“You want to marry me?”
His hands dropped from under the skirt of her dress, and her hands fell away from his chest as he reached over to the nightstand next to him and opened the top drawer. A second later he was holding up a little black velvet box, showing it to her before he flipped it open.
There, nestled in the white satin, was a cushion cut diamond, surrounded by a square of tiny diamonds that continued on to the band in two separate rows.
“Oh my God,” she whispered as she looked down at the most stunning ring she’d ever seen in her life.
And okay, maybe she shouldn’t be this shocked. Them heading toward marriage wasn’t too much of a stretch. But he already had a ring. He’d already been planning to propose.
“I told you from the start, told you that the second I tasted you.” He leaned forward and nipped at her bottom lip, pulling it into his mouth before he let go. “I’d want everything. But it happened before that first kiss, Harper. I wanted everything the second I found you. I’ve just been waiting for you to say yes.”
She reached up again, her hands on his chest and moving over his shoulders. And then they were at the back of his head, her fingers in his hair as she brushed her lips across his. “You still haven’t asked me the question.”
“You’re right. I haven’t.” He dropped to his knee in front of her. Both of her hands were still in his hair, and he grabbed the left and pulled it away to hold it in front of him. “It’s always been you, Harper. You’re it for me, have been from the very start. I didn’t know something was missing from my life until I met you, and I never want to go back to how it was before you.” He pulled the ring out, setting the empty box on the nightstand. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
He grinned up at her as he slid the ring onto her finger. Once it was firmly in place he was getting up off the floor, his arms wrapping around her waist as he kissed her.
“I love you, Liam James,” she said against his mouth, her lips brushing his with every word that she spoke. “This is the life I want. The one with you in it. And it’s the only one I will ever want.”
“Promise?”
“I swear.” And she sealed it with a kiss.
Epilogue I Need Forever, Honey, Forever with You
November 2nd…one year and two months later
Liam adjusted the tie at his neck for what was probably the fortieth time that night. He still wasn’t exactly what anyone would call a suit kind of guy even though he was wearing them a lot more lately.
He’d been sporting one this time last year when he and Harper had gotten married. They’d taken two months to plan it, the wedding happening that first weekend in November.
Harper had been six months pregnant and hadn’t wanted to hide Sofia under layers of material. Adele designed the dress—obviously—and Harper’s baby belly had been clearly outlined under the lace.
She was the most beautiful bride he’d ever seen in his life.
In fact, the gray tie he was currently wearing was the same he’d gotten married in. It was also the one he’d had on when he and Harper had found each other again in Jacksonville at the Stampede party.
He considered it his lucky tie. How could he not?
“Stop that,” Harper whispered low in his ear as she reached up and grabbed his arm. “I haven’t seen you this nervous since the day our daughter was born.” She linked their fingers together as she pulled both of their hands into her lap.
“I wasn’t nervous that day. I was terrified.” Understatement.
But it was a thrilled terrified, if that made any sense. Their daughter had graced the world with her presence at eleven fifty-seven at night on January thirty-first. As it turned out she did have Harper’s eyes and a full head of dark brown hair that matched Liam’s.
There’d been nothing like holding Sofia in his arms for the first time. Nothing like her wrapping her tiny little hand around his finger as she slept. Nothing like hearing her sweet, perfect laugh.
Man did Sofia giggle like crazy. He loved that sound, loved it so freaking much.
She was ten months old now, a rambunctious little ball of mischief that didn’t like to sit still for too long. She was very active, crawling around the house like it was her job, or playing with any number of her toys, Luna included.
The tiny dog was beyond gentle with the baby, and more often than not would be found sleeping somewhere in the vicinity, one ear cocked at all times and listening out for any threat. Not that there was anything that Luna could do besides bark, but it was the thought that counted.
Besides, threats were few and far between at their home. Liam’s offer on the two-story beachside house had been accepted, and he’d had that thing baby proofed within an inch of its life before they’d even moved in. Harper had made the joke more than once that she was surprised he hadn’t padded the walls.
He was a little surprised, too, actually.
But it wasn’t just Sofia he wanted to keep safe. It was Harper, too. The woman currently sitting in the seat next to him was his everything. She’d given him the things that meant the most in this world.
In that moment, there were thousands of people sharing the same space as them, and she was still the most beautiful person in the room. Without a doubt. Her mouth was painted a bright red that matched her red dress, her hair curled and pinned up so that her neck was completely bared to him. She was wearing a long off-the-shoulder gown that wrapped around every one of her perfect curves. It was another one of Adele’s impeccable designs.
“I’m really proud of you, you know. No matter what happens.” Harper smiled as she leaned close, pressing her lips to his.
He moved his mouth from her lips to that cluster of freckles just under her left ear, kissing the spot before he whispered, “You’re the reason I’m sitting here, Harper. You’re the reason this is even happening.” He pulled back so that he could look into her eyes.
It was then that the crowd of people around them broke out into applause. Liam pulled his gaze from Harper’s and looked up as Isaac Dylan and Hunter Andrews came out onto the stage. They walked to the mike as the crowd quieted down.
“Song of the year is a category that is pretty near and dear to both of us,” Isaac started.
Hunter leaned close to the mike to speak next. “It was this award that we were first up for seven years ago, and it was a launching point for our career. These are the nominees for CMA’s song of the year.”
Harper’s hand tightened in Liam’s and it only squeezed harder as Hunter and Isaac read through the list. The crowd cheered as they named each nominee, all the way through the last one: “Forever.”
“And the winner for CMA’s song of the year goes to.” Isaac popped open the seal of the envelope and showed it to Hunter. Both of their mouths split into the biggest grins.
“‘Forever’ by Liam James,” they said in unison.
Everything in him stilled. There was no way he’d heard that correctly. “Did that just happen?” He turned to look at Harper.
She grabbed his face, kissing him hard on the mouth before she pulled back. “Yeah it did. You won, baby.”
He stood, pulling Harper to her feet and wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her again. When he pulled back there were tears in her eyes.
“I love you.” He reached up and ran his thumbs under her eyes.