Chapter 229


    The song choice from me to Jake is ying across the floor surrounding us as we sway. We’re still


    wrapped up in each other our eyes focused intently. The swell of happiness between us is infectious


    and I don’t think either of us has stopped smiling since his dance-floor proposal an hour ago. I truly


    know happiness beyond all bounds. I wanted to reply to his song, after all it was our tradition, and in a


    grand fashion to match his, the DJ was more than happy to oblige when the orchestra finally took their


    leave.


    E Henderson “Yours” ys beautifully across the room, telling him everything I want to say right now.


    He sways me around the dance floor for the hundredth time, wrapped in his arms and smiling like


    crazy. Feeling like I could die from contentment. People were congratting us the whole way through


    the meal and neither of us has managed to stop touching the other; smiling brightly with only eyes for


    each other. I can’t stop ncing at my hand over his wide shoulder to the understated delicate diamond


    ring, showing me he’d really thought about what I would like. Non-showy, vintage, and perfectly me. He


    chose something that I would’ve chosen for myself, elegant and meaningful, rather than a disy of


    wealth. Jake knows me a lot better than I think he gives himself credit for.


    Sarah appeared and enveloped me in kisses and tears as soon as I had that ring on my finger. She’s


    now swaying with Marcus, feet away on the floor, looking merry and drunk, and very much like a girl in


    love. Marcus is looking quite groomed and a little different, eyes aglow with infatuation for Sarah,


    evident on the face of a man I’ve never warmed to. Maybe I’ve always been too harsh on him, seeing


    them together with new eyes, the love evident between them, and the way they seem to fit so


    effortlessly together, like Jake and I do but in their own way.


    I can’t help but look back at the man of my dreams and take in every part of that face. Someone has


    his attention to the left of me, and he’s smiling and answering with an amused furrowed brow, his sultry


    low voice always makes my blood pump faster. His arms around my waist tightly, mine around his


    neck, bow tie now undone and hanging loose at each side of his cor. The jacket is gone and shirt


    open at the top. He looks exactly like he should, sexually casual, and a little rough around the edges,


    yet confidently tailored to perfection even when his tie is discarded. The boyish bad boy Carrero always


    dominating every part of him and it’s exactly who I always want him to be.


    The whole night is a blur of smiles, giddiness, and floaty memories of people I know hugging me, and


    lots and


    lots of kissing. Jake has kissed my lipstick off, kissed me until my cheeks are permanently blushed, and


    my mouth puffy.


    Yet that doesn’t seem to be able to stave off the craving to kiss me more, not that I’mining.


    Kissing Jake is my


    all-time favorite thing in the world. That seductive mouth locked onto mine bringing our hearts together


    as one. No one makes me feel the way he does with something so simple as a gentle brushing of lips.


    Just the proximity of him to me, eyes locked and noses touching, makes every part of me surrender to


    his will.


    Jake stops talking to whoever has his attention and turns back to give it all to me, another kiss and soft


    grazing of noses that make my body tingle for him. He knows no bounds when ites to being tender


    and gentle with me, and I love that it’s a part of him reserved only for me and our unborn child. The


    side of him that the world never sees and probably couldn’t associate with the ‘yboy Carrero


    Casanova’ public figure that women still drool over. He was never that way with his endless


    meaningless women, never so touchy and adoring with them at all and it only highlights what I mean to


    him.


    “You thought I was going to say no, didn’t you? Even though we were technically engaged.” I sway with


    him, nowpletely rxed, with so much heart swelling


    love. Moving to the music emphasizes his powerful body and he positions my feet to stand on the


    shoes of his toes so he can dance me around, reaching my lips a little better. I feel


    like a child, but with his arms encircling me tightly I don’t want to be anywhere else. He always has a


    way of making me feel protected and cared for, even if it’s just propping sunsses on my face in


    bright light or taking off my


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    shoes in the car home after a dance, or swirling me around on his feet so I can stand and rx as he


    takes control of


    my movements.


    “The thought crossed my mind about a million times once we got here. I’m not going to lie I started to


    panic that I was going about this the wrong way, bambino.” He grimaces at the memory and scoops


    down to kiss me again. His face one of confidence, showing no hint of doubt now. Camera’s sh


    nearby but Jake ispletely oblivious to paparazzi attention, I on the other hand am still adjusting.


    “I love you, Mr. Carrero. This was beyond perfect.” I smile lovingly.


    The fireworks disysted forty-five minutes and was beyond spectacr. We crowded outside in


    droves, after the emotion of the moment calmed down, and saw thest half of the most magnificent


    fireworks disy ever. Jake draped his jacket around me and held me in his arms for warmth while we


    watched in awed silence. He certainly supplied, as promised ‘Fireworks and a floor show’ and in true


    Jake Carrero style it was go big or go home.


    He smiles back.


