Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(55)

“Really,” he confirmed.

Felicity smiled then and buried her face into his neck. “Yes. Fuck yes.”

Ryder leaned over a little and clasped his arms around her, lifting her feet off the ground and walking toward his sports car.

Felicity giggled, but kept her head buried in the warm skin of his neck and went limp, letting her legs dangle and knock against his as he walked. She didn’t care where he was taking her. When he stopped, she picked up her head. He put her back on her feet, and she realized they were standing next to his car.

“You really want me to move in with you? It seems like a big step considering the amount of time we’ve known each other,” she felt compelled to warn him.

“Love, I knew the second I saw you that I wanted you to be mine. I warned you before I took you for the first time that if you let me inside your body, that was it for me. So this doesn’t really seem like that big of a step. You’re mine. I’m yours. I’m moving to Castle Rock because you’re here. Thus, it seems like a natural thing to move in together.”

She beamed.

“And to give you fair warning, I’m going to ask you to marry me. Soon. And you’ll take my name. I know Bailey doesn’t believe in marriage, and Nathan took her last name, but you’re mine, and I want no doubts who you belong to.”

“Holy shit,” Felicity said, but didn’t elaborate on her shock, simply stared at him with her mouth open.

Ryder was the one to smile this time. “I fucking love surprising you.”

Then he kissed her. Hard. Deep. It was a claiming. In the parking lot behind Rock Hard Gym, Felicity’s defaced car feet away.

And she didn’t give a shit. Even with the threat of Joseph looming, Felicity was happier than she’d ever been in her life. She never dreamed this could be her life. A thought struck her, and she pulled back.

Ryder was reluctant to let her go, but finally allowed it.

She caught his gaze, and they stood there, arms around each other for a long moment before Felicity said, “I love you.”

“Good.”

She frowned. “Good? That’s all you have to say to my declaration of love?”

He smirked. “Yup.”

Felicity struggled to step out of his arms, but he refused to let her go. “If you think I’m going to marry a man who can’t admit that he loves me, you’re insane. I don’t care how much you spout shit like ‘You’re mine.’ Ownership isn’t love, and I can’t live my life without hearing it. Did you know I never had anyone tell me they loved me until I was eight years old? It sucks, and I won’t do it again. You hear me, Ryder? You might be hotter than any actor I’ve ever seen and a big bad mercenary, but I need the words.”

She glared up at the man she loved with all her heart, but she’d been honest. If he thought he was too manly to tell her that he loved her back, she wouldn’t be able to be with him. It sucked, but she needed the words.

“What have I been calling you since practically the first time we met?” he asked.

Felicity was confused. What in the world was he talking about? Here she was opening her heart to him, and he was asking weird questions. “I don’t know. Let me go, Ryder. I need to get to Grace’s.”

“Listen to me,” he ordered. “The first time we met, you were arguing with Cole and insisting he give you the seed money you invested into the gym. Grace, Logan, and I all crowded into the room, and you started to have a panic attack. I helped you through it. What did I call you?”

Felicity stopped struggling and looked up at Ryder in confusion. “I don’t remember.”

“Fair enough. But think, Felicity. What nickname do I have for you?”

Her eyes widened as she realized what he meant. “But . . . you call everyone that.”

He snorted a laugh. “I certainly do not. Only you, love, only you.”

The pesky tears were back in Felicity’s eyes. “Oh.”

“Yeah. Oh. I’ve loved you from that first meeting. You were scared out of your mind and desperate to leave, and you were glorious. You weren’t backing down, no matter that you were surrounded by five men. But it wasn’t just that. It was something about you. It was as if I recognized you as mine at first glance. I knew bone deep that you would make my life better simply by being in it.”

“Ryder.”

“In case that wasn’t clear. I love you, Felicity Jones, or Megan Parkins, or whatever you want to call yourself. You’re mine, and I know that’s a little cavemanish, but I’m yours too. You own me. Heart, body, and soul. You could stomp my heart into pieces if you ever left me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side.”

Felicity nearly melted at his feet. She’d been feeling vulnerable, thinking she was the only one sharing her feelings, but it was obvious now how wrong she’d been. “Was that a proposal?”

“Fuck no,” Ryder said immediately. “You’ll know when I ask you to marry me.”

He always knew what to say to prevent her from falling apart in a mushy mess at his feet. She appreciated it. She wanted to be tough Felicity Jones, not a weak, crying mess. “You’re awfully confident. Maybe I’ll ask you to marry me.”

“Do so and I’ll put you over my knee and paddle your ass.”