Page 137 of Tempting Me

I wrap my arms around her waist and drop my head back with laughter as she smiles at me.

“I knew it.”

She laughs, too, slapping my shoulder.

“Did you really buy The Marina?”

I set her to her feet.

“Do you really think I would lie about that? Your entire family is waiting there right now. Well, I think they are. I sort of left them the moment your mother said she left you a note to meet us.”

But in all honesty, getting the chance to have this moment without an audience was worth it.

“You do realize this means you’re tied to me legally, right?”

I grin. “Yes.”

“For years.”

“I do.”

“You can’t just decide one day that you don’t want it.”

“I’m aware.”

“This is forever.”

“I sure fucking hope so.”

“Luca!” she scolds, crossing her arms and leaning into me so I can hold her tight. “I’m talking about The Marina.”

“Shay, baby, if it involves you, I’m in it for life, trust me.”

She’s silent for a moment, but then she grabs my hand and pulls me to the door.

“Where are we going?” I ask. “The bedroom is behind us.”

“Oh, trust me, as soon as we sign those papers, you’ll get plenty of bedroom time with me.”

“Good.”

I lean in to steal another kiss, because there’s no stopping me now.

“Come on. I need to show you something.”

She waves for me to follow her out to her car and leads me all the way to the back and points to the driveway. There are empty soup cans tied to the back of her Jeep.

“Were you celebrating something?”

“No, I was trying to make a statement.”

“And what was that?”

She opens the back door and pulls out a bright yellow sign.

I’m in love with Luca Asheris written in big bold letters with a Sharpie.

“I’m so, so sorry that I lied and I hurt you. I was scared to lose what I thought mattered the most to me, but turns out, you’re that thing for me, and I was going to keep fighting until you figured it out, too. I was about to drive through town with this sign, the cans making enough noise that people had to look at me.”

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