Page 258 of Sweet Temptation

Ronan looked alarmed. He actually looked around, confused. “What…?”

I stared at him, agape, the unwrapped box that I refused to open still in my hand. “I got you a scarf,” I blurted. “It’s silk. It’ll go nice with your leather jackets, when we go out and stuff. It’s red. You always wear black and gray, but you’d look great in red…” I felt dazed.

Confused.

Ronan seemed to recover before I did. He slid his hands around my waist and gave me a squeeze.

“Just open it, Summer.”

Okay. Maybe I was overreacting?

He seemed calm.

Wouldn’t he be sweating bullets right now if this was what I thought it might be?

I glanced at the gift in my hand. Maybe it wasn’t an engagement ring with a giant diamond on it. Maybe it was something else.

Maybe there was another reason my boyfriend was down on one knee in front of me.

Like… a sex reason?

Maybe it was a cute little vibrator. Or a fancy butt plug…

Made by an amazing local jewelry designer that I happened to love.

Oh, Christ. I could see the logo on the side of the box, and my heart pounded in my chest.

This was it.

This was one of the hugest, most beautiful moments of my life playing out… with a man I freaking adored, on his knee in front of me, in a Christmas sweater he’d worn just to make me happy.

I blinked, fighting back tears.

He smiled at me a little.

I slid the lid off the box. Inside was a definite ring box. It was velvety and light gray.

Maybe it was a cock ring?

I swallowed as I took the ring box out, and I opened it.

It wasn’t a cock ring.

It was an engagement ring with a giant diamond on it.

And with it… there was a second ring. My ring. The diamond ring my dad gave me when I turned eighteen.

I looked at Ronan, swallowing. I could hardly find words. “My dad’s ring… How did you get my dad’s ring back?”

“I have my ways,” he said mysteriously. His eyes were kinda shining as he observed my reaction. And if I wasn’t careful, I was gonna cry like a baby.

“You said you didn’t like over-the-top gifts and I bought you a scarf…” That was all that came out of my mouth. “And trashy underwear and tequila.”

“And a Christmas sweater.” He smiled at me again, and I just about fell to my knees in front of him. “This isn’t over-the-top,” he said simply. “I want you to be my wife, Summer.”

“Really?” I sniffled back the tears.

He chuckled a little. “Can I get up? This is in no way comfortable. I probably shouldn’t have done it in the bathroom…”

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