Page 175 of Stolen Bases

I squeeze her butt and wiggle my eyebrows at her. “What can I say? You bring it out in me.”

She chuckles and presses a kiss to my lips. “I’m game.”

“Hold on.”

Talia locks her ankles behind my back while I climb out of bed and carry her toward the patio.

I rented a private villa in one of the most luxurious hotels in Puerto Vallarta. It’s a far cry from the singles-inclusive hotel I used to visit with my brothers all those years ago. This place comes with a private pool with an attached hot tub, a bartender, a personal chef, and a butler. I may have gone a little overboard, but I don’t plan on us leaving the hotel room for the duration of our stay.

I have a lot of naked celebrating to do with my soon-to-be fiancée.

“Cam,” Talia gasps. “What did you do?”

The butler did an amazing job decorating the patio and pool area like I wanted. Candles and pink rose petals surround the pool and cover every surface of the secluded space. An ice bucket filled with champagne sits beside two glasses at the edge of the hot tub, along with a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries. Crystal cloches on the breakfast table cover plates of tamales and churros with chocolate dipping sauce, recreating the first meal we shared in Arizona.

I lick my suddenly dry lips. “Do you like it?”

My heart races. Not because I’m nervous about asking Talia to marry me—because she’s going to say yes—but because I want this moment to be perfect.

Unforgettable.

Her head swivels back and forth, taking in all the small touches. “Are you kidding? It’s beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.” I kiss her pink-tinged cheek. She still gets shy when I compliment her. Maybe if I tell her enough, she’ll start to believe me.

Talia is the most beautiful girl in the world, inside and out. She deserves the best, and I plan on showing her every day that I am worthy of her love.

“What a horrible line,” she sasses, just like she did the night we met. Her smile reaches her eyes as she pecks my lips. “I love it. It’s perfect.”

Fuck yeah.I do a mental chest thump like King Kong.

This place was worth every fucking penny.

The jets in the hot tub are already bubbling, like I requested, as I walk us into the steaming-hot water. With her in my lap, I sit us beside the champagne and reach for the bottle, twist off the foil cap, and crack it open.

Talia jumps at the pop and places her hands on her chest. She looks so fucking cute. I can’t believe she hasn’t discovered the rings on her finger already.

“What are we toasting to? Your birthday? Thirty-one is getting old.”

Such a fucking tease.

I fill up two glasses, ignoring her old comment. I’ll show her who’s old later. I’m only three and a half years older.

I hand her a glass. She reaches for it with her right hand, killing me in the process.

Geez, woman. Look at your fucking hand already.

“Fuck my birthday.” I lift my glass up, and she taps her glass to mine. “To us, baby. Always us.”

She blinds me with a wide smile that makes my heart pinch. “To us.” She takes a small sip and places her glass on the side of the hot tub.

I place mine beside hers.

Okay, now I’m freaking out. The plan was for her to see my surprise when she grabbed the glass, but she’s not getting it fastenough for me. I can’t take it anymore. I need her to see the damn rings.

Grabbing her left hand, I place it over her name and my heart. She loves staring at the ink on my chest. Back when she asked if I ever thought about getting more tattoos, I truly hadn’t. I had the one, and I felt like the bear held enough meaning that I didn’t need more.

When Eli came up with the tattoo idea, I thought he was crazy. Until the tattoo artist scratched the needle across my skin and permanently etched her name over my heart. Talia had already owned me. The ink just made it official.

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