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I was so glad I had my hands on him so I could feel his full-body reaction. “W-what?” he sputtered.

My smile widened, and I laughed at the complete shock on his face. First, he went pale, then his cheeks flushed a deep crimson. “Before you answer, let me explain a few things,” I began. “One, this has nothing to do with the hotel. I don’t want it, it’s yours, and I’ll gladly sign a prenup saying exactly that. Two, there’s a chance Eva will try to force you into marrying her next, to try and get the hotel that way. But if you’re already married, then it limits her way in.”

I brought my hands up to his face, trailing my thumbs across his cheekbones, the slight stubble of the day’s growth prickling against my palms. “Most of all, though, I love you. You’re my forever, and I don’t ever want to lose you. I want to take care of you and our child, build a home for us together. I want you to have faith in me when I tell you that, and I want to make it permanent. Marry me.” He opened and closed his mouth a few times, starting and stopping his reply, and I suddenly worried about putting him on the spot. “You don’t have to say yes, of course, there’s no pressure.”

That seemed to bring him out of his daze to shout, “Yes! Obviously, yes!”

Before he could say anything else, I kissed him again. I swallowed his moan and came back for more. I didn’t even care if anyone heard us anymore. He was mine, and I was glad they knew it. He clung to me, squeezing me as tightly as he could, but when he started trying to undress me, I stilled his hands with mine.

“Come on, we’re going to be late,” I said, pulling him off the desk and heading for the door. My cock ached fiercely, but it would be worth it.

“What? Where are we going?” he asked as we made our way past the front desk and through the hotel lobby.

“City hall,” I replied, winking at him over my shoulder.

His hand tightened on mine, and he started jogging to keep up. “Now? We’re getting married right now?!”

“No time like the present, right? I pulled some strings for the justice of the peace to squeeze us in at the end of the day.”

“How did you know I was going to say yes?” he asked.

As Sandy opened the front door for us, I drew Roland up beside me and hooked his arm in mine. “Well, I figured if you loved me even half of how much I loved you, there was no way you could turn me down.”

“Then it’s a good thing I love you more,” he said.

19

Roland

Emerson seemed to regret the wedding wasn’t some grand display. He kept saying how I deserved more, how I deserved anything and everything, but instead, I got this rushed ceremony in a small office in city hall. No friends or family in attendance. “We’re still wearing our work uniforms, for gods’ sake,” he muttered.

But in my mind, it was perfect. I liked that it was just the two of us. And I was okay with it being rushed too, because I was getting pretty needy for him to claim me already. I was not in the mood for a long ceremony right now.

Emerson paused briefly to pick a flower from a vase in the hallway outside. “Are you sure about this?” he asked, holding the single bloom out to me. “I won’t be mad if you say no.”

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” I replied. Then I dragged him into the office, all the way until we stood in front of the waiting justice of the peace.

Knowing how much regret Emerson felt that this wasn’t bigger, better, more extravagant, I made sure not to show him a single speck of hesitation as I turned to look up at him and said those binding words: “I do.” My voice didn’t waver, I didn’t blink. I imbued those words with every ounce of my confidence and devotion, until I was certain he felt it too.

And when I kissed my husband for the first time, I felt an astounding amount of all-encompassing love for this man. He’d always been the one for me, but now he would forever be my only.

“I promise, when all of this is over, we’ll get married again, with proper rings and everything. A big party, with everyone we know. And I’ll take you on a honeymoon anywhere you want,” he pledged.

“I don’t need any of that.” I grabbed his tie and dragged me down to kiss me. “I just need you to take me home, Husband,” I said against my lips.

So that was exactly what he did.

I was relieved when Emerson turned the car toward his home instead of mine. He’d informed me that Eva actually owned my apartment building, and I was fully prepared to abandon all my possessions rather than setting foot back inside. Emerson seemed to think she was bluffing with her threats, but I’d seen that glint in her eye, like a snake about to strike. She was dangerous, and I wouldn’t be underestimating her anytime soon.

We held hands across the console of his car the whole way back to his apartment. I could see the way his leg twitched, the engine revving under his foot, and judging by the outline of his erection down his pantleg, I knew he was fighting the urge to slam his foot down on the accelerator and speed the whole way home. So I probably shouldn’t have set my hand on his thigh, sliding it higher to brush against the bulge.

He hissed, the speedometer ticking up a notch. “Roland…” he warned.

“What?” I asked with fake innocence. But we got home faster, so I called it a win.

In the elevator on the way up to his apartment, he handed me his keys. “Here, hold these,” he said.

“Okaaaay,” I drawled, confused, frowning down at his keys in my hand. “Why did you—”

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