything else you want is waiting for us in the fridge at our new house.”

“Wonderful!”

I arch against him and hold him close. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he presses me up against the wall.

He kisses me; I kiss him back. God, I want him.

“Wait, baby,” he warns me, seeming amused to see me so excited. “The house is full of people, and we’re in the hallway of your building.”

“I’m just showing you what’s going to happen once we’re alone. Because I want you to know I’m going to punish you.”

Eric perks up. My punishments tend to be drastic. I bite his lip.

“I’m going to punish you by forcing you to make all our fantasies come true.” My lover smiles and pushes his hard erection against me. Oh yes!

After we pull ourselves together, we go back inside. After more hugs and laughing, everyone leaves while we tell them goodbye.

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