Raising up on one elbow, I gently fisted her hair in my hand, and stared into her eyes as I moved slowly inside her. Her breathing was rough, and when it began getting erratic, her eyes fluttered shut.

“Keep them open,” I said in a gentle command.

Her heavy lids opened as she tightened around me, seconds before she came with a hushed whimper and breathy exhale. I followed her with my own release, never once taking my eyes off her.

“I love you, Maci,” I said into her ear, and kissed her neck as I pulled out of her, rolling us to the side. Her smile was one I hadn’t seen before, and I pushed back the hair that had fallen into her face before cupping her cheek with my hand. “What?”

“It’s still surreal to hear you say that,” she admitted after a few seconds.

“You’re gonna have to get used to it, sweetheart. I’m going to be saying it for a long time.”

“I’m sure I will eventually.” She winked and curled into my arms. “You just promised me seventy years, didn’t you?”

“At least.”

Seventy years of this. Seventy years of Maci, and our kind of crazy. That sounded like heaven to me.

Epilogue

One year later . . .

Connor

I SAT ON the edge of the bed, letting my hand run through her vibrant red hair, and smiled when she made a little noise of approval in her sleep. She was so beautiful, and waking up early to watch her as she slept was still one of my favorite things.

Once we’d gotten back from the trip to Mammoth last year, everything had changed. Something about not hiding anymore had made my relationship with Maci change in a way I hadn’t known was possible. I’d craved her before, and had realized almost too late that I was in love with her. But now I felt like I couldn’t breathe without her, and every day there was something new that made me fall in love with her more.

Since she was in love with her apartment, and I loved using her showerhead on her, I’d moved into her place within a week of getting back, and had continued to pay rent on my apartment until my lease was up two months later.

Dakota, Dylan, and I had talked things out. I’d known they were trying to protect her, but it took us a while for me to get over the feeling of betrayal at how they’d reacted and what I’d let them talk me into . . . and for them to get over their own fear of me hurting her . . . well, and the fact that I was sleeping with their sister.

Honestly, I think the only reason they eventually got over that one was seeing their sister with me. Maci’s brothers had always been too overprotective, but in their minds they were watching out for her. Since Maci and I were no longer hiding, her tough exterior with her brothers had started slipping away, and she showed the Maci that I’d fallen in love with. Seeing her happy with me was all they needed to get over the rest.

Don’t get me wrong. She was still feisty and didn’t put up with anyone’s bullshit . . . and I fucking loved it. But she didn’t act like she was heartless—or didn’t care—anymore, and I think all four of her brothers loved having the real Maci around.

Letting my knuckles brush her cheek, I leaned in and kissed her soft lips. “Wake up, Maci.”

One eye cracked open before shutting again as she curled her body closer to mine. “Sleep.”

“It’s Christmas morning, you really want to sleep right now?” When she nodded her head, I laughed softly and made a trail of lazy kisses down her throat to her chest.

She moaned and turned onto her back, her hands going into my hair as she slowly opened her eyes to watch me. “Mmm, well if I’d known this was what you wanted,” she said as her hands traveled down my chest to my drawstring pants.

I wouldn’t be able to stop myself if she continued, so I pushed up off her, and laughed against her mouth when she tried to follow me with a growl. “Not right now, baby, I have a fire going upstairs, and no one else is up yet. Besides, I’m not having sex with you when your brother is on the opposite side of this wall.”

Her gray eyes were heated, and I almost tore off her clothes when she grabbed my hand, kissed my palm, and then ran it over her throat. “Well then maybe you should make sure I’m kept quiet.”

I thought back to the other night when we’d snuck out of the cabin, and I’d taken her right there in the fresh snow, as more snow fell all around us. She’d started getting loud from the combination of me torturing her by getting her as close as possible before backing off, and playing with her nipples and clit with the icy snow. That night I’d had to keep her from making any more noises, and that had just made it hotter for both of us. But that was outside in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep, not in a room next to her brother when everyone would be waking up soon.

I kissed her thoroughly before pulling her off the bed. “Fuck, Maci, you’re going to be the death of me, I swear.” She started to pout, and I bit down on that perfect bottom lip. “Come on, let’s go spend some time together before everyone is up and it gets crazy in here.”

