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Back before my life had changed, she’d been the head of PR for her uncle’s baseball team. Coming from a marketing background myself, I’d studied the things she did there and tried to apply it to my own work.
Now, she was Lee’s business partner. She was my best friend’s husband’s cousin. She came in one day to tear Lee a new one, and I ended up with a new friend—and likely saved Lee some heartburn.
It was Frankie who talked me into throwing Lee a proper birthday party. I’d wanted to do something for him, to show my love and appreciation for everything he did for me. The two of us planned a low-key surprise party for him at our apartment, and it was a perfect day.
Most of Lee’s staff had come, along with a couple of Vinny’s friends and even some of their clients. My parents came to help me set up, then cooed over Rosie from the minute Jen arrived until it was time for her to go.
They were the last to leave. Quite frankly, I didn’t deserve them. They helped clean up and gave extra hugs and made sure to let Lee know how much they loved him.
When they finally left, Lee closed the door behind them and turned to face me with a wide smile on his handsome face. I let out a sigh and sank into the cushions on the couch.
“Didn’t think they were ever going to leave.”
Lee chuckled as he crossed the living room and stopped in front of me. “They’re sweet. They’re too good to me.”
I scoffed, sitting up and taking both his hands. “You’re too good to me. They’re just thanking you for taking me off their hands.”
Lee tugged me up off the couch, wrapping an arm around my back and pulling me close. “I’m the one who should be thanking them.” He dropped a kiss to my lips, then gave me three more. “Without them, I wouldn’t have you, and then I wouldn’t be the happiest man in the world.”
“The happiest, huh?”
“Absolutely.” Lee captured my mouth before I could respond, kissing me until I forgot what I wanted to say. I swayed on my feet, and if it hadn’t been for his arm around my back, I likely would have fallen to the floor or splayed unladylike across the couch. “Can’t get enough of you, Kell.”
Clinging to his shirt, I pushed up on my toes and tried to kiss him again. He edged back each time I got close, swooped in when I backed away, and did it again. He teased me until I was flustered and hungry for more than just his kiss.
“Gah!” I tugged on his shirt, but it only served to bare a sliver of his chest through the open collar.
Which only made my brain short circuit as I remembered what was underneath. My brain worked well enough to command my fingers to flick through his buttons, and my mouth watered as I unveiled every hard packed muscle and the trail of copper hair that complemented the Adonis belt slipping into his waistband.
I wanted to fall to my knees and worship every inch of him. I wanted to peel his tight jeans off his thick thighs and build a shrine in honor of the bulge in his pants.
Except… that bulge.
Brow furrowed, I glanced up at Lee. He was staring down at me with so much goddamn love in his eyes that I wanted to scream. I didn’t deserve him. I didn’t deserve…
Lee reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. Then he lowered himself to one knee, holding the box before me even as I fell to the floor, ruining the whole damn thing like I was prone to do.
“Kelly Shea O’Connor.” His voice shook as he spoke. He took my hand and pulled me close. “From the moment I first met you, I knew there was something special about you. You seeped into my mind and into my heart, and there’s nothing I could do to get you out. I fell in love with you, and I’m still falling every day. Will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?”
“Lee.” I gasped as he opened the box. The gleaming silver ring was topped off with an emerald-cut diamond, accentuated with emeralds and sapphires that glistened in the overhead lights. Tears gathered in my eyes as he pulled the ring free from the box and slipped it onto my finger. They slid down my cheeks as he pulled me into his arms and kissed me until I couldn’t breathe.
“Marry me, baby. Tell me you’ll be mine.”
“Yes.” I pressed my lips to his until a sob tore through me, pulling me away. “Yes, of course.”
“Thank fuck.” Lee lifted me off the floor, then stood, pulling me with him as he went. He sealed his mouth over mine, his lips caressing and his tongue prodding until I was opening for him, giving into the press and swirl, the perfect dance that we’d practiced and memorized over our months together.
Lee’s big hands smoothed over my body, clutching and pressing, cradling as he lowered me to the bed. His eyes were heated in the dim evening light, and I swore I could feel it. Swore I could feel the flames licking my skin and warming me every second his gaze skated over my body.
“Wanna make love to you,” he whispered, because the man was too damn good to me, warning me so I wouldn’t get scared. So I wouldn’t freeze up or strike out.
I wanted him so badly, though, there was no fight in my body, except that I’d fight like hell if he tried to walk away.
“I want you to.”
With the tears streaming from my eyes, I wasn’t sure Lee would believe my words. After a long moment, he reached forward, snagging my pants and peeling them off my legs. He muttered under his breath, the same way I often caught him when he found me naked in the shower or our bed.
“Can’t fuckin’ believe how beautiful you are,” he told me, pressing a kiss to my knee before reaching for the other. “Can’t fuckin’ believe you’re mine.”
