Page 82 of Stolen Sun

“If you ever get behind the wheel in that state again, I will spank your ass with a belt until you can’t sit for days. Do you understand?”

My eyes pop open to meet his very threatening ones. I search his face but don’t find any trace of humor in his expression and feel myself blush.

“I won’t,” I whisper. Then, I add, “I thought I died.”

He scoffs. “Yes, apparently licking might not be allowed in heaven.”

I gasp. “Oh, God!”

He chuckles at my embarrassment as I hide my face in my hands. I try to remember everything that ran through my head, wondering what else I said out loud.

Pulling my hands away, he puts them around his neck instead and uses his own to rub my back.

“Why are you embarrassed, sunshine?”

“I just didn’t know I said that out loud. What else did I say?”

He smiles but doesn’t answer. Instead, he looks down at my chest as he rests his hand over my heart. Placing my hands on either side of his face, I breathe in. His eyes meet mine again, full of adoration.

“You’ve already told me how you feel about me. Every kiss. Every scream. Every touch. Everylick. The word I need from you has five letters not four, and I’ll make you say it every day for the rest of our lives. Now, tell me you’re mine.”

The hand covering my heart presses down to feel the beating speed up as I answer him.

“Declan, I’m so selfishly in love with you that I don’t care who I hurt to be yours.”

“If my sun goddess requires a sacrifice, so be it.” His voice is barely more than gravel now.

The words settle around us, and I’m trapped inside his gaze. The world fades away, and all that is left is the truth. Sacrifices will be made for our love.

Pressing my forehead against his, I close my eyes. After a moment, he stands with his hands under my thighs to set me back on his desk.

Lifting my chin with one hand, he presses a gentle kiss to my lips. When he pulls away, he takes my left hand and slips a ring on my finger. I look down to see a round, canary diamond engagement ring wrapped around my finger.

Gasping, I look back up at him.

“The sun from my universe was stolen from me before I was old enough to grasp the true meaning of what I had lost. I’ve walked in darkness ever since, searching for you. Be the light to my dark, marry me, sunshine.”

Tears cloud my vision as I press my left hand over his heart this time. He presses my hand down into his chest to be sure I can feel his heart pounding.

“Today,” I say.

His smile cracks my chest wide open as he pulls me into his embrace and buries his face into my neck.

“Today,” he whispers before setting me down to kiss me again.

“Let’s go,” he says, taking my hand.

When we walk into the lobby, I see several people sitting around. Chance is sitting on a sofa doing something on his phone. Declan’s father is here leaning against a wall. Zander is propped against Claire’s desk while she is busy on her computer. Everyone stares at us in unison, and we stop walking.

Declan holds my hand up to show everyone my ring, and they all smile before they move at once.

Chance walks to the door resuming his responsibilities with a smile. Claire beams and nods at me, watching the rest unfold. Zander walks up to give Declan a bro-hug before he wraps me in a full-on bear hug.

“Don’t go swimming with that thing on,” he jokes.

When he steps away, Declan’s father, Levi, is right behind him. Instead of addressing his son first, he takes both of my hands in his.

“My son has loved you since he was only a kid. There were times I wished he had never met you, so he might be able to find someone, but he never gave up hope that a day would come when he could be with you again. I can’t tell you what it means to me to finally welcome you to the family, love.”

---