Never With You (The Never Series Book 6)
Page 23
That made her laugh, so all was good. She pulled back and kissed me hard, and it was difficult to not wrap her legs around my waist and take her one last time by the fire. That had happened once, and once was enough. Sandy sex was checked off my bucket list, but it was not something either of us wanted to relive.
“I’ve got one more surprise, babe, but you’ve got to turn back around to get it.”
She sat back on her heels and wiped her fingers under her eyes. “Another surprise?” She let out a sigh that sounded a lot like the ones she had after an orgasm. If I hadn’t already been hard, that would have done the trick. She smiled at me, then turned around and settled herself between my legs again. “Do I need to cover my eyes?” she asked, laughing.
“Not this time,” I said as I tossed a bag of marshmallows, two chocolate bars, and a box of graham crackers in her lap.
“S’mores!”
“I didn’t want to break out the good stuff while the kids were here, ’cause I knew Angela wouldn’t let them have any.”
“Good call,” she said, laughing even harder.
I could listen to her laugh for the rest of my life. In fact, that was exactly what I was hoping for.
“Here, hand me a marshmallow.”
She opened the bag and popped one in her mouth before handing one back to me. I loaded it onto a skewer and then handed it to her, knowing I only had about thirty seconds to get the rest of it ready because my girl fucking burnt the crap out of marshmallows until they were a black piece of sugary charcoal and that was how she liked her s’mores. And true to form she shoved that fucker right in the flames until it was bubbling and brown, then pulled it out and watched it burn. After a few moments she blew out the flames, then held her hand out like a surgeon and said, “Cracker.”
Over the last year we’d nailed our s’mores routine, so it didn’t surprise her when I held out a graham cracker for her marshmallow, but the platinum diamond engagement ring sitting atop did make her halt. I held that cracker out, heart absolutely stopped, waiting for her to say something. Or do something. Give me any indication that she wanted to be mine forever. My lungs weren’t working and everything had fallen silent. Even the fire stopped crackling. Every bit of my future rested on her shoulders and I wanted more than anything for her to just say yes.
“Briggs,” she finally said, her voice so soft I almost couldn’t hear her. “What is that?”
“It’s a ring, firecracker.”
“Okay, but what is it for?”
“It’s for your finger.”
“Briggs, I’m a woman dangling on the edge here hoping the man she loves is asking her to marry him, so it’d be in your best interest, if that’s indeed what you want, to tell me exactly what’s going on so we can get to the part where I say yes.” She turned, her eyes begging me to do exactly what I’d planned, so I gave her what we both wanted.
“Talia, I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel as good as you do, who loves me as much as you do, or who makes me want to be worthy of her love like you do. We started on this beach and I wanted to be on this beach when I ask you to be my wife. So, will you marry me and let me love you forever?”
“Yes,” she said immediately, eyes shining, mouth smiling. Then she laughed a little and held out her left hand, letting me slide the ring down her finger. It was not two seconds later that she launched herself at me, s’more forgotten, lips crashing into mine. She kissed me deep, giving back to me everything I’d just laid out for her, exactly like I knew she would. “I love you,” she whispered onto my lips a few minutes later. “There’s nothing on this earth I love more than you.” She pulled back and rested her forehead against mine. A few moments later she pulled back farther, her hands framing my face, but her eyebrows drawn together. “That was a dirty trick, Briggs Townsend.”
“What was?” I asked with a laugh, loving the way she said my last name and anxious to hear her take it as her own.
“Asking me to live with you as a diversion. You were trying to throw me off.”
“Worked like a charm,” I said, smiling wide, my hands on her ass.
A slow smile spread across her face. “Yeah, it did.”
“You ready for forever with me?” I asked, reaching forward and kissing her softly.
“Yeah.” She sighed again, making me want her enough to almost forget we were in the sand.
“I promise I’ll spend forever learning who you are, changing with you, and loving every part of you.”
“And I’ll work every day to give you everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“I know you will, firecracker.”
Books by Anie Michaels
*The Never Series*
Never Close Enough
Never Far Away
Never Giving Up
Never Standing Still
Never Tied Down
Never With You
*The Private Serials*
*The Love and Loss Series*
The Absence of Olivia
The Presence of Grace
*The With A Kiss Series*
Kiss Cam
Riled Up
*Stand Alone Novels*
The Space Between Us
Instead of You
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Acknowledgements
Lesley, Andrea, Danielle, Kelly, Beeca, and Ali – thank you for reading the book early and giving me your valuable input. Betas are so important to the publishing process and I couldn’t have done it without you guys. Thank you for loving Briggs.
Andrea and Stefanie – Thank you both for your help with the book in its final stage. I rely on very few special people to help me polish my books and I am so lucky and fortunate to have found help in both of you. I appreciate the time and effort you give up for me and my books and I never want you to think it is taken for granted. Thank you so very much.
I would also like to thank my grandfather who passed away while I was writing this book. I didn’t have many reliable or consistent male role models in my life, but you were always there for me and everyone else in our family. You were one of the most supportive people and I’ll never forget the impact you made on my life.
Lastly, I want to thank all the readers who love the Never series and took a chance on this book and these knew characters. Talia and Briggs were loud from the moment they entered my imagination and even though they’re fictional, they’re important and needed their story told. Furthermore, Ella, Porter, Megan, Patrick, Kalli, and Riot needed them, too. I had thought the Never gang was complete, but I was wrong. So, if you’ve been around since the beginning, or are just now starting the series, thank you so much for reading this book.