Paxton's Promise (Gloves Off #3)(49)

The wind blew a strand of hair in my face and he gently brushed it away. “I knew what I needed to do for you to see me. It was a sacrifice I had to make, which brings me to what I need to say next.”

He leaned over and kissed me, but it wasn’t chaste. I felt his need and his desire pour into my body, as if he was giving it to me. But most importantly, I felt his love. He might be scarred by the darkness he’d given in to once before, but he needed me and I sure as hell needed him. I couldn’t imagine these days without him.

When he pulled his lips away, he rested his forehead to mine and kept his gaze on me while he pulled my hand down away from his neck. I didn’t even ask what he was doing until I felt the cold metal slide down my finger.

Paxton got down on his knee. Wide-eyed, I gaped at him with my mouth wide open like a fish. Was he really proposing to me? Gasps erupted from the crowd of people around us. My heart thundered rapidly in my chest and I almost gave in to the hype, until I remembered this had to be his plan . . . the thing to drive Rage over the edge. It all made sense. If he thought Paxton and I were going to get married, he’d know we were serious; that I was definitely unattainable.

The flock of people closed in around us, taking pictures and videos. I even heard Paxton’s name being murmured across the crowd. They knew who he was. Holding my hand in his, I looked down at the ring and my eyes watered. It was gorgeous, but it wasn’t really mine. This was all fake. It was shiny and bright with diamonds all across the band, but the center stone sparkled in a majestic blue color, like the ocean.

“I love you, Gabriella Reynolds. I know we haven’t been together long, but I’ve known what I wanted ever since the day I first saw you. Witnessing your love and passion for the things you do and the people you love encouraged me to do the same. It’s because of you I want to be a better man—that I am a better man. I don’t think I can ever let you go.” Then his hand squeezed mine and his green gaze penetrated straight through to my soul. My knees grew weak and I held my breath. I knew what was coming next.

“I want you to be my wife, Gabby. Tell me you’ll say yes.”

“Yes,” the ladies around us prodded. “Say yes.”

Paxton chuckled, but never swayed his eyes from mine. “What do you say, sunshine? Do you think you can put up with me for the rest of your life?”

“If she doesn’t, honey, I’ll be more than happy to,” an old lady shouted.

“Yes,” I cried, nodding my head. “The answer’s yes.”

Jumping to his feet, Paxton picked me up in his arms and twirled me around. The crowd cheered and screamed in delight as we kissed and held each other. Everyone who walked by gave us their congratulations and well wishes. As far as proposals went, it was pretty damn epic.

After the excitement died down, we started on our way back down the beach to his house. I tried not to stare at the ring on my finger, but it fit perfectly, like it was made for me. “I have to say, you did that very convincingly,” I confessed. “You definitely had me believing it.”

Paxton smiled, looking down at the sand. “I’m pretty sure Rage will find out about it if he doesn’t already know.”

“The ring is beautiful. Is it a sapphire?” I asked, holding my hand up. It twinkled as the last rays of the sun shone across the water.

“Actually, it’s a diamond. It was my mother’s.”

I gasped, holding my hand over my heart. “Oh my God,” I breathed. We finally made it back to his house, but his mood had shifted. “Paxton, we need to get inside so I can take it off. I don’t want anything happening to your mother’s ring.”

I expected him to laugh and shrug it off, but there was no humor in his face when he gazed down at me. I shivered when he took my face in his hands. “I like it where it’s at, Gabriella. If you want to take it off that’s fine, but I think it looks good on your hand. Besides, we’re engaged now. We need to act like it.”

“So what exactly do engaged couples do?” I teased, lifting up on my toes. I bit his bottom lip and sucked it between my teeth.

Groaning, he pressed his body to mine and I felt his cock respond. “I can think of a million things.”

About that time, both of our phones rang, slicing through our tension. He looked down at his and I looked down at mine. “Who’s calling you?” I asked.

“My cousin. You?”

“Ashleigh,” I laughed. “So how long do we need to play this off?”

“For as long as you want, sunshine.” He kissed me quickly and answered his phone. For as long as I want? How was I supposed to handle a question like that? Being prepared, when I answered the phone I held it away from my ear knowing Ashleigh was going to squeal. Needless to say, she did.

“Hey, Ash,” I greeted once her screams died down. “How are you?”

“How am I? How are you? There are videos going around everywhere of Paxton proposing. How the hell did that happen?”

I watched Paxton as he talked to his cousin and when his eyes met mine, something changed. We took a step without meaning to, and it was both scary and exhilarating. Life was never going to be the same.

“Ashleigh, to be honest, I’ve never been better. I love him.”

“See, I knew you were hot for him. And now look at you happy lovebirds. You can live happily ever after.”