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Our gazes lock as I come undone below him, his name spilling from my lips as pleasure crashes through me. My back arches off the bed as my eyes squeeze tight. Brody follows moments later, his breathing uneven as he slams into me, losing himself.
“Now, everything is right in the world,” I say to him, repeating the words he said earlier.
After cleanup, we stay wrapped in each other’s arms. Our heart rates begin to slow, and breathing returns to normal. His fingers comb through my hair, and it feels so damn good. For a long moment, neither of us speaks, simply absorbing the magnitude of what we’ve shared.
Finally, Brody nuzzles his nose against mine and captures my lips. When he pulls away, his gaze is serious but somehow soft. “One day, I’m going to marry you, Harp.”
My breath catches, my heart stuttering in my chest. “You want me as your wife?”
“Fuck yes.” Sincerity is clear in his eyes as he cups my cheek. “That’s the truth.”
Emotions bubble inside me, and I’m filled with overwhelming joy. I smile, leaning in to kiss him again, sealing the promise between us—because I know, deep down, he means every word.
We’re tangled together beneath the sheets, limbs tangled, and I feel safe. His fingers drift lazily along my body, tracing patterns on my skin as he closes his eyes.
I study the peaceful expression on his face, the way his dark lashes rest against his cheeks, and how his breathing steadies. I never dreamed this could be my reality—Brody here, beside me, loving me openly, without hesitation.
His eyes flutter open, immediately finding me staring at him. A cute smile touches his lips. “See something you like?”
“I see something I love,” I admit, tracing my fingers along his collarbone.
His eyes brighten with amusement, and he leans over and kisses me. “I can never get enough of you.”
“This all feels so fragile,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.
His gaze is steady, reassuring. “We’re as tough as diamonds.”
My eyes burn with sudden tears, and I quickly blink them away.
He wraps his arms tighter around me, pulling me against him. “You’re everything to me.”
I absorb his words as warmth floods my veins. “You’re everything to me too.”
The world suddenly feels distant and unimportant in the sanctuary we’ve built. It’s a moment so perfect that I’m almost afraid to breathe, scared I might somehow shatter it.
Brody’s voice breaks the silence that temporarily covered us. “I’ve never been good at imagining the future, Harp. It’s always been easier to live moment to moment. But with you …” He pauses, a smile playing on his lips. “With you by my side, I can finally see my entire life play out like a movie. It’s clear as day.”
My heart leaps in my chest; his admission jolts something awake deep inside me.
I lean up, looking directly into his eyes, my voice trembling just a little as I say, “Tell me what you see.”
His gaze is even more full of warmth, promise, and sincerity. “Us. Going on adventures. Building a life together. Having a family. Sharing love that lasts until my very last breath.”
The certainty in his words causes tears to stream down my face. “I can see it too.”
His lips brush mine so damn sweetly that I can’t handle it.
“It’s confirmed then,” he says, and the weight of his words settles warmly in my chest.
My head rests on his chest, and my breathing finally grows even, mirroring his. The future feels closer, brighter, and infinitely more possible. I soak in the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear. It’s become my favorite sound.
His fingertips trail along my back, each stroke drawing me closer to the edge of sleep. I exhale, savoring how right this feels, how effortlessly our bodies mold together, as though we were made for this.
Brody’s lips press against my hair, and the sweet gesture sends butterflies fluttering in me. “I didn’t know peace like this existed.”
We hold each other quietly, the moment heavy with unspoken truths. Both of us silently acknowledge how far we’ve come, how much we’ve overcome to be right here. I close my eyes, breathing him in, feeling the rise and fall of his chest. My heart settles into an easy rhythm, matching his, as exhaustion begins pulling me under.
Just as I’m drifting toward sleep, Brody’s voice breaks through, his words like a caress against my hair. “You’re my sanctuary.”