Page 127 of Fake Dating Mr. Prince

It had been far too long since we last touched, and I reveled in his hand on my cheek.

“I hadn’t realized your dad had his heart attack that day. You were right where you needed to be.” I reassured him.

“I wasn’t sure how to do this, so I pulled a page from The Bachelor’s book.”

I laughed.

“I’ve missed your laugh. Your loud, booming laugh brings joy into my world.”

My heart melted.

“I love you, Ashlyn Thomas. I want to be with you and see where this goes more than anything in the world. So, I ask you to accept this rose as a symbolic way of saying you love me too and want to be with me. If you do, then you get this new business document with all the changes you listed, and ones Stella added.”

I stared at him for so long his hopeful gaze became worried. The rose dropped to his side.

“If you’ve changed your mind, I mean, you can—” His sad voice trailed off.

My limbs finally jerked free from the trance they were in. “Give me the rose. I accept.”

Dean looked down at me with the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. It lit up every dark, sad corner of my heart. He lifted the rose, and I took it from him. As carefully as I could, I placed the rose on a nearby seat.

“What are you doing?”

Then I grabbed the piece of paper from his hands. “I’ll sign off on whatever you have in there.”

“Anything, huh?” A mischievous smile curved his lips.

“Yes, anything.” My heart felt lighter than it had in weeks.

“So sex every day, breakfast in bed, chocolate-covered strawberries hand fed to me each night after dinner—”

“Yes, yes, to all of that.” I put the paper next to the rose. “Omphf—” I exclaimed as Dean grabbed me and pulled me into his arms.

My body sighed with pleasure. Being wrapped around him was like coming home.

“I didn’t think I was capable of loving someone like this, Ash. You proved me wrong. God, I’m so glad you proved me wrong. You make me a far better person than I ever thought I’d be. I love you so much.”

His mouth found mine and he gave me a soft, sweet kiss. I didn’t want this moment to end.

“I loveyou, Dean. So much,” I whispered back. My arms inched up and around him. His lips pushed against mine, and I opened to let him in.

I melted, kissing him with a fierceness that was part possession and part submission. It was like nothing I’d felt before. We clung to each other, heady with thoughts of our new future. Together.

When we broke apart, I stared into his beautiful brown eyes, not wanting to look away. I’d waited for this moment for so long. His hand slipped into the front pocket of his jacket to pull out the necklace I had returned.

I lifted my chin and shifted my head so he could put it around my neck. The moment it was in place, my fingers reached up and toyed with the stones now warming against my skin. My heart throbbed with happiness.

“The night we met, I picked that underwear to remind me of my goals, of all my dreams. What I didn’t realize at the time is that they would include you, too.” I smiled up at him. “You, Dean Prince, are myOne in a Million. Our love will show up all the fairytale loves that are out there.”

“I’m determined to make those words come true now that you’re mine. You, Ash, are my heart, my soul, my everything.”