Total pages in book: 169
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 162138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 811(@200wpm)___ 649(@250wpm)___ 540(@300wpm)
“If Henry really loves you, he’ll understand.” I shoot him a hard look. “Tell him to put a fucking pin on it. You’ll come back in a couple of years.”
“Put a pin on it?” His brows rise, his eyes dancing.
“Yeah, old white rich men love saying shit like that.”
He bursts out laughing, making it impossible for me not to laugh with him.
His lips pull into a sexy smile. “You’re my favorite person in the world, you know that?”
“Good, because you’re mine,” I say. “It helps that you’re one of the few people in the world I can actually stand.”
He throws his head back with a laugh.
I kiss his neck before he looks at me again. “Do you agree to my condition?”
“I don’t know what teams are looking, right now.” He brings a hand up and brushes his thumb against my bottom lip. The butterflies are instant, but I tame them. He’s trying to distract me.
“Your agent can get you a deal on any team you want,” I say. “And if he can’t, he can fuck off. I’ll do it myself.”
He grins. “I love it when you get cocky.”
“Lach.” I pin him with a serious look.
“I’ll try my best, okay?” he asks. “You’re the one who should be playing pro.”
“Nah.” I shake my head, smiling.
“Well, we’re going to have to ‘put a pin’ on that,” he says, eyes dancing.
I roll my eyes. “So, what do we do? Make an appointment at the courthouse for next week or something?”
“I think I should propose first, don’t you?”
My heart flutters. “I mean. . .that’s the least you can do, right?” I whisper.
He kisses me. “Are you going to be mad if I tell you I bought you a ring?”
I pull away to look at him. “When did you buy me a ring?”
“I’m not answering that,” he says, and I can tell he’s had it for a while.
“You’re fucking insane, you know that?”
“A couple of people have mentioned that I might be.” He kisses me again, stands up, and carries me toward his room. “But only when it comes to you.”
CHAPTER 47
LYLA
He walks me over to the bed and pulls away from me as he sets me down on the edge.
“Don’t move,” he says, turning to disappear into the closet.
I’m about to ask him what he’s doing when I spot a little black velvet box in his hand. My wide eyes shoot up to his, to the box, and back to his again. He doesn’t say anything, but the amusement in his eyes is unmistakable. My pulse races. Oh my god, he’s actually going to propose. He told me he would, but I didn’t expect it to be right now. I feel like throwing up. My hands start shaking when he reaches me and gets down on one knee. Oh, fuck. I am so not prepared for this. I wanted it — I want it — but I didn’t expect to feel so nervous about it. It’s Lachlan, for fuck’s sake. But that’s the thing. It’s Lachlan. I don’t trust myself to stay quiet right now. I can’t. He sets a hand on my bouncing knee, stopping the movement.
He searches my eyes, but keeps the box closed.
“I think you’re supposed to open it,” I whisper, my heart pounding wildly.
He shoots me a look. “Can you not?”
“Okay, but I don’t think it’s fair that you’re not wearing a shirt while you’re doing this,” I say. “You have an unfair advantage.”
“Seriously?” He cocks his head. “You’re not wearing pants. I’ve been hard since you walked out there, and you don’t hear me complaining.”
“Fine.” I bite back my smile. “Continue.”
“Believe it or not, I had something planned, but I haven’t rehearsed it in a while,” he says, laughing when my eyes widen. In a while? “From the day I met you. . .” He shakes his head and laughs hard, making me smile even though I’m pretty sure he’s laughing at my expense. He clears his throat and gets serious.
“You captured my attention the moment I met you. I think I might have fallen in love with you that night, standing against that wall, without even realizing it. I’ve never chased anyone before you came along. I went after you the way I only go after a fucking hockey puck, and I don’t regret it. I’ll chase you forever, around the world if I have to, but I hope you don’t make me. Stay with me forever, Lyla James. Marry me.”
I’m biting my lip hard to keep from crying. He finally — finally — opens the box, and my jaw drops. I had no idea what I was expecting, but. . .holy shit. A dam breaks and my tears start falling fast. I bring my hands up to cover my face.
“Oh, my God. What is this ring?” I whisper hoarsely, wiping the tears away quickly, and stare at the ring as the knot in my throat expands.