Billionaire's Matchmaker
Page 28
“One more chapter,” she promised.
“Sunset waits for no man. Or book.” The damn engagement ring that the chef had delivered this afternoon was like something live in Rafe’s pocket. He’d designed it the day she’d agreed to move in with him, the Colonel and all.
It had taken the jeweler some time to create a drawing from Rafe’s less than elegant sketch, even longer to procure the right diamond. The man had asked what her ring size was. Since he’d he had no idea, he’d snuck one of her cocktail rings from her drawer, traced the inside, then sent the tiny circle to the man as an approximation. Rafe had wanted it to be ready within twenty-four hours, and the jeweler had scolded his impatience, saying the diamond had been in the earth millions of years. Rafe could wait a while for it to be polished to perfection.
It had taken some finessing from Skyler to get it to the island. She’d picked up the ring from the jeweler and expedited it to the chef. The whole time, Rafe had worried that it would get lost, or worse, not make it at all before they returned to the United States.
To cover his uncharacteristic nerves, Rafe shoved his hand into the pocket of his linen pants, fished around for the diamond, then pressed his pinkie into the band. The metal, warm from being next to his body, reassured him, allowing him to take a breath. “If you have energy later, you can read in the bathtub.” But for now, he intended to put his ring on her finger.
“If?” she repeated.
“I have plans for you, Hope.” After they returned to the house, his plans included a prayer bench that he was sure had never been inside a church.
She gave an exaggerated shiver. “We could skip the walk,” she suggested.
“We could, but we won’t.” While they’d been at home, they hadn’t had much time to scene. They’d flown to Florida to accompany his broken father back to Houston for Lillibet’s funeral. Rafe had wondered if Theodore would go back to his wife, but the thought hadn’t seemed to cross his mind.
He’d returned to the office in a show of stability in the aftermath of the scandal, and he’d agreed to Noah’s request to transfer to Asia, where he could keep his children away from paparazzi harassment. Before Rafe had left the mainland, Theodore had said he still intended to go on his world cruise at the end of May, and he planned to visit Casablanca. After Lillibet’s death, he’d watched the movie. The unhappy ending reflected his own life. Just like the Bogart character in the movie’s final scene, Theodore would always have his memories.
Hope snatched up a wrap and pulled it over her swimsuit, then slipped her hand into Rafe’s. More than ever, he was grateful to have the beautiful Hope in his life. She’d been strong for him and for his father, kind to his mother, a shoulder for his sister.
She’d managed to hire a new assistant, which was a good thing. Celeste had referred so much business to Prestige that Skyler and Tony were having a difficult time keeping up.
In companionable silence, he and Hope walked down the beach. As the sun made its trek toward the horizon, they stopped. She stood in front of him, and he wrapped his arms around her.
“I can’t get over how it drops into the ocean.”
Texas had amazing sunsets that went on forever, but this was startling in its beauty and abruptness.
When the first stars appeared in the sky, he turned her to face him. “There’s nothing more beautiful than this time together.”
“Thank you for this trip. It’s… It’s been unforgettable.”
He lowered himself to one knee. When he’d asked her twice before to be his wife, he’d meant it. But this time, with the ring created from his imagination, it was different.
She gasped. Her hair surrounded her face, tossed there by the sea breeze. “Rafe?”
His heart hammered. He’d kept shoving away the fear that she’d refuse, but now that the time was here, anxiety swallowed him. “My sweet, sweet Hope.” He pulled out the ring. “Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
She pressed a hand to her heart. “You know you don’t have to do this.”
With Noah no longer challenging the succession, there was no longer an urgency, except for the one inside him. He wanted the world to know how much he loved her. “That wasn’t the answer I wanted.” There was nothing in her tone other than empathy for him. “I’m asking you because I want you to be my wife. I love you, sweet Hope, with all my heart.”
“I don’t know what to say.” Her tears spilled, and her shoulders shook.
“Say yes,” he prompted, extending the ring toward her. “Say you will be my bride forever.”
“Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God!”
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes!” She squealed. “A thousand times a thousand, yes. I love you.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger. The fit was perfect. Rafe stood, and Hope launched herself into his arms.
On the cooling, hard-packed sand, he spun her around and around. The sounds of her laughter echoed in his ears.
When he put her back on her feet, she studied the ring. “It’s… Stunning.” She lifted it to the sky.
“You’ll be able to see it better inside. It’s a yellow diamond. The gold color reminded me of your eyes.” The stone was a rectangular cut and had clear diamonds on either side, representing their past and their future.
“It’s beautiful.” She raised on her tiptoes and leaned toward him. “Thank you.”
He was a man helpless, smitten. He accepted her kiss as his due. And then he demanded even more from her.
She moaned as she molded herself against him.
“I still have plans for you.”
“Do you?” She laced her arms around his neck and wiggled against him.
“There’s a flogger in the bedroom.”
Her eyelids drifted down just a bit. “I know.”
“You know?”
“I’ve been waiting. Wanting. Make me yours in all ways, Rafe. Sir.”
He scooped her up. Practicing carrying her across the threshold, he started toward the house.
She laughed, tipped her head while the breeze played with her long hair, and she admired her ring.
“Keep still,” he cautioned.
“Or else?”
“Yeah.” Unable to hide his joy, his relief, he grinned down at her. “Or else.” This was the start of something amazing. He intended to savor every single moment
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OTHER TITLES BY SIERRA CARTWRIGHT
Titans
Sexiest Billionaire
Billionaire’s Matchmaker
Billionaire’s Christmas
Bonds
Crave
Claim
Command
The Donovans
Bind
Brand
Boss
Mastered
With This Collar
On His Terms
Over The Line
In His Cuffs
For The Sub
In The Den
Master Class
Initiation
Enticement
Individual titles
Double Trouble
Shockwave
Bound and Determined
Three-Way Tie
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered
His to Claim
Hard Hand
Table of Contents
DEDICATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER
FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
EPILOGUE
OTHER TITLES BY SIERRA CARTWRIGHT