Page 126 of Defensive Desire

But this time, he’s holding something else.

A small velvet box, worn around the edges like a well-loved novel. When he opens it, it doesn’t sparkle like a movie ring. Itglows.

A vintage-inspired band, gold and delicate, with tiny bookish etchings along the side and a center diamond shaped like an open heart.

“You said once you wanted to see the place that made me…”

His voice is low, rough and shaken with emotion.

“Well. I want to see it too. With you. I want you beside me when we stand on that frozen lake. When we eat those ridiculous buns. When we walk through the village my mother called home.”

He breathes out, then looks up at me likeI’mthe most sacred thing in this shop full of memories.

“I want you with me everywhere, Emma. You’re the page I never want to turn from. My forever travel partner. My Coffee Witch. Myeverything.”

I laugh, and it turns into a sob.

“Emma Carter… will you marry me?”

I don’t even pause.

“Yes,” I gasp. “Yes! Yes, you ridiculous, wonderful man!”

I drop to my knees, right there beside him, and fling my arms around his neck so hard we nearly tip sideways into the scone display. He kisses me, desperate and soft all at once, and I swear the whole café exhales with us.

He pulls back just enough to slip the ring onto my finger.

It fits perfectly.

Of course it does.

We sit there for a long moment, wrapped around each other like the world outside doesn’t exist. Like we built our own little planet out of coffee, gruff stubbornness and late-night confessions of every dream we've ever dared to have.

He presses a kiss to my knuckles. “So… Finland, huh?”

I grin through the tears. “Who's going to watch the shop?”

"Shops, you mean." He chuckles. "We'll work it out. Together."

He kisses me again. And again. Andagain.

When we finally breathe, I whisper, “Guess dreams really do come true.”

Logan tilts his head. “No..”

He runs his thumb across my cheek, then rests his forehead against mine.

“No,” he murmurs. “Sometimes… you build them together.”

And that?

That’s exactly what we’ll do.

Epilogue

Logan

Two Months Later

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