"That's it," I encourage, feeling her response build. "Let go, Sloane. I've got you."
Her release washes over her in waves, body clenching around mine as my name falls from her lips like a prayer. The sight of her coming undone, combined with the rhythmic pressure of her climax, pulls me over the edge with her. I bury my face in her neck as pleasure crashes through me, emptying myself deep inside her with a groan of her name.
We lie tangled together, my weight supported on my forearms to avoid crushing her, our breathing gradually slowing in tandem. When I finally find the strength to move, rolling to my side and bringing her with me, she curls against my chest with a contented sigh.
"If that's how you celebrate engagements," she murmurs, "I can't wait to see what you do for anniversaries."
I laugh, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll have to get creative. Set a high bar early."
"You already have." She lifts her left hand, admiring how the emerald catches the sunlight. "I still can't believe you've been planning this. That you spoke to my father."
"I wanted to do it properly." I trace the line of her jaw with my thumb. "Though I admit, the timing was more... spontaneous than I'd intended."
"Atticus Morgan, making impulsive decisions," she teases. "The board would be shocked."
"Only the most important decision of my life," I counter, suddenly serious. "And the easiest I've ever made."
Her expression softens at my words. "Mine too."
Eventually, hunger and responsibilities drive us from the comfortable nest of tangled sheets. We shower together, an exercise in efficiency that quickly becomes anything but, before dressing for the day ahead.
"Breakfast at Perfect Brews?" Sloane suggests as we prepare to leave the cabin. "Carly will be the first to spot the ring anyway. Might as well make it official."
"Lead the way," I agree, oddly excited about sharing our news with the town that has, against all odds, begun to feel like home.
Outside, Hope Peak sparkles under fresh snowfall, the morning sun transforming everyday scenes into picture-perfect holiday moments. We walk hand-in-hand down Main Street, Sloane's left hand conspicuously bare of gloves despite the cold.
Perfect Brews is bustling with the post-gala crowd when we arrive, locals dissecting last night's events over steaming mugs and fresh pastries. A momentary hush falls as we enter, followed by a wave of greetings that feel genuinely warm rather than merely polite.
"There they are!" Carly calls from behind the counter. "The dream team! That was some gala last night."
We make our way to the counter, where Carly's already preparing our usual orders, black coffee with two sugars for me, vanilla latte for Sloane. As she passes the mugs across, her eyes widen, spotting the emerald ring immediately.
"Holy shi, shoot," she amends, glancing at a nearby family with young children. "Is that what I think it is?"
Sloane's smile is radiant as she extends her hand. "It is. As of last night."
The squeal Carly emits draws the attention of every patron in the coffee shop. "You're engaged? Oh my God, this is incredible!" She rounds the counter, throwing her arms around Sloane. "I knew it! I told Marcus at the gala that Atticus had that look."
"What look?" I ask, both amused and slightly concerned by how transparent I apparently was.
"The 'I'm about to change my entire life' look," Carly explains, turning to embrace me as well, a gesture so unexpected I momentarily freeze before awkwardly returning it. "The same one you had when you first saw her in that green dress, but like, a thousand times more intense."
News spreads through the coffee shop like wildfire, patrons offering congratulations and well-wishes. To my surprise, I find myself genuinely touched by their reactions, their joy for Sloane, certainly, but also their apparent acceptance of me, the corporate outsider who's somehow become part of their community.
"You two are good together," Spencer comments, clapping me on the shoulder with surprising force. "Balancing each other out. Corporate and local, finding the middle ground."
"That's the goal," I agree, watching as Mindy examines Sloane's ring with appropriate admiration.
"So," Levi asks, appearing at my side with his usual directness, "does this mean Blackwood Industries is making a permanent commitment to Hope Peak? Beyond the Winter Division?"
Leave it to the council representative to see the business implications immediately. But for once, I don't mind the question.
"It means I am," I clarify. "Both personally and professionally."
His nod of approval feels unexpectedly significant. "Good. This town could use your strategic thinking. And you could use this town's heart."
Before I can respond, my phone buzzes; Marcus, with his impeccable timing.
