Page 107 of Meet Me in the Vines
“Win and you’ll find out.”
He kisses the corner of my mouth and I groan, leaving me hot and bothered. I’ve been needy for him since that kiss in the closet. Every touch he leaves on my body is enough to set me off. But I’ll play the game and pray my prize leads to more than just kissing.
Donovan strides to the edge of the gazebo as I stand in the center. “Okay, Mouse. Close your eyes and count from ten. No peeking,” he teases, flashing his dimpled grin that’s just for me. I giggle as I lift my hands over my face, my heart racing from the excitement.
“Ten…nine…”
I smile underneath my hands, imagining Donovan weaving through the vines. Would he let me win like I did that night?
“Eight…seven…”
His steps are so quiet I don’t think I hear him. No rustling or frantic thuds against the dirt. He’s gonna make this hard for me, huh?
“Six…five…”
His taste lingers on my lips as I lick them, like honey and wine—a sweetness that has me close to calling it quits and begging him to take me home to bed.
“Four…three…”
This is us. This is who we are. We laugh, run, and play. Donovan brings out the best in me, and I’m a better woman because of it.
“Two…one…”
I drop my hands and open my eyes, scanning the vines for signs of him. But I don’t have to search far. My breath hitches as my gaze falls down to Donovan on one knee in front of me, displaying a gorgeous oval-cut diamond.
“Oh my god, Donovan…” I whisper as tears prick the corners of my eyes. The moonbeams cast a spotlight on him, the diamond glinting under its reflection. Instinctively, I kneel in front of him, clasping my hands around his wrists.
“Audrey Wren Winthrop, it was in this very spot ten years ago where you came soaring into my life, marking me forever.” I let out a quiet sob, gripping onto his wrists like if I let go, I’ll sink beneath the planks. “I knew then that I would marry you one day. It took us a while to come back to each other, but deep down, I knew it would happen. We never gave up,” he murmurs, smiling so big that it outshines the moon.
“Will you make me the happiest man in the world? Will you marry me?”
“God, yes, yes, yes!” I cry out, throwing my arms around his neck and crashing my lips onto his. The flutter storm swirling inside is enough to lift me off the ground, sending me into the stars. I pull back as I laugh and cry at the same time.
“Give me your hand, baby,” he whispers, our fingers trembling together. He slips the diamond on my ring finger, kissing it delicately. He pulls me in for an embrace as we kneel on the floor, his heart thudding rapidly against my chest. I lookdown and place my left hand on his heart, gazing into his ocean blues.
“Are you okay?” I ask, worried that the rapid thuds are too much for him. He nods his head, resting his hand over mine.
“I’m okay, Mouse. Never better.”
“I love you,” I breathe.
“I love you, too.”
I lay him back gently and settle beside him, splaying my leg over his waist. He lifts my left hand over us, displaying the promise of forever. “It’s perfect,” I whisper, bringing my hand down to turn his face toward me. I kiss him deep, needing him more with each swipe of his tongue on mine.
He flips on top of me, our lips never parting. I buck my hips into him, urging him to press himself on top of me.
“Tell me what you want, Mrs. King,” he rasps, nipping my bottom lip, trailing kisses along my jaw. I hum and wrap my arms around his muscled back, savoring his weight and warmth on top of me. Something about him calling me Mrs. King lights a fire in my core, the heat building through my sex.
“I want you. All of you,” I whisper.
Donovan savors me, peeling off my clothes like I’m a long-awaited gift on Christmas morning. He drinks me in, exploring every curve and valley like it’s the very first time. His touch is addicting, like the purest drug ever made, just for me. And when he finally takes every inch of my body and soul, rocking me onto the edge of the world, he also gives so much more.
He gives meeverything.A safe space in his arms. A loyal confidant to lean on. A future to build a family. And when we come apart falling off the earth together, nothing but a mess of tangled limbs and boneless, it’s alwaysmy nameon his lips.
Our night goes on with a chase through the vineyard, our laughter drifting in the wind. It’s our game of give and take.
But this time,we both win.
