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I deftly tied the sash around her eyes, removing her ability to see.
“You know I’m not overly fond of blindfolds, Aris.”
“But you are very fond of me.” I rounded on her to see her lips pursed together.
Very carefully, I traced the lines of her cheekbones and lowered my mouth over hers. Her moan escaped as soon as my tongue strolled out to soften and part her lips. The kiss deepened, my breath hastening even more when her burgeoning belly butted against my groin.
I loved that feeling.
“You always get your way when you kiss me like that,” she said breathily as I broke away.
“It’s settled then. Blindfold stays. Just until we get on deck.” After scooping an item from one of the dresser drawers and pocketing it, I ushered her from the room.
At the foot of the stairs that led to the upper level, I gave her a quick warning, “Hold on tight now.”
Then I lifted her into my arms, sweeping her feet off the floor to drape over my forearm.
“Aris!” She laughed infectiously. “I am far too heavy for you to be doing this.”
“Bullshit,” I murmured, effortlessly carrying her up.
I didn’t set her down until I’d brought her to the main deck, positioning us both at the railing.
With a little flourish, I whipped the blindfold off. She blinked momentarily before her gaze swept from the vista to me and back to the scenic cliffs across the sparkling azure waters.
Her hand pressed up to her chest as she marveled at the stunning Greek coastline, the dazzling facades of limestone-washed houses tucked into the cliffsides.
“Ohhh, it is beautiful,” she purred, as delighted as I’d hoped.
An all-consuming satisfaction enveloped me. “Good. Because, since I need to make an honest woman out of you—”
Aris!” Spinning to me, she blushed brightly, thumping me with a fist.
I composed myself, dropping the teasing attitude and becoming intensely serious.
Roya stilled instantly.
“I thought we’d get married here.” My voice lowered, emotion lancing through me such that it was difficult to speak. “I know my mother can’t be with us, but perhaps in spirit . . .”
Gesturing toward the turquoise waters of my homeland, I couldn’t draw my gaze from Roya’s. Her irises began to glitter with a damp sheen.
Everything that was most important to me was right here. I’d briefly considered a reconciliation with my father before casting the thought aside.
I’d gotten all I needed from him, as well as a thousand harsh life lessons that I’d much rather leave in the past.
“You want us to get married where you can feel closer to your mother?” Roya coasted her fingertips across my lips, and I captured her wrist so I could press a lingering kiss to her digits. “I think that is perfect.”
“But I haven’t asked you yet.” I tried to smile with a lightness I didn’t feel at all.
Powerful emotions surged like the surf crashing to the cliffs’ shores.
I bent to one knee in front of the only woman to capture me so completely she’d healed something inside of me that I’d never even known was broken.
From my pocket, I pulled out the ring box.
Roya watched, eyes wide and glistening.
After lifting the hinged lid of the box, I spoke in a tight emotional rasp. “All those months ago when you first came to the club, I thought I was seeing things. You couldn’t possibly be the beautiful royal princess I’d seen at the palace and hadn’t stopped thinking about since. But you were. You were there . . . dancing.”
I stared at her, giving her every single bit of honesty I had in me while my voice crackled and dropped. “I called myself stupid for going out and buying the rubies just because you wore red. Didn’t matter. You made my body ache before you ever got near my heart.” I placed my palm over my chest, presenting the ring to her with my other hand. “You are in here now, so deep I don’t think it would beat without you. Will you marry me, Roya?”
My heart thumped away in my chest as I waited—anxiously, nervously, hopefully—for her answer.
Her hand hovered, fingers trembling before resting on the side of my face.
Her tremulous smile held an echo of awe then she said simply the best word in the world . . . “Yes.”
I took a sharp shuddering inhale of breath, something so profoundly, powerfully peaceful sliding all the way to my soul.
Grinning because the joy was too big to hold back, I slid the engagement ring on her finger. I bent my head over her hand, resting my forehead there as my lips caressed the stunning ruby engagement ring.
Then I surged to my feet. I clasped her to me, the deep languorous kiss conveying the overwhelming ecstasy of having her—this one woman—be my wife.
Radiant pleasure wreathed her face when I spun her around, the sash I’d used to blindfold her rising on the breeze to flutter out across the waters.
“I didn’t know you could be so poetic,” she gently teased, plucking another kiss from my lips.
Ducking my head, I felt a flush spread across my cheeks.
Then I growled lightly, burrowing my mouth against her neck. “You can return the favor when you write your wedding vows.”
“Hmm. What can I say about my big strong Bratva man, I wonder?”
Cupping her ass, I rubbed my lips back over hers. “Better think of something fast because I have Yas, Daisy, Konstantin, Lina, and Zain flying in tomorrow to bear witness to our nuptials.”
Surprise registered on her face, but she twined her arms around my neck. “One of those shotgun weddings, huh?”
“Unless you want to wait. Or if you want your mother and father—”
“I don’t want to wait, Aris. I want to be your wife.” Her fingers drifted through my hair. “I never wanted a big formal affair anyway. Just us and friends. Besides, I think I’ll ask Yasmin to give me away.”
My booming laugh lifted up to the skies.
And we just stood there, rocking gently together, my fingers coasting from her neck to her face, sharing kisses as the sun streamed down over us.
“I love you so much.”
“I know. I love you too. So much it . . .” Her shoulders lifted as her lips curled. “It makes me breathless with happiness. I didn’t think anything could feel so good. Being with you, loving you, makes everything that happened before worth it just because my life brought me to you, Aris.”
I nuzzled her. “There’s your vows then.”
An unstifled yawn interrupted her light laugh.
Leaning back, I squinted at her with a smirk. “Nap time?”
She rolled her eyes, striking me on the arm. “It’s not nice to tease your wife so much.”
“You’re not my wife yet. And I love teasing you too much to stop. Your cheeks get pink and your eyes all fiery, and it just makes me want to lay you down on the nearest flat surface and fuck you hard.”
All true.
