Page 119 of Dearest Protector

It was elegant and obviously quality.

Ben had pressed me on my jewelry preferences before, and he’d given me some beautiful gifts, but none that were nearly as important as this one.

“Oh, God, Ben. It’s beautiful,” I said as I reached out to carefully touch the stones that were offered with so much love and devotion that it brought tears to my eyes.

Yes, I knew that he loved me, but I hadn’t been expectingthis.

My eyes left the beautiful ring and locked with his again.

I fell into those gorgeous hazel eyes filled with promise and a vow that left me speechless.

I knew this man.

I knew what he was offering.

Ben never did anything with me halfheartedly.

He was promising me everything he had.

And ifthatwasn’t enough, he’d keep trying.

I shook my head, still in shock. “I-I wasn’t expecting t-this,” I stammered, my heart so full of love that I suddenly couldn’t breathe.

Ben Blackwood was offering to love me for the rest of our lives.

Yes, please.

Maybe I was learning to live in the moment, but I wasn’t going to argue with forever.

Not withhim.

My heart ached with longing at the thought of sharing everything, good and bad, that happened in our future.

“So, is that anofor now?” he asked hoarsely.

The disappointment in his tone broke me and yanked me out of my own thoughts.

Here he was, asking me to love him for the rest of our lives, and I could hardly speak because I was so happy.

Was there even an inkling in his brain that I’d actually turn him down?

If there was any apprehension about my answer, then I wasn’t making myself clear enough to him.

“No!” I squeaked. “You crazy man. How could it even enter your mind that I might refuse? I love you, Ben. Yes! I want to marry you. I want to have our children at some point in the future. There isn’t any man for mebut you. I thought you already knew that. Yes, you surprised me, but you had to know that I’d never say no to you. Put that stunning ring on my finger right now.”

My hand shook just a little as I held it out for him.

He took the ring from the box and gently slipped it onto my finger as he grumbled, “You made me a little nervous for a minute, sweetheart. You looked like you were going to say no. I was a little worried that I’d jumped the gun, but I had to ask, Ariel. This is one of those selfish things that you want me to do, but I knew it was probably a little soon. I don’t think I know how to take it slow when it comes to us.”

“I was shocked,” I replied. “But you once told me I’d always be a sure thing for you. Well, I’ll always be a sure thing for you, too. I’ll gladly dump my apartment in a heartbeat if you want me to live with you. But I didn’t want to just assume that was what you wanted.”

He kissed the ring he’d put on my finger and pulled me into his lap again as he informed me, “Hell, it’s what I’ve wanted since the day I asked you to take the job I was offering. I love you, Ariel. Your smiling face is the last thing I want to see at night, and the first thing I want to see every single morning for the rest of my fucking life. You’re still young. I’m not going to push you to get married anytime soon. I’m happy to just to get that ring on your finger so I know that will definitely happen someday. Would I love to have kids with you in the future? Yes, it would make me fucking ecstatic, but I could live without them if that’s not what you want. All I really want is you.”

His heartfelt words brought more tears to my eyes.

God, what had I ever done to deserve a man like this one?

I wasn’tthatyoung, and I’d felt like an adult for most of my life.

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