Page 121 of The Dark Before Light

Humbled to my core.

Ecstatic beyond belief.

From ten feet away, Sven rumbles, “Close your mouth, jackass.”

Dylan and Gabe give me shooing gestures.

One stumbling step brings me to her. My weak knees deposit me on the ground. I grab her face and kiss her cold lips, sucking on her smile.

“Yes, Birdie. Of course I’ll marry you.”

Grinning, she grabs my hand and shoves the band on my ring finger. It fits perfectly.

Lifting my gaze to her face, I attempt a glare. “Did these assholes ruin my surprise?”

She blinks. “What surprise?”

“Idiot,” hisses Gabe.

Talia glances at the men, then fills the crisp morning with her ringing laughter. Shaking her head, she says matter-of-factly, “They haven’t said anything, but I figured you had something planned for two days from now. You’re predictable like that. This was simple payback. You hijacked my romantic gesture last year, so I decided to hijack yours.”

My laughter startles a flock of blackbirds from a nearby bush. Sven bats them away from his head, cursing, while Dylan and Gabe observe his dramatics with sadistic grins.

I haul Talia into my arms. “Tá grá agam duit, Talia.”

“I love you, too,” she whispers, rubbing her nose against mine, which is sadly too numb to feel a thing.

2 days later

Dawn light flows like a sparkling river of ichor across the bedroom and Talia’s naked body, turning her skin burnished gold. I kept her up most of the night and should let her sleep, but I can’t fucking wait anymore.

Crawling onto the bed, I lie on my side facing her. She’s on her stomach, head turned away. Her left hand is conveniently accessible, elegant fingers loosely curled on the ivory sheets. They twitch when I slip the ring on. I admire the custom, emerald cut black diamond as it glitters in the dawn.

Eventually she stirs, twisting toward me, eyelashes fluttering and parting. She smiles sleepily, then catches sight of the ring. Her eyes widen, jaw dropping as she lurches onto her elbows.

I trail a finger down her bare arm, delighting in the swift rise of goose bumps despite the sultry air.

“Surprise.”

She sputters. “You didn’t even ask me!”

I shrug. “I figured it was a done deal since you locked me down already. I told Sven and Dylan to enjoy the sunset yacht cruise on our behalf. You won’t mind skipping my flowery speech, right?”

Her outrage is immediate and incandescent. “You what? No! I’ve been waiting a year for this!”

Unable to hold it in a second longer, I grin. “I’m kidding, sweetheart. Not about the ring but about the yacht. You still have to listen to my longwinded proposal. The boys have a bet going as to whether I’ll make you cry.”

Irritation drains from her eyes. Her lips dance and finally, she laughs. “Not so predictable after all, Mr. Hayes.”

She yawns, stretching, all glorious skin and tangled dark hair. My mouth waters. I sneak my fingers toward the nearest rosy nipple, but she bats my hand away.

“In a minute, future husband. Look under your pillow first.”

Frowning, I lift the pillow off the bed. A curled piece of paper pinwheels to the mattress. “What’s this?” I ask, snatching and unrolling it.

I stare unblinking at what’s revealed.

Talia sits up. “Remember how I told you my period was late, and that it was probably due to all the stress from my speaking schedule and the book release coming up?”

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