Blue Lines(128)

“It won’t be easy,” he went on, smiling up at her. “I’m hard to love but when I mess up, I promise I’ll do everything to make it better because I want you. Only you. For the rest of my life. I love you, Piper Titov, and you are mine. Marry me … again, and know that I will love only you for the rest of my existence.”

Piper closed her eyes. She had waited for this day since the very first moment she set eyes on this man. As she opened them she knew there was only one thing she could say.

“Yes, Mr. Titov, because you are the only man I want to give my heart to.”

Grinning, Erik stood up, pressing his lips to hers. Her hand came up, holding his face as she deepened the kiss. She knew she would never get enough of his kisses and would love this man forever. Drawing her face back from his, she grinned just as Dimitri stirred in her arms.

Erik looked down at Dimitri and said, “Hear that, bud? Momma said yes!”

Dimitri was looking up at them with wide, innocent eyes. Piper laughed along with Erik and then watched as Erik took the ring from Dimitri’s fist and reached for her hand.

Taking her other ring off, he said, “I know you don’t like flashy stuff but I want the whole world to know how much I love you.”

Piper cried happy tears as he slid her new ring on her finger and slid the other one in beside it. Erik leaned over, kissing her mouth again and pressed his forehead against hers.

Piper whispered, “I’m sorry I gave up and didn’t give you the love you needed when it mattered most.”

“We learn from our mistakes and the main thing was that we weren’t broken, Piper, we were just bent. We still have so much learning to do, but together we can do it. I love you and nothing will ever change that,” he said, rubbing his nose along hers.

She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the sweet sensation. “I may change my mind on everything else in this world, but you and Dimitri are the two people I am sure of.”

“So me and you to the end?”

She nodded. “And Dimitri.”

“I love you, Mrs. Titov.”

Piper grinned as she said, “And I love you, too, Mr. Titov.”

He moved his mouth to hers, kissing her softly as his fingers tangled in her hair. She felt as if her heart was going to explode from all the love she was feeling. She knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy road for them, but looking deep into Erik’s dark eyes, she knew that even though he was a hard guy to love, she would never love a man the way she loved him.

When Dimitri started to cry, she realized she had the love of two of the greatest people in the world.

Her man and her son.

What more could she ask for?