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“Yeah.”

Within a few minutes, Jake’s breathing evened out. Unable to sleep, I opened my eyes to see my new engagement ring sparkle in the moonlight streaming through the window.

I didn’t know much about jewelry, but I knew it was exceptional. The unique, platinum band was elaborately intertwined and dotted with sparkling diamonds. In the center was a good-sized, round diamond. It was gorgeous and different.

It was perfect.

“I’m gonna be Mrs. Jacoby Hyde,” I whispered to myself as happy tears pooled in my eyes.

“Fuck yeah, you are,” Jake said, startling me with his gruff response. After shifting me to straddle him, he leaned up and cupped the back of my head. His mouth took mine savagely, leaving me panting when he sank back into his pillow. Using his hold on me, he tucked my forehead into his neck. “I love you, Piper.”

“Love you, too.” I kissed his jaw, feeling the stubble on my sensitive, swollen lips.

We lay in comfortable silence for a while until Jake broke it, bizarrely saying, “I’m good at my job.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Though I don’t know why you’re stating the obvious.”

“The kinda work I do is labor intensive and intricate, which means I can charge a shitload. Which I do.”

“Okay…”

“Your place? It’s a home. This is a crash pad. I picked it ‘cause it’s close to work and was available. That’s it. Barely fuckin’ looked at it before I signed the lease. That was seven years ago. Never bothered wastin’ time doin’ shit with it ‘cause it was never gonna be a home.”

“Really?” I’d noticed the first time he brought me here that there was nothing personal. I’d wondered if maybe he’d recently moved in. I couldn’t imagine living in such a sparse place forsevenyears.

“I went out with the guys. Worked on my car and bike. Normally that’d be a seriously fuckin’ expensive habit, but since I get the parts for cost and do the labor myself, it’s not.

I sat up and looked down at him. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m not following.”

“I got more fuckin’ money than I know what to do with, but I still worked seven days a week. I had the kinda fun that meant I spent each night alone in a fuckin’ crash pad. I was livin’, but I wasn’talive. I wasn’t breathin’. I was fuckin’ color-blind, tastin’ nothin’ but sour and bitter.” Even in the dim moonlight, I could see the intensity in his eyes. “You brought me sweetness. Brought me color and brightness. You’ve got me breathin’ deep and doin’ it easy. Lovin’ life. Not just enjoyin’ it. Fuckin’lovin’it.”

“Jacoby.” Tears stung my eyes as I pushed his hair away from his face.

Grabbing my wrist, he pulled my hand to his mouth and kissed my palm. “I’m gonna spend the rest of my life takin’ you places. Buyin’ you shit. You tell me I don’t have to but you’re wrong. Ineedto give it to you. ‘Cause I’ve had nothin’ but fuckin’ gray. Nothin’ but a nasty taste in my mouth. Now the rest of my life will be nothin’ but bright and sweet. I could give you the fuckin’ moon and still owe you.”

“Jake, you give me just as much.”

“Thirty-four fuckin’ years of that shit, Piper. So I’m gonna keep buyin’ you sexy as fuck dresses and fuck-me heels. Bracelets that you smile while lookin’ at. A home for us. Yeah?”

“As long as you know you’re the only thing I need. Well, and the home with you. But I’ll help with buying—”

“Don’t finish that sentence.”

Unable to work up the fight, I sighed. “We’ll talk about it later.”

“Never,” he muttered. “Long day tomorrow. Get some sleep, yeah?”

“Yeah.” I tried to fall to the side, but Jake’s hold on me tightened.

“No. Just stay like this a little longer, yeah?”

“Just for a few minutes, then I need to get comfy.” I closed my eyes, enjoying his hands rubbing my back and playing with my hair.

Another minute or so.

Five, tops.

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