Page 121 of Final Proposal

“Ford. I want the epilogue now. To read it. To love it. To live it out.”

“You sure?”

With my teeth sunk into my bottom lip, I nod. “I’m sure.”

His smile lights up his face. “What changed?”

Fair question. One I’ve thought about a lot.

“You. You’re what changed me. Your unwavering belief in me. Your relentless love for me. Your patience. Your friendship. Just you, Ford. You’re what has changed me.”

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Why are you telling me that?” I laugh.

“Because it’s going to be romance-novel worthy. The kind you write one hell of an epilogue after,” he murmurs against my lips.

“Bring it on.”

Two weeks is a long time to go without his taste. Without his touch. Without his love.

How did I think I could walk away? That my fear of loss was greater than the strength of this love?

Because fear does that.

And somehow, Ford has taught me that love counters that risk.

When the kiss is over, when I’m thoroughly reminded of the havoc the man can wreak on my system, and how very much I missed him, he pulls back and frames my cheeks with his hands.

“Let’s get one thing straight. You, Ellery Sinclair, have not put a target on me. You have not cursed me or hexed me or whatever you think you have. You have completed me and done it in ways I never expected. With your love for germ mix and your penchant for ice cream bars. With your thirst for knowledge and your love of romance novels. From wanting to read my father’s book to better understand me. With the way you look at me from across the room and make me feel like I’m the only one in it. And with the way you’re not afraid to dish out tough love—even if it’s to simply protect you from getting too close while sending me to a tragic death in the Hudson.”

“Hey—”

“Just kidding.” He laughs and holds his hands up in surrender before cupping the sides of my face again. “You . . . you are the biggest pain in my ass and the greatest love of my life.” He presses a kiss to my lips. “My father once told me that I’d know the one when I’d be willing to walk through fire to get to her. These past two weeks feel like all I’ve been doing is walking through fire while I waited for you. And you know what? I’d gladly do it all over again times a thousand just to hear you say those words to me again.”

“What words are those?” I tease, earning me a swat on the butt and another soul-searing kiss. “I love you, Fordham Sharpe. Now. Always. Even when I’m scared. Even when I fear them. Even when I feel like I won’t be able to love anymore, I love you.”

“What? Just like that? There’s no negotiating?” He chuckles as he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re getting soft on me, Celery Ellery.”

“What is it you want to negotiate?” I narrow my eyes as if I’m serious.

“Things. So many things.” He presses another tender kiss to my lips. “Things like when we get back to the city, how you should move in with me.”

I should say that I’m shocked, that my natural response would be to say no, but aren’t we already living together here?

“Live with you?” I ask. “Only if we can get a dog.”

“A dog?” he laughs out.

“Yep. A dog. That’s a requirement.”

“Okay.” He nods. “What else?”

My mind is buzzing a million miles a minute. How hard it was to accept this love and now that I have, how damn easy it is to fall headfirst into it.

“I’m not sure yet, but I reserve at least three more things that I can throw in there once I can think properly.”

He draws a finger down my back, lifting the hem of my shirt so it can skim across my skin. “Why can’t you think properly? Is something distracting you?”