Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Are you serious?” he asks. “I’m not leaving until you make me.”
“And what if I said I didn’t want you to ever leave?”
A small smile quirks at the tips of his lips. “Are you asking me to move in with you, Crazy?”
“I know I said I wanted to live on my own, that I needed to do this on my own, but... I love waking up and falling asleep with you.”
He encircles his arms around me and kisses my forehead. “I never planned for you to live here long on your own anyway. You’ve been here for less than a month, and half my clothes are in the drawers.”
I laugh at that because he isn’t lying. Every time he comes over, he brings a bag full of his stuff. I knew what he was doing, but I didn’t stop him because I love his stuff being here.
“We wasted too much time being apart.” I snuggle into his side. “I don’t care what’s right or wrong, or if this is too fast. I just want to be with you every day.” I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss his lips. “I want to love you and be loved by you.”
“You have me, baby,” he says, pecking my lips. “Forever.”
“So is that a yes? Will you move in with me?”
“Damn right, I will,” he says with a melodic laugh, tightening his arms around me. “I’m actually glad you asked because I had no intention of ever leaving anyway. At least now, I can say it was your idea.”
He presses his mouth to mine again, this time harder. “Now, how about we head to bed? You’re tired, and tomorrow, we have plans.”
“We do?” Tomorrow is Sunday, and I don’t recall making any plans.
“Yep. We’re going to spend the day christening every inch of this place and making it ours. We have years to make up for, so you’re going to need to be well-rested.” He waggles his brows and lifts me into his arms, carrying me to bed... to our bed.
Once there, he reaches around my neck. I have no clue what he’s doing until the necklace holding the infinity heart promise ring lifts off my chest.
“What are you doing?” I breathe.
“Something long overdue.” He takes the ring off the chain and slides it onto my finger. “There,” he says, kissing my finger and the ring. “It’s back where it belongs.”
He pulls me into his arms, where he holds me tight as I drift off to sleep, feeling safe and protected and loved. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’ve finally found my home.
EPILOGUE
KAYLEE
Three Months Later
“I can’t believe you bought this place.” I twirl in a circle in the middle of the beach house in The Hamptons, the same beach house where Braxton and I came to reconnect. It’s right down the street from the beach house that Camden bought recently, so his family can vacation together since his parents have one nearby as well.
“I know how much you love it here,” Braxton says, gripping the curves of my hips and tugging me toward him. “I tried to buy Easton and Sophia’s since it’s where I took your virginity...” He smirks, and I slap his chest playfully. “But he wasn’t having it, so I figured this was the next best thing.”
“I love it.” I kiss him. “And I love you.”
“Good. I’m glad you love me because I have a question for you, and I think you loving me will help tip the odds in my favor.”
I bark out a laugh at that. “You already know I love you. What do you want?”
“To marry you.” His words are so simple and said so softly that it takes me a second to wrap my head around them, and while I do that, he drops to one knee and pulls a ring box out of his pocket, popping it open.
“I’ve loved you for the past seven years, and I plan to love you for the rest of our lives. You’re not only my girlfriend and my lover, but my best friend, and I would love it if you would become my fiancée, and soon... like, as soon as possible, my wife.”
I can’t help but laugh through my falling tears at his little declaration. We’ve spent the past three months falling in love all over again. It hasn’t been easy, especially after the posts were made, throwing Justin and his dad to the wolves. People had things to say, not all of it nice, but we got through it together. Justin disappeared, his social media accounts deleted, and from what Braxton told me, his father was forced to resign from the firm where he was partner. His brother’s been there and they’ve been growing their relationship, which is hard for Braxton because while he loves his brother, he still wants nothing to do with their mom. But he’s taking it day by day... we both are.