Page 113 of The Bachelor

She slowly nodded. “Okay.”

“Are you sure?”

She sucked in a breath, one that was so deep that I felt it. “The only thing I’m sure of is that I love you.”

A smile grew across my lips. “That’s all I needed to hear.” I glanced at my watch. “Craig should be arriving just about—” My voice cut off when I heard the front door open. “Never mind. He’s here.”

“Who’s Craig?”

“Dominick, Jenner, and Ford’s private chef.”

Her brows rose. “And he’s cooking dinner for us? Here? Tonight?”

I gave her a kiss, growling, “I hope you’re hungry.”

“You’re unbelievable.”

I kissed her again and then found her hand, locking our fingers together before I brought her into the kitchen, where Craig was starting to set up.

“Welcome,” I said to him and shook his hand. “Craig, this is Oaklyn, my girlfriend.”

“Nice to meet you, Oaklyn.” The moment he released her, he voiced, “Nice place you have here and one hell of a kitchen. I’m excited to cook in it.”

“Thanks for coming,” I said.

“I was able to get all your requests. Dinner should be ready in about an hour and a half. We’ll start with some appetizers. I need about thirty minutes for those. Thirsty?”

“Yes,” Oaklyn replied.

“I found some great wines that’ll pair well with what I’m making tonight.” He opened one of the bottles and filled two glasses he’d found in a cabinet. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” I replied. I handed one of the glasses to Oaklyn and took the other for myself.

I brought her outside onto the patio. I turned on the fire that ran along the back of the pool, along with the fireplace that was in the sitting area, and I put on the pool lights before joining her on the couch. My arm slipped over her shoulders as we took in the sick view.

“Pretty magnificent, isn’t it?”

“That’s quite an understatement, Mystery Man.” She smiled as she looked at me. “I’m still in shock that I’m going to live here with you someday.”

“Whenever you’re ready.”

She exhaled, gripping the wine like it was going to fall. “Really?”

“Again, it doesn’t have to happen right away, but, yes, really. That’s what I’d like.” I held her chin, tugging her bottom lip with my thumb. “You’re going to be my wife one day. And then everything I’ve built—the condo, the others I plan to buy, the investments I intend to make over the next couple of years—it’s all going to be ours.”

Her eyes squinted, squeezing, and a whole new set of tears rolled past her lids.

I leaned into her face. “Yes. You heard me right. I saidmy wife.”

When her eyes opened, I saw everything I’d ever wanted—things I hadn’t even realized until Oaklyn made that proposition.

When Macon and Declan forced me to admit what I’d been pushing away.

When my whole life changed.

When I came to the conclusion that I couldn’t go another fucking day without her being mine.

“I’m obsessed with you,” she declared. “I’m talking next-level kinda love.”

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