Page 63 of Save Us

Before I have the chance to question him about it, he pushes me back towards the mattress and falls between me, bracing himself on his elbows while moving something small between his fingers.

“I had had this plan to ask you after you had given birth to our baby,” he whispers, still playing with whatever it is. He remains focused on it, like it’s too hard to look at me instead. “I always regretted not having asked you when I had the chance.” He laughs softly, then shakes his head before finally looking into my eyes. “I always thought if I could go back and have that chance again, I’d grab it with both hands.”

I giggle a little with him, though I’m still in the dark over what it is he’s trying to say to me. Then, on a long breath, I watch as he brings my left hand up to kiss it before he slides on the ring that he had given me for Christmas, all those years ago. Seeing it on my hand again, I grin at it like an old friend I haven’t seen for a long time. It’s the most beautiful piece of jewelry I’ve ever received, including all the priceless pieces Oliver had bought for me to show off next to him.

“I always wondered if you had rescued this,” I say as I smile appreciatively at him, “thank you.”

“Marry me,” he says suddenly, which simultaneously wipes the smile from my face through shock.

“Xander, we’ve been apart for five years; this is crazy!” I fluster underneath him and can’t help but begin laughing over how ridiculous he is, and if I’m honest, how incredibly excited I am to have him ask me that.

“I don’t care, you’re the only woman for me and I don’t want to waste another second, not after everything. Please, will you marry me?” he asks again, looking deadly serious, and even swallows back some anxiety, all the while I grin stupidly up at him. “And give me your answer because it’s your choice and because you want to, not because you feel like someone is forcing you to.”

“Yes,” I answer, not even having to think about it, “yes, yes, yes!”

“For real?” he gasps and begins kissing me wherever he can.

I laugh and scream the whole time he continues to tickle me with his lips. Those lips soon slip down to between my thighs where he kisses me so intensely, my laughter turns into gasps of pleasure and my hands begin gripping at his hair.

“Oh, God…” I pant, “don’t stop, I’ve not had any release since you, Xander!”

“Really?” He looks up with his hair all messy, so I laugh, but still manage to shake my head in answer.

“Well, once,” I reply sadly, remembering that one time when I had felt awful for days afterwards. “It was the one time I pictured him as you, and I hated myself for it.”

“Why?”

“Because I felt like I had truly betrayed you,” I explain and have to swallow hard over the memory of it. “All the times he, well, you know, it was never my choice. But letting myself climax over the thought of you felt like I was cheating.”

“Oh, Beth!” he sighs and moves up to hold me tightly. He kisses me deeply before slipping inside of me. “Let go for me now, baby, just you and me.”

Xander

I can’t stop touching my fiancée the next day - kissing her, wrapping my arms around her, and just being with her - especially with that infectious giggle I have been without for so long. She wears my ring on her finger and it has me feeling all kinds of crazy good inside, like when a kid discovers Santa has been on Christmas morning. Rosie, of course, got up hours ago and has quickly become comfortable with Beth. She wasted no time in climbing onto her lap to sit over her breakfast of my infamous pancakes. Beth tries to hide how elated she is over it, but I can see the excitement on her face, even with Rosie fidgeting over her legs with her bony bum.

Halfway through her pancakes, our little munchkin notices the ring on Beth’s finger and begins to play with it. Without pausing for breath, she immediately begins to ask where it came from and who gave it to her. Beth looks at me first, something I hope, in time, she won’t feel she needs to do, but when I nod, she smiles and dives right in to tell her.

“Well, I’ve promised to belong to you and Daddy forever, and this ring is a symbol of that promise.”

Rosie simply grins up at her, then continues to poke and twist it around Beth’s finger. She only stops when the doorbell rings and distracts her so easily, you can tell she’s only five years old and is into everything.

“I’ll get it, I’ll get it!” she yells out to whoever is within a five-mile radius.

Meanwhile, Stephen saunters in, yawning away with his robe still on and looking like he’s ready for bed instead of having just got out of it. I theatrically look at my watch, tutting at him for being such a lazy ass because it’s already eleven o’clock. He ignores my mocking and reaches for coffee while yawning again.

“Gee, well a pair of recently reunited lovers got back together last night…loudly!”

I smirk smugly at the same time as Beth blushes and looks to her feet with embarrassment.

“Nanny! Grandad! Uncle Riley!” Rosie cries from the hallway.

Beth’s wide eyes meet mine before she suddenly jumps to her feet with shock written all over her beautiful face. My surprised expression turns into a smile, even with the sight of tears building in Beth’s eyes, because I honestly can’t wait to see this reunion.

“Beth?” Jen cries as she walks in shakily, setting her eyes on her daughter for the first time in five years.

“Mum?” Beth whimpers before throwing her hands over her mouth. “Dad?”

“I didn’t believe Bodhi when he first told us but thank God!” Jen whimpers.

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