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“I know that too.” He brings my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles just above the ring. “Wear it when we go out, when you want to remind the world that you’re Mrs. King. The rest of the time, knowing you’re mine is enough.”

The possessiveness in his voice sends a shiver down my spine. “Always yours,” I assure him, touched by the gesture and the thought behind it. “Even without the hardware.”

“Good.” His fingers trail up my arm, raising goosebumps despite the tropical heat. “Because I plan to spend the rest of my life proving how much you mean to me.”

I study the ring again, admiring how it catches the light. “It really is gorgeous. But this is way too much. I don’t even want to think about what it cost.”

He chuckles, the sound vibrating through his chest where I’m pressed against him. “It’s nothing. You’re worth every penny and more.”

“Shameless flatterer.” I trace the intricate metalwork with my finger, appreciating the craftsmanship. “Where did you even find something like this?”

“Had it made.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, his touch lingering. “Took the designer months to get it exactly right. I wanted something as unique as you are.”

Months. The word catches me off guard. “How long have you been planning this?”

“Since our wedding night.” His expression grows serious. “When you put aside your badge, your principles, everything you believed in to marry me. I know you acted like this was nothing more than a marriage of convenience or protection, but you still married me. You wouldn’t have agreed to it no matter what I said unless you really wanted it. You might not have known it at the time, but I did.”

That night had been a disaster for me. I was overly emotional and drunk. But he’s right. I still willingly married him. “We make quite a team,” I manage.

“The best.” He pulls me closer, fingers resuming their lazy patterns on my skin. “Though I still think you’re too good for me. I’m luck you love someone like me.”

“Probably,” I agree, making him laugh. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

We fall into comfortable silence, listening to the waves and the distant calls of seabirds. The sun has shifted, painting the water in deepening shades of turquoise and azure. Soon it will start its descent, treating us to another spectacular sunset.

“Should we get dressed for dinner?” I ask eventually, though I make no move to leave our cozy nest.

“Mmm, not yet.” His hand slides lower, cupping my ass possessively. “I’m not done appreciating the view.”

Heat pools low in my belly at his touch. “The view, huh?”

“Mmm.” His other hand tangles in my hair, tugging gently until I meet his darkened gaze. “My beautiful wife, naked in paradise, wearing nothing but my ring. It’s quite a sight.”

“Your ring isverysparkly,” I tease, even as my breath quickens. “Hard to compete with that.”

“You outshine it completely.” He pulls me up for a searing kiss that leaves no doubt about his intentions. “Let me show you how much.”

I melt into him, letting everything else fall away. The ring glitters on my finger as I brace myself against his chest, a tangible reminder of how far we’ve come. From reluctant allies to passionate lovers. From a marriage of convenience to a partnership deeper than I ever imagined possible.

His hands roam my body with familiar reverence, touching me like he’s mapping territory he never wants to forget. I arch into him, craving more, always more.

“Mine,” he growls against my throat, marking me with teeth and tongue.

“Yours,” I agree breathlessly, because it’s true. Just as he’s mine—the good and the bad, the light and the dark, all of it.

The sun continues its slow descent, painting us in gold as we lose ourselves in each other. Dinner can wait. Right now, there’s nothing more important than this—this moment, this man, this love we’ve built against all odds.

Tomorrow we’ll return to reality, to the complexities of our lives and the challenges we still face. But for now, we have this perfect slice of paradise. And I plan to savor every second of it.

“I love you,” I whisper against his lips, meaning it more than ever.

His response is to kiss me deeper, harder, until I forget everything but the feel of him. The ring catches the fading light, throwing sparkles across our skin like stars coming out early.

Paradise indeed.

The waves continue their steady rhythm against the shore, providing a timeless soundtrack to our love. Soon the sun willsink below the horizon in a blaze of color, but we’re in no hurry to move. We have all the time in the world.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.