Page 200 of Beautifully Damaged Boxset

“I love you more, baby.” I wiggled my ass against him, his erection pushing against my butt. I rolled over on my back and peered into his deep brown eyes. “Before I met you, I never knew life could be so good.” I raised up and kissed him.

“It’s crazy how you walked into my life, and everything made sense again. It was dark and full of pain before you … slept in my recycling bin.” He offered me a beautiful smile.

I slapped my hand over my face. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure I didn’t choose a trash container and think that it would lead me to love.”

Our laughter filled the air.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would find my future wife sleeping outside, either.”

My brows shot up while I sifted through his words, ensuring I was hearing him right. My tongue darted across my lower lip. “What?”

Holden brought my knuckles to his lips and kissed them softly. “I love you, River. My world is so much better with you in it. Stay with me forever.”

I searched his passionate gaze, looking for a hint that he was joking. There was none. Nothing but love and adoration.

“I’m not proposing, but I plan to at some point. When I do, I want to do it right. I want it to be something we cherish for the rest of our lives.”

“Me, too.”

Holden turned onto his back and opened the drawer in his nightstand. He rolled back to his side, facing me, and propped up on his arm, then flipped open a velvet ring box. “Until we’re engaged, I’d be honored if you wore this ring. Each time you look at it, know that you’re mine and I’m yours.”

Holden slid the half-carat diamond ring on my finger. Tears welled in my eyes as I traced my finger around the circle of sapphires that surrounded the diamond.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.” I giggled and looked at the ring. “For the record, I wouldn’t care if you gave me a ring from a gumball machine or a Ring Pop. As long as it had the same meaning … all I want is you, Holden.” I slid my arms around his neck.

He pinned me down on the bed and dotted my face with kisses, his hand sliding between my breasts. I laughed as Holden trailed his fingertips down my stomach. He glanced up at me as he pressed his soft lips against my lower abdomen. “I’m ready to start the rest of my life with you … and our baby.”

I stroked his hair and swallowed hard. “I’m scared.”

“You’re going to be an amazing mother, River. Don’t ever question that.”

Holden flickered in and out like a lousy hologram of Princess Leia in Star Wars.

“Holden? What’s happening?”

I sat up in our bed, the sheet falling to my waist. His bedroom began to dissolve, crumbling away from me. “Holden!” I screamed.

“I’m coming for you, River. Hang on,” he whispered before he disappeared.

***

I attempted to peel my eyelids open. My head pounded, and my throat was ungodly dry.

“There she is,” Dr. Austin said with a gentle smile.

I stared at her, trying to figure out what the hell had happened. “I … where am I?”

Dizziness swept over me as I attempted to look around. After a minute, I realized I was in Dr. Austin’s medical room.

“Here’s an ice chip.” Dr. Austin held one between her gloved hands, then placed it on my lips.

I allowed it to melt and trickle over my tongue and down my throat.

“You’re still groggy, so I’ll repeat this again later. No sex for two weeks. Your body has to recover from the procedure. Although I was careful, sometimes there are complications.”

I frowned. Hard. “Procedure. What procedure? I don’t understand.” Glancing down, I realized I was in a dark green-and-white-checked hospital gown.

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