    “Mrs. Carrero … Emma Carrero. God, I love how that sounds.” He moves his forehead to mine and


    continues to move our feet in time to the bad. “I can’t imagine anything more perfect than this.” He


    brings a hand to my face and trails his fingertips across my bottom lip, oblivious to the shes of


    cameras nearby going off repetitively again. Unfortunately, the press appeared at some point. I’m not


    sure if they caught the moment he proposed but they were here for the fireworks and seem to like the


    tender moments we are having a little too much.


    We’re moving around lost in each other’s eyes when we be aware ofmotion behind us;


    raised voices and the smashing of a ss. I turn to see what’s going on and I’mpletely


    unsurprised to see iting from Daniel and Le, off to one side of the floor amid a group of gaping


    bystanders …


    “Why are you here with him?” Daniel has Le by the wrist and she’s struggling to wrench it free; fiery


    furytched onto fiery fury. Daniel looks poised and ready to beat someone with a death re across


    that handsome face. His grip on Le only entuates how muscr he is.


    I never really notice it when he’s with Jake since Jake is much broader. He is equally tall, with sandy


    blonde hair, and piercing blue eyes, and right now he’s terrifying; aggression rippling through him the


    same way it seems to ignite Jake. I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of them as a pair.


    “Shit,” Jake mutters and lets me go, lifting me from his shoes, pulling me with him. He heads their way


    in a rather brisk fashion.


    “It’s nothing to do with you who I date.” Le spits back, eyes ring at him from her much smaller


    height, arm wrenching and attempting to kick him with her killer pointed heels, just as Jake intervenes.


    “Daniel, take this outside,e on. It’s too public here and the press are lurking because of my


    engagement.” Jake nods toward the men mulling around with cameras, aiming this way. Jake keeps


    my hand in his and draws me closer to shield the pair from probing lenses. Daniel looks around as


    though realizing where we are, his face softens a little, and I can’t help but feel a twinge of heartache


    for him at the utter devastation on his face. Kurt is lurking nearby but even I can tell he knows he’s no


    match for Daniel Hunter, not in the slightest; that dominant alpha male thing that Jake exudes is a


    Hunter trait too.


    Le snatches her hand away and turns to Jake, imploringly, raising her hands inplete frustration.


    “There’s nothing to take outside … I’m. Not. Interested!” She throws her hands on her hips in defiance,


    but Daniel scoops her up in his arms in a sh, ignoring any attempts from her to refuse him, and turns


    on his heel to march out toward the pitch-ck gardens with a look of sheer rage. There’s a sh of


    cameras and Jake grimaces, grabs my hand a little more firmly, pulling me to follow the bickering pair


    into the night air.


    We stop a few times to thank well-wishers in passing, as if it’s the most surreal thing ever. I can see


    Hunter’s back with a struggling pair of legs sticking out to one side. They disappear behind a swaying


    velvet curtain and I have the urge to go follow them in a hurry.


    “Put me down … NOW!” there’s an unmistakable yell as we get into the cooler night air and dim lights.


    Jake pulls the doors closed behind us and a waiter inside draws the curtains instinctively. I blink back at


    the movement and catch a tight look on Jake’s face. It makes me wonder if he issued themand for


    privacy. Or maybe the staff of this establishment are used to safeguarding its high-profile clientele from


    the media. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to their intruding presence.


    Jake pulls me in front of him, wrapping his arms around my shoulders now we’re about seven feet


    away from the pair.


    Le is sitting as stiff and as straight as she can in his hold. Her legs taught and knees together, arms


    folded across her chest, staring straight ahead to avoid his re. It would be almostical if it weren’t


    for that hopeless look on Hunter’s face as he gazes at the rigid little woman in his arms. I can see the


    love he has for her pouring out like a waterfall.


    “Not until you tell me you’re going to break up with that asshole, Le.” Daniel is beyond livid, speaking


    through gritted teeth, sounding every bit the jealous boyfriend. I nce at Jake aware of another


    simrity and catch him smirking back at me.


    At least he knows it.


    Daniel has an air of aggression that Jake usually emanates and for a moment I think he might chuck


    Le on the ground. The way he’s taking in her stubborn face and closed-off posture I wouldn’t me


    him right now. The girl is more stubborn than me and has less ability to give any leeway.


    “He wants to marry me. Why would I dump a guy who actually wants love andmitment from me?”


    She spits at him sarcastically, wriggling instead, realizing neither of them are going to back down with


    this odd standoff.


    Daniel drops Le down onto her own feet and yanks her around to face him with a little too much fury.


    He’s holding her by the upper arms, so they are inches apart, ducking his head to try to bridge their


    height difference.


    I tense up, ready to wade in at his vtile behavior,


    but Jake’s arms on me tighten. He obviously knows Daniel would never physically hurt her or I would


    be behind him right now.