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To the press, it had made him a hero. The kind authors wrote about. He and Pru had also been approached as they hoped to tell their story. They believed many people would love to read about how they were once enemies and came together against all the odds, to live their happy ending.
“I expected a yes,” Drake said.
“I know and I … wow. I mean, I expected it, but I guess this is all a little new for me.” She laughed. “I can’t believe how nervous I am. Does that make me crazy?”
“You’re not crazy. Actually, that’s a lie. You are fucking crazy.
“Drake?”
“What? You stuck around with me. You didn’t give when many people would have. I know I would have. I’ve never stuck out for anything before in my life.”
“You’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for,” she said.
“Or you see something in me that I don’t see.”
“You’re a good guy, Drake.”
“It still doesn’t answer my question, Pru. I love you more than anything in the world. I don’t care about the company or the money, or anything else. The only person I want, the only love I have, is you. I’ll give it all up to be with you.”
Tears filled her eyes and he hated to see her cry. She didn’t deserve those tears. “Please, please, don’t cry. Don’t do that. You know I can’t stand it when you cry.”
“I know.” She sniffled. “I love you, and I know I shouldn’t.” She stopped to chuckle. “But I can’t remember when it happened that I fell in love with you.”
“And this makes you cry? Finding out you’re in love should be a happy, joyous occasion.”
“Oh, it is. I just … I can’t believe it’s finally over. It is over now, isn’t it?”
Drake sighed. “I believe so. The will is ironclad. It was probably one of the reasons they never wanted me to find out the truth. I would’ve been able to contest it long ago if I knew the truth. Their hold on me was based on my inheritance. They did it all to keep me in place.”
“And now that you’re free, how do you feel?”
“Like I can take on the world.”
She chuckled. “Do you want to take on the world?”
“No.”
“Okay, Drake Connor, tell me. What is it you’d like to do? Not what is expected of you and not what you think I want you to do. I want to know your thoughts. Your feelings. No one else’s.”
He ran his hands down her back. “I want to make love to you.”
“Get your mind out of the bedroom for one second.”
“Fine, I want to marry you, Pru. I want to make you mine and for the rest of the world to know who you belong to.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and smiled.
“Shocked?”
“A little.”
“Why? You knew this is what I wanted.”
“I guess I knew. I just didn’t think it would be what you wanted. I mean, I’d hoped you’d still want me.”
He cupped her cheeks, tilting her head back, and ran his thumb across her full lip. “There is no one else I want or could ever wish to be with. You’re the love of my life, Pru. The money, I’d give it up in a heartbeat.”
“Really? This coming from the guy who wanted to keep me as his dirty little secret so he could keep his money.”
“Okay, fine. I didn’t mean it like that. I knew what my parents would do, and they would go out of their way to hurt you and your family. Do you think I could ever live with myself if something was to happen to you?” He pushed some hair off her shoulder, stroking her cheek. All he wanted to do was kiss her, to hold her, and to convince himself he didn’t need to put on a show. He’d won. His parents had lost and now, there was nothing holding him back. “I would always do everything I could to protect you.”
“Pinch me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you. Ever.”
“Oh, I don’t want you to hurt me. I want to know this isn’t a dream.”
He kissed her lips and heard her moan. “It’s not a dream. You and me, Pru. You’re mine now and I’m not letting you go.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and he ran his hands down her back, gripping her ass.
“Wait,” he said to which she groaned. “I don’t have an answer.”
“An answer?”
“Will you marry me?” he asked. He let her go and slid down to one knee.
“Drake, you really don’t need to do that.”
He took her hand in his. He knew he didn’t have to do anything but he was going to. “Pru, I love you so damn much. I love you more than anything. I want to see you every single morning and night. I want to hold you and the only way for me to do that is if you agree to marry me. Please, marry me, and make me the happiest man on the planet. Don’t cry.”
