Page 130 of Maneater

He rolls his eyes but returns that wide smile before he puts a hand under my chin, pressing his lips to mine, slow and sweet. There’s none of the normal heat that is typically in our kisses, and it makes the moment more magical. “I love you, Josie.” The waves crash behind us, reminding me of the Keys, where everything changed for us, our twist of fate that I’ll never stop being grateful for. “My troublemaker.” He presses another soft kiss to my lip. “My man-eater.”

“But always yours,” I whisper.

“That’s all I’ll ever care about, Josie,” he replies, and that warmth moves through my veins.

“I love you too, Rowan.”

“I know, baby.” He kisses me again, lips moving over mine before he presses his forehead to mine. “A while from now, we’re going back to the Keys resort, and I’m taking you to the private beach. One last date. I’m going to tell you something else while we’re there.” I look up at him and move a hand over his cheek, stubble already forming despite the fact that I watched him shave in the mirror of our room this morning while I stood beside him doing my hair.

“Yeah?”

“It’ll be a question,” he says so low I almost don’t hear him.

My pulse starts to pound.“Will it come with jewelry?”

He lets out a small chuckle.“Yeah.”

I smile again, because even though we’ve talked about this, about our future and where we want this to lead, I’m filled with giddy excitement. “Any idea what you might say? So I can prepare?” I pretend to think for a moment.“You love me?” I ask.

“More than anything.”

My chest swells. “Then I think you’ll get the answer you’re hoping for,” I whisper.

His laugh fills the night air, free and happy, and even though I hear it often now, it still fills me with joy.

“I think I may have won over the man-eater,” he murmurs against my lips before kissing me, hot and deep.

And even though I’m too preoccupied to respond, I completely agree.