So even though my heart pounded in my chest as I dropped to one knee, I had never been so sure of what I wanted. I took out the ring, a thin white-gold band embedded with tiny opals. In the sun, it reflected orange and blue and pink, like the inside of a shell.
“I loved you before I saw your face,” I said, and Kumiko smiled wider, her eyes squinting in the sunlight as she stared at me. “And I know, you’re the person I want by my side forever.”
“Me, too!” Reiji burst out through the door, Dai and Wataru on his heels. He held up his hand, waving it in the air, and something sparkled in the sunlight. He skidded to a stop and dropped to his knee, panting. “Marry me!”
Dai and Wataru were less hurried, but just as excited. Each of them wore similar smiles and held out their rings with trembling fingers.
I couldn’t be mad that they’d intruded on my plan, because this, right here, right now, was what we all wanted. It made sense that we would do this together, taking the first step into the rest of our lives.
“I love you, Kumiko,” Dai whispered. “Be my wife.”
“Forever, Kumiko,” Wataru said, as he got to his knee beside Dai. “Be mine, be ours forever.”
Our princess nodded, head bobbing up and down as tears ran down her face and turned her nose red. She sniffed and held out her hand. “I’ll marry you.”
I slid my ring on first, then Reiji, his gold band settling perfectly next to mine before Dai slid the circlet of pink diamonds onto her finger, and then Wataru his, the white gold designed to look like vines. Kumiko dropped to her knees and we enfolded her in our arms.
“I love you,” she said, as she sniffled and kissed us before pulling back and holding her hand up to examine her rings. When she met my eyes, I swore, she glowed. “I’ll love you forever.”
Epilogue
Three Years Later
Kumiko
In Sara, brides traditionally did not spend the night with their husbands-to-be, but nothing about my relationship with the princes was traditional. So when I woke, my head on Wataru’s chest, his arm around my shoulders, I sighed happily.
“Good morning.” His voice rumbled beneath my ear. Our fingers were entwined on his chest and he lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed my ring finger.
Today, my four fiancés would slide one last ring onto my finger, announcing to the world I was their wife.
Wataru moved fast. One second he pressed a kiss to the back of my hand, and the next he’d rolled us over so he was on top of me. His dark hair, though shorter than it was when we met, fell around me like a dark curtain. “Today you’ll be my wife.” He punctuated each word with a biting kiss along my neck.
I arched back to give him better access to my throat. He sucked my skin into his mouth, nibbling gently before releasing me and gently rocked his hips against mine. My body responded to his immediately. In the three years we’d been together, my princes had learned my body better than I ever had.
Sliding my knees along his legs, I opened myself to him so he could slide inside me. Wataru’s breath caught and he groaned quietly. “Wife.” He withdrew so slowly, allowing me to feel every inch of him before thrusting and holding himself still. His pelvis met mine and he ground against me before retreating. His words were pushing me to the edge faster than I wanted.
“This could be the moment,” he said breathlessly, as he plunged into me again, “where we make a baby.”
I wrapped my arms tighter around his shoulders and hooked my ankles around his waist. A baby. After today, Wataru would be tied to me in all ways.
For three years, my princes had been dedicated to showing me all the things I’d missed when I hid away from the world. If I opened my eyes and examined my room, I would find photos of the five of us surfing at Bondi, seated at the Taj Mahal, and opening a dolphin sanctuary at Iriogaki Harbor. There were pictures of me with the princes at their graduation from university, at Dai’s first photography exhibit, Wataru’s new office, and finally, at my own graduation.
I was ready for our next adventure. So when we finally set a date for our wedding after keeping our family, and most of Sara it seemed, in suspense, we made the decision to start a family.
So Wataru was right. This could be the moment we created our future.
Wataru grabbed the pillow next to my head and shoved it under my hips before wrapping his hands around my wrists. He brought my hands above my head, and my body bowed at the change in depth it created. I was helpless now, at his mercy.
Each thrust slid his pelvis against mine, building the heat in my center. A familiar tremble began in my legs, making it hard to keep them wrapped around him. Wataru transferred my hands to one of his and reached down, splaying my legs wider and thrusting faster.
He kissed me, tongue swirling around mine before he threw his head back. “Kumiko.” He wouldn’t come before me. Ever.
I groaned. The next pump did me in and I shattered around him. He spilled himself inside me, liquid warmth heating me as he came long and hard, his moan filling my ears.
Out of breath, he held himself above me, hips still gently pistoning. He kissed me again and I squeezed my legs around him, holding him to me. Carefully, Wataru slid down my body to rest his head against my chest. He swirled his finger around my nipple as my heartbeat slowed.
“I hope she looks like you,” he whispered, his stubble rasping against me. I pictured our baby, imagined his face and smiled.
“I hope he looks like you,” I replied, teasing.
Wataru’s hand cupped my belly before he pushed himself up and held my gaze with his. “Now come on. Let’s get married.”
Four princes waited for me. In a more symbolic way than anyone probably realized, a veil hid my face as I walked down the aisle toward them.
Dai, Goro, Reiji, Wataru.
They had saved me. They’d seen the me I’d always been, and despite my curse, or maybe because of it, had fallen in love with me.
And I’d fallen in love with them.
My princes smiled as I approached them, eyes twinkling as our gazes collided. As one, they reached forward and flipped my veil out of the way, their love bathing me in a happy glow.
“Ready?” Reiji whispered as we turned to face the celebrant.
“Ready,” I answered.
“Forever.” Wataru touched the small of my back before Dai’s large hand took mine. “Our wife.”
“Go on,” Goro said to the official quietly. “Make her our wife.”
Their wife.
The celebrant met my stare, lifting his eyebrows as if to ask permission to go on and I nodded. I was ready for my happily ever after.
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The End
About the Author
Ripley Proserpina spends her days huddled near a fire in the frozen northern wilds of Vermont. She lives with her family, two magnificent cats, and a dog who aspires to cat-hood. She is the author of the Reverse Harem series, The Searchers, and Midnight’s Crown. Follow her on Facebook or sign up for her newsletter at www.ripleyproserpina.com.
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Find Ripley on Social Media
www.ripleyproserpina.com
@RipleyProserpin (Twitter)
Ripley Proserpina (FB)
Books by Ripley:
Midnight’s Crown (A Reverse Harem Romance):
Briar
Shadow of Thorns
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The Searchers Series (A Reverse Harem Romance):
Finding Honor
Finding Nora
Finding Valor
Finding Truth
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Demon Matched Series:
Matched with a Demon
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Wishes and Curses Series (Young Adult Fantasy):
Wrath and Ruin
Revolution and Rising
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Anthologies:
Married. Wait! What?
Snow and Seduction:
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Valos of Sonhadra (A Reverse Harem S
ci-Fi Romance):
Whirlwind
Once Upon a Harem
Forget everything you think you know about the classic fairy tales.
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20+ authors have come together. Each with a fairytale to retell, reverse harem style.
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Each story in the OUAH series is a standalone reverse harem with a fairytale twist. They do not need to be read in order.
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Visit the website for the complete list of authors and more about the books. https://onceuponaharem.com/
Note from the Publisher
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Happy Reading,
After Glows Staff
While Beauty Sleeps (Once Upon a Harem Book 7) Page 19