Page 103 of Tempt Her

“It’s not a sacrifice. Iwantto marry you.” I don’t give a shit. I’m running out of time and holding my heart in my sweaty hand for her. “It’s about more. It’s about the four of us.”

Ford’s voice drops. “He needs to know you’ll be with us and waiting for him when he returns.”

My pride makes me deny it, but Ford knows what I fear. Hell, he barely lived through it himself.

“But you don’t have to.” Mateo’s deep voice still rumbles with ire. I pissed him off, which is so fucking rare. “You don’t have to do a damn thing anymore.” He’s focused on Stacey like he always is when she’s around.

It doesn’t piss me off.

We all focus on her.

She still holds my face, lifting on her toes to kiss my lips. I just asked her to marry me, so half of me wants to pick her up and fuck her so deep on that countertop right now. But I follow her cue and let it be a soft kiss as she lifts from lips, saying, “I would be honored to be your wife.”

Is that a yes?

Her hand drops as she turns to Ford and Mateo. “I’d be honored to marry any one of you.” Slightly, her chin lifts. “But I won’t be any man’s wife again.”

My heart drops along with Mateo’s disappointed chin. Turning his back, he sets the bowl under the mixer, but I can see the pain flexing across his muscles.

We’re all in boxer briefs, standing in Gentry Evans’s house like the past eight months have been years leading up to this point.

“Hey.” Stacey reaches for Mateo. “You know why it scares me.” Wrapping her arms around his waist, she kisses his naked back. “And you know that I love you.”

A sudden fire blazes up my throat.

That’s the first time she’s said it to us.

She kisses his back again, saying, “I love you, Mateo Perez.” She turns to me, still holding him. “And I love you, Luke Branson.” Her eyes confront Ford next. “And I love you, Ford Alexander, the stubbornest fucker of all.”

Mateo turns in her grasp. It’s like he can’t talk, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. The contrast of her blonde hair against his black ink punches my chest, andfuck; I love them too.

“Listen.” Stacey lifts from his lips. Even in Mateo’s strong embrace, she stands her ground. “Marriage almost destroyed me. Maybe it was the institution or the man; I don’t know. And maybe I’ll change my mind one day, but I keep my promises.” She turns to me and Ford, tears welling in her eyes. “I’m with you three because you answered my prayers. I was so lonely and miserable. I don’t recognize the woman I was. He beat me down so much. And now, after all the shit I’ve put up with, I’m finally happy with you three and never letting you go. I just wanna focus on spending time with my dad and loving y’all. And I just hope, even if we’re not married, that y’all will keep loving me too.” Her tears escape, and when she cries, I will conquer the world to make her stop. “Because it sure would suck to lose you.”

I charge her way. “You won’t lose us.” Cradling her crying face in my palms, I swear, “You don’t need to marry me to have my love until my dying day: I promise.”

Pressing my lips to hers, saline fills our kiss. It’s like the first time I kissed her, and damn, I pray to get more. It’s all I got now—prayers, love, and no control.

I brush my lips over hers, “I love you too, Stacey Noel,” taken by her eyes that look at me like she’s never heard those words from a man.

Mateo gently pulls her wet chin, turning her to look at him next. He’s finally found his voice. “I love you, too. You were my first minute in heaven, and you’ll be my last. I don’t need a piece of paper to promise you my heart. Just like they have mine too.”

Wedged between our bodies, she takes his deep kiss next, and we could start something, that maddening urge we get, to share her right here, but that’s not the strongest demand right now.

It’s the absence I feel over my back.

The man and the voice that hasn’t answered.

I turn to Ford.

He’s leaning against the kitchen island, arms folded over his bare chest. I don’t recognize the look on his face.

“What about you?” I ask for Stacey because we all need to hear it. We all need to put our hearts on the line right now.

“He doesn’t need to answer.” Stacey’s voice lulls softly, almost hurt.

Ford swallows. A storm brews in his eyes. “I can’t answer.” His voice strains. “I can’t say it to a woman. I’ve lost everyone I said it to before like the words are a curse.”

His mom. His grandmother. I know the pain that’s caused him, but there’s something else.

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