Staking His Claim

This is why he’d needed to distract her. If she kept talking to him in her husky voice, touching him at every opportunity, he’d screw this up. With a hand on her chin, he tipped her face up for a kiss. It started sweet, but as usual, the taste of her, the weight of her on his lap, made him hard. His body didn’t care that they would be arriving at their destination in ten minutes, it wanted to be tucked snugly between her legs. Lucy’s ass circled in his lap and they groaned into each other’s mouth. All it would take was a few shifts of their clothing and he’d be seated in her tight heat.

No, that’s not what today was about. Later. He’d have to wait until later. Even if it killed him. Matt pulled away, but pressed light kisses to her lips until her breathing evened.

“What did you get me for my birthday?”

Her jaw dropped. “You told me not to get you anything.”

“Since when do you listen to me?”

She looked up at him from underneath her eyelashes. “I listen to you all the time.”

Yes, she certainly did. The reminder made him want to press her back onto the leather seat and reward her for just how well. “Outside the bedroom, Lucy.”

“You got me there.”

Matt waited, frowning at the way her fingers fidgeted with her skirt.

“Don’t overreact. I booked us flights to Florida to meet my parents. They’re for next month. But they’re refundable.”

He grabbed her hand to stop the distracting movements, but he didn’t say anything. Couldn’t with the lump in his throat. She wanted to introduce him to her parents. Apart from what he hoped to gain from her today, that faith in him was the best present she could have given him. He leaned in and kissed her, long and hard, until he found his voice. “Don’t cancel them. I want to go.”

Her smile made his chest hurt, so he tucked her head back under his chin. They stayed that way, Matt stroking her hair, until they were a few blocks from their destination. Thankfully, Lucy looked too lost in her own thoughts to determine where exactly they were in the city. Just to be on the safe side, he pulled the blindfold out of his pocket. She didn’t flinch or question him when he tied it over her eyes. Her trust in him was so absolute, he wanted to crush her against his chest and never let go. Soon. Later.

When the driver opened the door, Matt took Lucy’s hand and helped her out. He nodded at the man to wait, then led her down the path. A curious smile curled her lips at the end, but the frown between her eyebrows told her she didn’t know their location. Finally, they reached the spot he’d been leading her to and removed the blindfold…to reveal her grandparents’ bench.

She looked down at it, then back up at him, tears in her eyes. “Matt?”

He kept his eyes locked on her face as her mother and father stepped out from behind the surrounding trees, along with Brent and Hayden. Troy and his girlfriend, Ruby. Story and Daniel were there, too. Every single one of them was smiling, happy about what he was about to do. Not dreading it, not wishing she would have done better. It made his heart swell until he could barely breathe.

Lucy let out a watery laugh and fell back on the bench. Right where he wanted her. She must have thought such a public proposal was hard for him, because when he got down on one knee, she reached out and clasped his face in her hands, rubbing her thumbs along his cheeks. Didn’t she know this was the easiest decision he’d ever made in his life?

“Lucy Mason, you brought the color in. You brought me to life when I didn’t even realize I’d stopped breathing.” He laid his hand over hers on his cheek. “Now I can’t get enough air. It’s everywhere because of you.” When he pulled the ring out of his jacket and popped open the lid, she didn’t take her eyes off his face for a second. “Be my air. Let me be yours. Forever. Marry me, Lucy.”

“Yes.” She knelt down in front of him on the ground, meeting him halfway as always. “Yes, Matt. Of course, yes.”

Everyone he’d invited to the proposal cheered around them, including a few bystanders who’d stopped to witness the scene. He held her tight against him, as the group closed in around them.

“Triple wedding. I hope you’re ready,” Story said on a laugh.

Lucy laid a soft kiss on his lips. “We’re ready for anything.”