Grinning at her, he said, “Had to do something to shut you up.” Kissing the tip of her nose, his tone more serious, he said, “Do you mean it? You want to spend the rest of your life with me? Have children, raise a family? Kiri? Tell me, do you?”
Nodding suddenly shy, she said softly, “Yes, Naithon, I do.”
“Great! I plan to hear those words again, in front of a priest and an audience.” He rolled off her and hopped off the bed.
“N- Naithon, what are you-”
He tugged something out of his jacket pocket, then dropped to his knees on the floor beside the bed.
“Naithon?”
A small black box was sitting on his palm. He lifted the lid, and pulled the diamond ring from the box, and tossed the box on the nightstand. “Give me your hand, baby,” he said holding his hand out.
Eyes huge green moons, mouth falling wide open, she covered her mouth with her hand, and gasped.
Smiling, he reached out and grasped her left hand. He said solemnly, “Kiritina Rose Delducci, will you do me the grandest honor and agree to be my wife?”
She blinked reflexively at him, her hand still at her mouth, she watched him slide the ring on her finger. “You- you- you want me- really-” she stammered foolishly. “You really do want us to get married?”
Rolling his eyes, he grinned at her. “Lamb, I’ve told you every second since I took you that that was what I wanted. I never stopped telling you. I’ve always known I wanted you to be mine til the end of time, I had to wait for you to catch up. Now that you have, I mean,” brows slanted down, he asked, “you do love me, right?”
Still blinking inanely, she nodded mutely.
Laughing, Naithon said, “Can you say it? Out loud? It’d be really nice if you did.” He waited, then shook her hand to break her stupor.
“Oh, oh,” she smiled dearly at him, “I do, Naithon, I love you. When I knew for sure you’d find a way to rescue me, I knew then. I trusted you, couldn’t imagine not being with you. That was my biggest fear with Duce abducting me, I was afraid I’d never see you again.” Her lashes fluttered, she said shyly, “I love you, Naithon.”
Big broad grin, he said, “Good, so now, you say yes. You say, ‘Yes Naithon, my love, I will marry you.’”
Laughter bubbled out, she cried, “Yes! Yes, my beloved Naithon, I will marry you!” She hurled her body into his arms.
An oof punched out of him when he caught her. Naithon wrapped his arms around her and they kissed. He got up briefly to tear off his jeans then lay back down, pulled her back into his embrace.
Bare torsos pressing together, Naithon ran his hands down her back and cupped her bottom, pulled her hips to rub over his erection hard as concrete, starving for her.
A while later, after a nap, they lay in bed, Kiri held her hand up admiring her ring.
Naithon lay on his side, his palm stroking her thigh. He said, “As soon as Duce’s and Melonie’s trials are over, and Ignacio and Janero are well enough, lamb, we can start planning the wedding. Can’t wait to see you in flouncy white, carrying posies coming down the aisle, ready to become my bride.”
“Um, Naithon.” She twirled the ring watching it catch the light and sparkle rainbows.
“Hmm?”
“I…I’m not sure about living at the…mansion. Those men are dangerous, and the women, well…I just…it’s not…”
He caught her hand and kissed the back of it. “I’ve given it a lot of thought, pigeon,” he chuckled at her grunt at the nickname. “I think I’ll turn most of the businesses, the clubs and stuff over to my boys to manage.
Mazonn will be in charge with Teo, Vlad, Yash and Blok to assist him. They can still stay in the mansion. I’d like to put all my time and effort into the distillery, that’s all I ever wanted anyway. We’ll build a house on the land near it, just for us.”
“Oh, Naithon, the countryside around the distillery is beautiful. Soft rolling hills, forests of freshly scented trees, I can picture rose gardens surrounding the distillery, and,” she said shyly, “our house.”
She kissed his chin, and said, “Thank you, baby, thank you for giving me this. You, and a perfect life together. I love you so much.”
He rolled over on top of her, his hand netting her breast, his mouth seeking hers, he whispered against her lips, “I love you, my beautiful lamb.”
The End
Distilled Duplicity Page 33