Beneath This Man(178)

'Will I be crazy mad and married?' he asks into my mouth. 'Please tell me I'll be crazy mad and married to you.' His hands pull me down to my knees and he holds my shoulders firmly, his eyes swimming as he searches my face. 'It's all about you and it always will be. For the rest of my life it's only you. I love you, beyond crazy. Marry me, Ava.'

I fall forward onto his chest in a sobbing mess and hear my Mum burst into tears.

'Is that a yes?' he asks into my neck.

'Yes,'

'I can't breathe.' he murmurs, falling back, taking me with him so we're sprawled on the terrace floor. He takes my mouth, kissing me adoringly. Once again, my challenging, neurotic ex-playboy will have me wherever and however he pleases, and he's completely unashamed of it. 'I love you so much.' He pulls my hand up and slips my ring back onto my finger before dropping a kiss next to it and engulfing me in his body again, squeezing me hard.

'I love you too.' I whisper in his ear.

'I'm so glad. You're the best birthday present I've ever had.'

What?

I pull up and gaze down at him through my glazed eyes. He smiles, almost embarrassed. 'It's your birthday?'

'It is.' He starts nibbling his lip. He's concerned.

'Today?'

'Yes.' He nods as he answers.

I narrow playful eyes on him. 'How old are you?'

'I'm thirty eight.' He doesn't hesitate.

I break out in a full beam. 'Happy birthday.'

He blesses me with his smile, reserved only for me and pulls me back down to his chest, sinking his nose straight into my neck.

I melt into him.

I love this man, in all of his perfection and in all of his challenging, unreasonable ways. He took me hard and fast. He made me fall in love with him. He made me need him.

He was so unexpected, so passionate and so absolutely irresistible. And now he is wholly mine, and I am undeniably his.

I finally understand him.

I've finally got beneath this man.

The End.