Page 128 of Almost Always

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to one breast, then the other. “I promise.”

“Good.” She bucked her hips and he groaned.

“I need a minute, sweetheart.”

She laughed, still playing with his hair. “I actually need to pee, hotshot.”

Grunting, he lifted his head and found her smiling. “Right now?”

“I mean…I can wait five minutes.”

Rolling his eyes, he lifted himself up and at loss of contact, both of them made a sound. He collapsed onto his back as she scooted out of bed and down the stairs. Smiling, he sat up and rolled off the condom, tying it up as he pushed to his feet. He grabbed his shirt and boxers and headed downstairs. Stepping into the bathroom, he discarded the condom and draped his shirt over her shoulders as she gathered her hair into a messy bun. Their eyes met in the mirror and he smiled, absolutely and completely in love with this woman.

“I get to be yours soon,” he said softly, coming up behind her, hands resting on the counter.

“You’ve always been mine.”

“Officially yours, then.” Snorting, she wet her fingers and rubbed them under her eyes, then leaned back against him. “We’re going to do it right this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Being married. We’re going to show the whole fucking world what that looks like.”

Both of them had what they thought were solid marriages, only for them to fall apart and become nothing. It had left scars, but they’d overcome them over the years before finding each other. That was what told him this was going to be different—they weren’t rebounding with each other, they were rediscovering a love that once existed.

“I’m looking forward to it,” she said softly and he kissed her shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Nope.”

“You have to let me thank you for things.”

“Not if you’re going to thank me for loving and cherishing and worshiping you.”

“How about for ruining me?”

He smirked. “I’ll accept that.”

She turned in his arms, their naked bodies pressed together as she set her hands on his shoulders. “I can’t wait toofficiallybe yours too.”

“Daisy Heroux and Rafferty Ames, right where they were always meant to be.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “No hyphenating?”

“Darlin’, I’ll hyphenate the heck out of my name if that’s what you want. But none of that matters when I know that I finally get to have you for the rest of my life.”

“You’re so infuriating with all this charm.”

“I think you pronounced sexy wrong.”

She laughed and cupped his face and brought his mouth to hers. The kiss was soft and sweet before she pulled back to look into his eyes. “I love you. With everything in me and with the power of every star in the sky.”

“And with the vibrancy of every flower in the world.”

“Always and forever, Raff.”

“Always, Hero.”

CHAPTER 38

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