Torn (Billionaire Bachelors Club #2)(52)

I smile despite her tears. What she just said is a good thing. A very, very good thing. “I want you to marry me,” I whisper close to her ear.

She withdraws from my embrace but I don’t let her go too far. “What did you say?”

“I want you to marry me. We’ll live here in St. Helena in the little house I’m having renovated and we’ll keep the San Francisco house for all the cars. They all can’t fit here. We’ll only have a single-car garage,” I say, earning a smile.

“Only if you promise to build a garage so we can keep a few of your cars here. I’d want to take them out for a test drive.” She nibbles on her bottom lip, driving me wild just watching at her. “You know. Just for . . . fun.”

Ah, damn this woman. She is just perfect for me in every way. “You’ve got it. Whatever you want,” I vow.

“What about your real estate business?”

“I can do that from here.” I have been for almost two months and everything’s worked out fine. “We’re not too far from the city so I can drive in when needed. It’ll all work out. As long as we have each other, we can make it work.”

She smiles up at me, her pretty eyes sparkling at me. “What about that proposal you mentioned.”

I frown. “Proposal?”

Marina frowns back. “Yes, you know. The one where you mentioned marriage?”

“Ahh.” I’m a complete bonehead. Reaching inside my front pocket, I pull out a small box and hand it to her. “Here you go.”

She opens the box with shaking fingers, a small gasp escaping her when she sees the glittering two-carat diamond nestled inside. “It’s too big,” she immediately protests, glaring at me.

“It’s perfect.” Taking the box from her, I withdraw the ring and grab her left hand, sliding the solitaire onto her ring finger. It fits. “You’re perfect.” I kiss the tip of her nose.

“Hmm. I think you’re the one who’s perfect.” Leaning up on tiptoe, she kisses me, turning it instantly deep and hot. She sways against me, I grab hold of her hips and let myself become acquainted with her delicious, persistent lips and tongue when I hear a voice clearing nearby.

Popping my eyes open, I find Gina starting at us, her expression irritable. “You two kids made up then?”

Marina turns within my embrace, her back to my front as I wrap my arms around her waist. She settles her arms over mine, our fingers interlaced, her head resting against my chest. I’ve never felt this content. “We have,” she admits dreamily. “Gage asked me to marry him.”

“And you said yes.”

She nods her confirmation.

“What about your parents?”

I feel her stiffen and squeeze her closer, willing her to relax. She finally does. “I think I can convince them to come around. Dad is more agreeable then Mom,” Marina says.

“Well, you have your work cut out for you then, don’t you, Pretty Boy?”

I inwardly groan at her choice of nickname. “So we’re back to Pretty Boy?”

“Well, you sure are pretty with that shit-eating grin on your face now that you’ve got your woman back in your arms.” Gina smiles and tilts her head toward the café. “You two need to get out there. Everyone wants to talk to you.”

“Really?” Marina asks incredulously.

“Really,” I say, kissing her temple. “They all know I did this for you.”

“How come I was kept in the dark?” She pouts.

“You did that by choice, by becoming a total recluse,” I tease, though it hurts me too. I hate that I made her feel so bad she could hardly drag herself out of bed.

She turns so she’s facing me once more. We promise Gina we’ll be out there in a few minutes just as she exits the kitchen.

“I am the luckiest woman in the world,” Marina sighs against my lips before she starts kissing me again.

Damn it. She keeps this up, and we’ll test out that new desk I had installed in the office. See if it’s as sturdy as it appears. I set her away from me instead. “Later. Right now, we need to go greet our guests.”

More mock pouting. Damn, her lips are luscious. Unable to resist, I drop a kiss on her forehead, her nose, lingering on those delicious lips. “Let’s go out there and tell them our good news. You can show off your ring.”

“Maybe I want to stay back here with you instead.” A wicked gleam lights her eyes. “If there weren’t so many people out there I’d suggest we reenact the first time we fooled around in the kitchen.”

Damn. This woman blows my mind constantly. “You’re out of control. Don’t you still have the video? We can watch it later.”

That wicked glow shines brighter. “I do still have it.”

I drop a kiss on her nose. “Maybe we should make another one sometime.” I can’t even believe I made the suggestion, but that’s how far gone I am for this woman. “Now come on, let’s go talk to your customers.”

“Gage.” She stops me before I start out to the café front, a frown on her face. “So does our engagement mean you lost the bet?”

I frown, realization dawning as soon as I hear the words. “You know about the bet?”

Slowly she nods, nibbling on her lower lip. “Ivy told me a while ago, one night when we were hanging out. She said I had a right to know.”