Page 84 of The Obvious Check

I let my heavy eyes drift shut but not before taking Cade in one last time. His eyes are closed, and he has this soft smile on his face as he nestles into the pillows, looking like he belongs there.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel like I do too.

Chapter 20

I wake up to the rich scent of coffee brewing and a goddamn miracle.

Last night happened. Actually fucking happened.

She said yes.

Savannah… my beautiful, infuriating obsession for the last year said yes to my marriage proposal. The girl who’s been occupying every corner of my twisted mind just agreed to be mine. Forever.

What kind of fucked-up fairy tale is this?

My hand shoots across the empty mattress to her side of the bed, and I drag my fingers over the sheets that still hold her warmth. She’s not here, but her scent lingers. I wanted to worship her properly last night and show her exactly what being mine means, but she needs space.

And I’m nothing if not patient when it comes to her.

Scrubbing my face, I drag my sorry ass out of bed and catch my reflection in the mirror. I look like I’ve been hit by a truck, but not because Cal and Mark threw a few punches my way. No. It’s because Savannah gave me the best damn blow job of my life, twice, and I’m still reeling from it.

What the fuck even was that?

I ignore my half-hard cock and assess the damage to my torso. The bruises are faint enough that they won’t raise questions during training. Dash might notice, the idiot’s observant when he’s not busy eye-fucking my sister, but I’d tell him the truth anyway. I don’t lie to my best friend, especially about the girl who owns my soul.

The one I’m marrying.

My future fucking wife.

My chest constricts at the thought, but not from panic. From possession. Pure, unadulterated ownership of something precious, something I’ll hold on to for the rest of my life.

Savannah. My wife. My future. My entire goddamn universe.

Marriage is a massive leap, the kind that sends weaker men running for the hills. But with her? It's the easiest decision I've ever made. She's mine, has been since the moment I laid eyes on her, and it's time the rest of the world gets the memo.

I throw on a shirt and step out of the bedroom, only to freeze in the doorway like I've been sucker-punched.

There she is.

Standing at my kitchen counter with her back to me, drowning in my oversized shirt like it's her uniform. She's pouring coffee into a mug with the casual confidence of someone who's done this a thousand mornings before, in a kitchen that belongs to her.

Fuck.

My brain flatlines. The shirt hangs off her delicate frame, slipping down one shoulder to reveal a tantalizing strip of golden skin, and my semi-hard cock decides now's the perfect time to remind me exactly what I'm working with.

She shifts her weight, completely oblivious to the fact that she just became the center of my entire existence, and something primal takes over.

I move.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Crossing the room with quiet steps until I’m right behind her.

She doesn’t notice me at first, too focused on her coffee, but the second I slide an arm around her waist, she stills, her body tensing before she exhales a soft, sharp breath.

I press a lingering kiss to her cheek, my lips brushing against her skin, feeling the way her body melts into mine.

---