by Layla Hagen
Everyone clapped, I even harder than the rest. I watched with pride as my man walked toward us, smiling from ear to ear. God, was he sexy or what? All that swagger, that muscle-laced body moving with all the confidence in the world.
“I need to steal Sienna for a bit,” he told the group, placing an arm around my shoulders. What was going on?
“What is it?” I asked, as Winston led me upstairs.
“Just wanted to do one last check on the party room.”
“Okay.”
We’d gone over every detail quite a few times, but I guessed one last check wouldn’t hurt.
We were hosting a party for the team in the same room where we’d held the Christmas party all those months ago.
I perused the details again: the small stage, the long table where servers would bring food. Wait a second. There was a box on it that hadn’t been there before. And it had my name on it!
I looked sideways at Winston, who grinned. I hadn’t gotten him anything!
“That’s for me?” I double-checked.
His grin widened. “Has your name on it.”
“And I can open it now?”
“That’s why I brought you here.”
“Gimme, gimme.”
I felt like a kid on Christmas morning as I opened it quickly. There was yet another box inside. I looked at Winston speculatively, hoping for a hint. He gave nothing away.
I opened—what? Yet another box, only this one was tiny. What could fit into a box this small? I wasn’t materialistic, but well... when it came to presents, the bigger, the better.
Winston watched me closely as I opened it, and all that heat and intensity rolling off him wasn’t helping matters. It made me jittery.
He reached inside the box before I could see what it was, and then I gasped, placing a palm over my chest. I felt as if my heart might spring out any second now.
I was looking at a gorgeous princess-cut diamond in a platinum band that was set with tiny rose quartz stones.
Winston was holding it between his thumb and forefinger, and I felt my eyes turn misty at the corners. I’d always thought that knowing you’ve found the one was going to take time... until I was sure. But this felt so perfect that I was close to bursting with happiness. I didn’t even know it was possible to feel so much joy. It was like a physical force, like a pressure from the inside out.
“Yes! Yes!” The words burst out of me loudly. I grinned sheepishly.
Winston chuckled. “I haven’t even asked yet.”
“It’s a yes anyway.”
I held my hand out for him to slide the ring on. I was jittery. I didn’t care, didn’t even try to hide it. This was Winston. My Winston.
His hand held mine strong and steady, but I thought that his breathing pattern was a little uneven.
“Sienna, here, in this place where we fell in love, I’m promising you that I will cherish you every day of our life. You’re smart, beautiful, kind, sweet. Sassy when the situation requires it.”
“Which is almost always.”
He laughed. “I agree.”
He touched my cheek with his fingers, dragging them down my chin, resting them on my neck.
“I promise to love you and make you happy, always, even if it means letting you turn these offices into Santa Land every Christmas. I’ll even help you.”
“Now I’m suspicious.”
He waggled his eyebrows. Now I was even more suspicious.
“In fact, let’s make this a rule. You can only hang the decorations outside of business hours, and only if I’m watching. Every time I hang something where you can’t reach, you take off an item of clothing.”
I doubled with laughter. “Now I get it. You’re just hoping to get me naked.”
“Well, I just like being around you. Naked time is a bonus.”
“I can’t believe you went from being a broody boss from hell to being a seductive—if opportunistic—fiancé.”
“All your doing.”
“Well, here is my vow to you: I promise to love you and shake up your grouchy ass whenever you need it.”
He was grinning now. “I’m counting on it. I wasn’t in a good place when we met, but you came into my life and... you gave me no choice but to fall in love with you.”
His fingers went even lower, touching the necklace hanging around my neck slowly, seductively. My breath caught. He brought my hand to his mouth, placing a small kiss on my engagement ring before placing an open-mouthed one on the exposed skin under my necklace. I felt the touch of his lips and tongue reverberate through my entire body. Every cell was clamoring for his touch, his kisses. That pressure in my chest magnified.
