Page 132 of Declan

I could do that. I was primed and ready to go.

I rocked my hips, ground down, added a swivel, and Declan bucked under me.

“So fucking beautiful,” he groaned. “Love you, baby.”

“Love you, honey.”

It didn’t take long and when my orgasm broke and Declan’s fingers dug into my hips, keeping me still as his cock jerked inside of me, filling me with something else.

Fully connected, heart and soul.

“Goddamn, your pussy’s so sweet.”

Not the most flowery compliment he’d ever given me, yet I loved it.

So I smiled down at him and I was blessed with one in return.

Chapter 42

Six months later

“Baby, come here.”

“We got a caravan full of people arriving in T-minus three minutes. I don’t have time to come there.”

Autumn was not wrong. In a few minutes, our house would be overrun.

It had almost been two years since Autumn and I had taken off. We’d found our way, built a house, filled it with love, but mostly we’d healed.

Since Calli’s birth, we’d been back to Maryland three times. Once for the birth of Maxine, Kyle and Anaya’s daughter. Once to welcome Maya, Max and Eva’s daughter, and the third time was when Emmy popped out Thad’s second daughter, Ophelia.

All girls.

All the men were in for a world filled with drama and happiness.

I wanted that. I wanted Autumn to have that.

“Baby, before they all get here, I wanna take a walk.”

At my request, Autumn’s gaze came to mine and she readily agreed, “Okay, Dec.”

I took her hand, led her out the front door, didn’t bother stopping to take in the new ferns she’d added that now hung from the hooks I’d screwed into the ceiling of the porch. I knew they looked good, everything Autumn planted or decorated looked good. She’d taken a shell of a house and had made it a home.

And not a single day had passed that I didn’t pause to take in the beauty. But then, I had something else on my mind.

Blessed.

And never in my life did I ever think I’d feel that.

I stopped under the two old oak trees, reached into my pocket, and pulled out a ring.

I didn’t waste any time. “Marry me. This weekend while everyone is here, do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

Autumn said nothing.

“Baby—”

“Never did I think I’d have this. None of it. Not the house, not the horses, the goats, the flowers, the garden, the family, the peace, the happiness, the love. Not once when I was living that life did I ever think I’d find this. Never did I think my soul would heal. That I’d be whole. Thank you for giving it to me—all of it. All you give, your love, your smiles, your honesty, your heart. I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want to be your wife.”