I touch the diamond pendant at my throat. "You shouldn't have gotten me anything else. I know this necklace must have cost a fortune."
"It didn't. But this … this was two months' salary."
Two months' salary? Oh mercy.
He holds out a black velvet box and snaps open the top to unveil the most beautiful engagement ring I've ever seen. White gold. A square solitaire in the center surrounded by a halo of smaller diamonds. My dream wedding ring.
He goes down on both of his knees and takes the ring out of the box. "Our story began with a love and connection neither of us could label or understand. That's because we're a fucking living-and-breathing fairy tale. I don't want to chase any more false happily-ever-afters. I want to start living the true one with you. It's time for us to do life together."
I wasn't expecting any of this. I'm stunned speechless.
He holds the ring between his thumb and index finger. "Say you'll be my wife, Claud."
Zero hesitation. "Yes, yes, yes. I want to be your wife."
Bram takes the ring from its box and slides it on my finger. "It's your birthday but I'm the one receiving the greatest gift of all."
I hold out my hand in awe. "It's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen."
He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses the top. "Claudia Laine Windsor. It sounds good."
"It doesn't just sound good. It sounds perfect."
"When do you want to tell everyone?"
"Now?" I want the world to know that I'm going to be Mrs. Windsor.
"You can forget that. Neither one of us is leaving this bed anytime soon." He gets up and climbs over me. "It's just you and me tonight, Mrs. Windsor."
"Whatever you say, Mr. Windsor."
12
Bram Windsor
I'm in the middle of round three with Claudia when the doorbell begins to ring incessantly. Common sense tells me this can't be good. No one shows up at your door in the middle of the night unless something bad is going on.
I stop thrusting despite being so close to getting off. "Dammit."
"Who do you think that is?"
I live in an apartment complex. Lots of crazy shit goes on with neighbors. Hence, one of the reasons I want to get a house as soon as possible. Especially now that I'm going to have a wife.
"Could be a drunk neighbor. Or maybe someone is at the wrong door."
Claudia slips her hand around the back of my neck. "I don't want you to answer it."
"Well, I at least need to look out the window and make sure no one's dying on my doorstep."
"Don't open the door if it's someone you don't know. Nothing good can be going on if a stranger is at your door this late."
"Not arguing with you there, babe." People do crazy shit.
I pull out of her and curse a blue streak as I get out of bed; the fucker at the door just won't stop ringing the damn doorbell.
I yank on my jeans. No shirt. No underwear. No reason for it. I plan on coming right back to bed and finishing off my girl's pound cake with a nice drizzle.
"Oh my God. Do they have to ring the bell fifteen thousand times?"
Claudia sits up and reaches for her sexy-ass little gown on the floor. "No fucking way. I want you naked when I come back to bed. I'm not even close to being done with you."
"Mercy, Duke. We've done it three times. I thought guys needed time to recoup."
"Technically, it was two and a half, which really only counts as two since I didn't finish." I was gentle-gentler than I wanted to be. And I made certain she was plenty slick every time. "Are you sore? Do you need a break?"
"Oh no. I'm fine. More than fine. Just surprised you were able to do it again so soon."
"Good. Because I have something different in mind when I come back."
"Different?"
"Don't worry. You'll like it. I promise."
"I'll be right here naked and waiting."
I swear a motherfucker better be bleeding. That's the only reason I'll forgive whoever this is for interrupting us.
I peek out the blinds before opening the door with every intention of getting my pistol if I don't recognize the person on the other side of it. But I do recognize his face.
Owen pushes his way past me when I open the door. "What the fuck are you doing ringing my doorbell like a maniac in the middle of the night?"
"What the fuck am I doing? I think it's more like what the fuck are you doing?"
Shit. That's not good. Does he know? Has he figured out that Claudia and I are together? "What are you talking about?"