Page 101 of Hungry As Her Python

And, oh wow, the dress.

The dress I had not been planning to reveal until, well, later.

Instead, here I was, full skirt flaring, satin and lace whispering around me, hair all glossy curls with a tiny veil pinned just so—looking like a Witch who’d just stepped out of a fated mates fairytale.

“Oh wow. I guess, um, I am doing this now,” I whisper-screamed, flicking a wild glance at Evie and Donny.

They both nodded like smug matchmakers, grins wide enough to split their faces.

My palms went damp. My heart tried to leap out of my chest.

“Okay,” I started, my voice wobbly but getting stronger, “I was going to sort of propose in my regular dress, you know, in front of everyone, so you couldn’t say no,” I said and sucked in a shaky breath.

“You got this,” Evie whispered.

“Time to take that leap, Hells Bells,” Donny seconded.

My girls had my back, and judging from the gleam in my man’s eyes, he did too.

“Okay, here goes. Conrad Boman, I love you,” I said, and I meant it with all my heart.

“That’s it.” I giggled. “I love you, and I want to be with you forever—not just as your mate, but as your wife. If you need time, I underst?—”

“Yes.”

I blinked.

“Yes?”

“Yes,” Conrad growl-hissed, crossing the space between us in three long strides. “Yes, with all my heart. I will marry you, sweet Witch. I wanna be yours, want you to be mine, until the end of time, and maybe even after that.”

And then his arms were around me, pulling me so tight to his chest I could feel the deep, steady thrum of his heart against mine.

His mouth found mine in a kiss that wasn’t just hot—it was the kind that melted every single shard of fear I’d ever carried about not being enough.

His love crashed into me like magic.

My own magic swirled up in answer, fizzing in champagne bubbles beneath my skin, wrapping around us in a shimmer I was too giddy to control.

By the time our kiss slowed, I was breathless, flushed, and absolutely, irrevocably his.

He rested his forehead against mine, voice low and certain.

“I’ll be waiting for you at the altar, sweet Bella.”

“Okay.”

Tears pricked my eyes, but I managed a watery smile.

Turning to my cousins—my best friends, my magical soul-sisters—I bit my lip.

“So, I know I didn’t ask, and this is your wedding day, and I’m sorry for totally crashing it, but I think it’s supposed to be ours too. Promise you aren’t mad?”

* * *

“Mad?” Donny scoffed, eyes shining. “Are you kidding me? This is the best thing ever. And I mean ever. Let’s go get hitched, ladies!”

“Yes, let’s,” Evie agreed, sliding into the middle like she’d been choreographing this her whole life.