Page 127 of Resisting the Temptation
Is he...
He pulls something out of his pocket, and it takes me a minute to register what I’m seeing. A bright pink marquise shaped stone surrounded by tiny white diamond details. It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.
“Emma Lucille Price, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone else my entire life. I was living in darkness until you brought your sunshine in and showed me what I never knew was missing. We may have had a rocky start, but I’ll forever be grateful our paths crossed. You’ve already agreed to wear my collar, but will you agree to wear my ring and take my last name? Will you marry me, Emma?”
“Yes.” I nod frantically. “Yes, yes yes.”
Ben blows out a breath of relief as he slides the ring on my finger, scoops me up, and sits down on the couch with me on his lap. He presses a frantic kiss to my mouth, holding me close to him.
“I was so worried this wouldn’t be grand enough for you. I was going to do it at the gala, or take you back to Utah, but I—”
I cut him off with a kiss. “This was perfect. I don’t need a big grand proposal. I just need you.”
“I’m sorry for ruining your makeup,” he whispers, gently wiping away some smudged mascara.
“It’s okay. Do I have time to fix it?”
“Yes. We can be fashionably late. Or we can skip it all together and stay here and celebrate,” he murmurs, nipping at my throat.
“We can’t skip it! I need to show off my favorite new accessories. Your parents are probably dying to know how your proposal went.”
“They… didn’t know I was planning on proposing.” Ben winces.
“Oh, they’re going to be so mad. Camila is going to curse you out for not telling her.”
“I know, I know. Fine, we’ll go. But prepare forMamàto ask you a bazillion questions about the wedding even though we don’t have any set plans.”
“I can’t wait.”
Camila screamed when I showed her the ring, then promptly swatted Ben behind the head and started speaking rapidly in Spanish to him. His face flushed with embarrassment at whatever she was saying, looking at Enzo for backup, but Enzo just held up his hands like “what can I do?”
As Ben predicted, Camila spent the majority of the dinner portion asking me questions about color schemes, flower arrangements, catering, and decorations. She’s already planning a day for us, Cici, and Jordan, to go shopping for wedding dresses.
I know I’m going to have to tell my parents I’m getting married, and while a part of me hopes they’ll set aside their biases to come supportme, I won’t let them ruin my special day with their racist ideologies and conservative views.
I’d rather have a happy day with the family I’ve found than a day stressing that my parents aren’t going to approve.
By the end of the gala, my social battery is so drained I nearly fall asleep on the way home.
Home.
That’s what Ben’s place is now. I don’t need to change anything about it—okay, maybe it needs a few more splashes of color, and his kitchen definitely needs to be reorganized—to make it feel like home. We could be living in a studio apartment or a mansion.
All I need to feel at home is Benjamin Lorenzo Rossi.
Epilogue
Ben
Five Years Later…
Today’s the day we’ve been preparing for since Papà announced his plan to retire two years ago.
He brought Emma and me into his office to tell us he wanted to retire before he turned sixty-seven, and he wanted us to take over the company.
I was hesitant at first. I still don’t like doing the schmoozing or making the personal connections that have made Rossi Construction what it is today, but Papà explained it’s why he wants us to do it together.
Emma’s going to take over the interpersonal connections and hiring while still overseeing a few projects a year, and I’ll handle the day-to-day operations and logistics of the business.
