Page 61 of Breaking the Alpha
“I babe’d you, and that makes me an ass,” he stated, exhaling a puff of air.“It probably sounds stupid, but of all the dumbass things I said that night, ‘babe’ is the one word I’ve regretted most for the last two months.”
Matching his position, she faced him, clutching the sheet to her chest.“Hardly a crime,” she reassured him.“Everyone uses it.”
“I’ve never called you ‘babe.’”His unclenched hand went to the bloodstone pendant.“And I did it on purpose that night to kind of seal the deal.In my head, it was putting you alongside all the other women I’ve dated or slept with.”
She leveled him with a dead stare.“I liked your earlier apology better.The one where you weren’t in my bed talking about all the other women before me.”
His nose crinkled as he cringed.“I swear this gets a little better.”
“I sure hope so.”
She knew he’d caught the humor in her eyes when his shoulders relaxed.“Anyways, I was killing time between shoots poking around some shops in the Hills and I saw this.”His fist remained closed and he glared at it.“Actually, I saw a gaudy diamond BABE necklace first and it just kind of drove home what a jerk I’d been.That thing was hideous.Expensive as hell and tacky as shit.But in the next display case was this, and the second I saw it all I could think about was you.”
He seemed to be struggling to open his hand, his fingers unfolding one by one to reveal a small velvet pouch.
“This isn’t an engagement ring, because there’s no way in hell I’m going to do it in my boxers on your bed when I do propose properly, but this—” He swallowed and pulled a delicate ring from the bag, his words becoming more and more rushed as he handed it to her with shaking hands.“I bought it two days before your birthday and I’ve been carrying it around ever since.It’s called an eternity ring and when I saw it, and I saw that BABE necklace, it was like some sign.Like I was being smacked upside the head by the universe.”
“It’s stunning,” she breathed, examining the white gold band ringed with—“River?This isn’t costume jewelry.”
He frowned.“It better not be.”
Her eyes widened as she inspected the stones.Shades of emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and an array of sapphires were laid in an unbroken rainbow, the gemstones glittering in the dim lamp light.“It’s beautiful.”
“Not to get all corny or anything, but I’m pretty sure it was made for you.”Taking it from her, he tried the delicate band on each finger until it slid perfectly onto her ring finger.“We’ll get it resized when we get engaged.”
*
River clasped Angelina’shand in his while they walked up to Serpent’s Tongue Ink.
“You don’t need to be so nervous,” she whispered, giving his fingers a reassuring squeeze.“Your brother wants you to be happy.I don’t think he cares what zip code you find that happiness in.”
Nodding, he pushed the door open, noticing the absence of the chimes.
Although it was Birch who gave him the final kick in the ass he’d needed to drive the two long days back to Angelina, he’d awoken with a renewed guilt.Birch and Winter had worked so hard to get him away from Epson and the stigma of the Baker name.And now here he was, back in town and putting down the most permanent roots he’d ever planted.
He saw Grey first, his brother’s long hair pulled through the opening of his ball cap and his head bowed over a thick textbook as he sat at the desk.Exhaling a sigh of relief at how relaxed and recovered Grey looked, he grinned.
“Worst.Receptionist.Ever.”
Grey glanced up with a deadpan expression.“I save my charm for paying customers.”He turned to Angelina and flashed her a smile, leaning forward enough to show off the flex of his arms.“And beautiful women.How areyoudoing?”
“Charmed, of course,” she laughed.“You look good, honey.”
Grey cocked his head slightly and smirked in a way River knew damn well he’d picked up from him.“I know.”
“Enough,” he warned, swatting at Grey’s hat.“Birch here?”
The older Baker strode out of the back room, snapping a pair of latex gloves off and tossing them in the trash.He looked at River, at Angelina, at their entwined fingers, and crossed his arms.“Before I do something embarrassing again, is it safe to assume you’re here to tell me my idiot brother got his head out of his ass?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he huffed, pulling a chair over for Angelina and standing beside her.“We’re also here to tell you to pull the Piercer Wanted ad down.You have one.Permanently.”
Birch’s brows rose.“What do you mean, permanently?”
Glancing down at Angelina, he shrugged.“I mean I’m staying.Here.In Epson.I can fly out to LA or New York for shoots as they come up, but this is home.For good.”
“And he’s moving in with me,” Angelina tossed in, biting her lip as she looked up at him.“If you want.”
They hadn’t discussed it, and he sure hadn’t been keen on pushing his luck by broaching the subject when he was already feeling pretty damn lucky she forgave him.But it had crossed his mind.Crossed his mind a few dozen times.Or more.For a moment, he forgot they were standing in front of his brothers and he grinned.“Hell yeah, I want.Like, today?”