When he straightened up, his gaze was even more intense than before, full of fire. Gripping my hips, he aligned our bodies. I was trying not to think about how close we were... almost touching, but not quite. Thank God, because I didn’t think I could feel him against me and not jump in his arms. Then he pressed me to him, and I was certain I was about to combust.
The second his mouth came down on mine that pressure in my chest spread like wildfire through every limb, every cell. I nipped at his lower lip. Winston groaned against my mouth. The sound fueled me on. He touched one thigh in a possessive and delicious grip, lifting it, pressing his hips between my thighs.
“Winston,” I whispered when he kissed down my neck. “We should go down. Everyone will know we’re missing.”
He groaned, lowering my leg. “I know. Worst idea I’ve ever had, thinking I could keep this short. I can never get enough of you. You think I would’ve learned my lesson by now.” Straightening up, he kissed the tip of my nose. “Let’s stay here for a few more minutes, just the two of us. I want to memorize everything about this moment. The way you’re shaking in my arms, the way you look at me.”
I wasn’t shaking only because he’d just touched and kissed me wickedly. It was just that... I hadn’t ever imagined that I could be loved this way.
I cleared my throat, attempting to push him away, because if we were this close, he was bound to get dangerous ideas again. And if he didn’t, I would for sure.
“Nah, I’m not letting you go.”
“Winston, you’re being bossy again.”
“Always.” He traced his thumb over my lips, pressing it lightly at one corner. “I might not be a grouch anymore, but I’ll always be bossy.”
That he was... and I loved it.
By the time we returned to the celebration, everyone was holding a glass of champagne. Catering had also brought out plates with canapes. We went straight to the corner where all the Bennetts and Winston’s parents stood, talking.
I’d already thought about a few sentences to announce the news, but my lips curled in a smile so big that my cheeks were hurting.
“Look, the ring.” Victoria pointed out, before everyone started congratulating us at the same time.
“We were wondering where you’d disappeared to,” Pippa said.
Blake winked. “Of course, half of us guessed what was going on since we heard you went to the creative department yesterday.”
Winston chuckled. “I was expecting that. Why do you think I only waited one day between buying the ring and proposing? Didn’t want to risk the other half finding out too.”
Blake whistled loudly. We all laughed as Winston and I also picked up champagne glasses.
“Here’s to fast learners,” Christopher said.
“And romantic proposals.” Victoria’s smile was as dreamy as I imagined mine was. Everyone huddled closer for a toast.
Over the sound of clinking glasses, Blake said, “Winston, welcome to the Bennett family.”
***
Dear Reader,
This is the end of Winston and Sienna’s story.
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If you want to meet the Bennett family, you can find a link to the
series HERE.
They are a fun family, the romances are HOT and SWOONWORTHY. That series is complete, and each book can be read as a standalone.
Links to THE ENTIRE BENNETT FAMILY SERIES:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
All other retailers & countries
Links to individual books in the Bennett Family Series:
Book 1: Your Irresistible Love (Sebastian & Ava)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 2: Your Captivating Love (Logan & Nadine)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 3: Your Forever Love (Pippa & Eric)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 4: Your Inescapable Love (Max & Emilia)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 5: Your Tempting Love (Christopher & Victoria)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 6: Your Alluring Love (Alice & Nate)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 7: Your Fierce Love (Blake & Clara)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 8: Your One True Love (Daniel & Caroline)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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Book 9: Your Endless Love (Summer & Alex)
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Audio
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The Connor Family series is also complete. You can find the link to the entire series HERE.
Here are the individual books:
ANYTHING FOR YOU (Landon & Maddie)
WILD WITH YOU (Lori & Graham)
MEANT FOR YOU (Will & Paige)
ONLY WITH YOU (Valentina & Carter)
FIGHTING FOR YOU (Jace & Brooke)
ALWAYS WITH YOU (HAILEY & REID)
Your Christmas Love
Copyright © 2019 Layla Hagen
Published by Layla Hagen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published: Layla Hagen 2019