After we were upstairs, and I’d pulled her onto my lap in the big chair near the fireplace, she covered us with a blanket and lowered her head onto my chest as we watched the snow fall outside.

“Merry Christmas, Connor,” she whispered and played with my hand, which was resting on her stomach. The other was shoved into the side of the chair, feeling the box I’d stashed between the cushion and frame.

“Merry Christmas, sweetheart.” I had to swallow a few times before I could speak again. I tried to keep the tremor out of my voice, but I’m sure I failed. “I was thinking that when we get back, we can start packing up right away. We can take things over slowly, or choose a day and just do it all at once.”

“Wait, what?” She turned so she was straddling me, her eyebrows pinched together as she looked at me in confusion.

“I’m fine with whichever way you choose, but we’ll only have two weeks to get out of the apartment.”

“Get out of the apartment? Why? What are you talking about?”

Leaving the box where it was, I pulled my hand out of the cushion and grabbed the chain around my neck that I’d hidden with my sweatshirt, and slowly pulled it off. Maci’s eyes widened when she saw the key hanging on the end of it, and I smiled when they began darting between the key and me.

“I think it’s time for us to get a place a little bigger, don’t you?” I asked with a wink.

“Where does this key go to?” she asked breathlessly.

“Where do you think?” I nipped at her lips, and laughed when she gasped loudly.

“Connor, don’t fuck with me right now! Is this to the house I wanted?” I just smiled at her and she shook her head quickly back and forth. “They told us it had already been bought, I thought . . . wait . . . I don’t understand!”

“That’s because I’d already bought it, sweetheart. Hearing the way you said you’d always loved that house . . . well it wasn’t hard to know that you’d want to check into it once we’d actually started looking.”

She crushed her mouth to mine, and repeatedly said, “Thank you,” over and over as I slipped the chain over her head.

Grabbing the box, I pulled it out of the cushion and slowly worked it open with one hand as I spoke against her lips. “Besides, didn’t you always say it had a perfect backyard for a wedding? And I want an actual house for when I carry you over the threshold as my wife, and when we have children.”

Maci sat up straight, her gray eyes were wide, and it looked like she was holding her breath.

Once I had the ring between my fingers, I grabbed her left hand and slowly slid it on her ring finger. “Maci Price . . . will you marry me?”

Tears filled her eyes before slowly falling over and down her cheeks. She just sat there on my lap staring at the diamond on her hand before she grabbed my head and fused our mouths together.

“Is that a yes?” I asked when she dropped her head as she cried, and smiled before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead when she just nodded. “I need to hear you say it.”

When she looked back up, her eyes were bright with tears, and the most beautiful smile was lighting up her face. “Yes, Connor, I’ll marry you.” She kissed me again. “And move into that house with you, get married in the backyard, and have kids with you. Yes to all of it. I want it, everything,” she cried softly before kissing me harder.

Cupping her face, I pulled back to look in her eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Does this mean we can start planning the wedding?” A harsh whisper came from behind me, and I rolled my eyes as Maci’s head jerked up.

“Yes, Amber, it means we can start planning the wedding now,” I answered monotone, but winked at Maci.

“Wait! She knew? And you didn’t tell me? You bitch!”

I just shrugged as Amber bounced over to us and grabbed Maci’s left hand. “I needed help picking your ring out.”

“Does this mean you already asked her?” a new voice asked behind me.

Maci looked up again as her parents came in the room and she slapped her hands down on my chest. “For fucking real. Did everyone know?”

I smiled as her brothers and sisters-in-law all came out of hiding and confirmed her question. “You mad at me, baby?”

“Yeah, I totally am! I can’t believe they all knew before—”

I pulled her to me, and silenced her with my mouth. “No you’re not,” I whispered and deepened the kiss.

She melted against my chest and smiled lazily. “You’re right. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”

“So you sure you’re ready for all this?”

“I’m ready,” she whispered and dragged her lips across my jaw. “I want everything with you.”

I couldn’t agree more. I wanted everything . . . and as long as it was with this girl in my lap, I was ready for it all.