Page 142 of Point of Contention

Nothing felt more like home than being connected to this man, in this way.

As the sun set over the East River, I watched the guests mingle around the reception. They danced and laughed, ate and drank, reveling in the love we’d been lucky enough to witness today. Tears welled in my eyes, and not for the first time, as I took it all in.

Sidling up behind me, I smelled Cabot before I saw him and closed my eyes to breathe him in. Then his arms wrapped around me, and his hands began to trail lovingly over my belly as he pulled me back and positioned me tightly against his frame.

He rested his cheek against my head and I felt him sigh as our bodies connected. It was always like that, this relief to be near one another again, as if any distance, no matter how little, was too damn much to bear.

My mother danced with Travis, laughing as he twirled her away from his body, then back into his arms. Lacey and Greer held each other close, barely moving as they swayed to the music in the center of the dance floor, a slow dance to a fast song, so wrapped up in each other that I don’t even think they realized they were off beat.

“They’re beautiful together,” Cabot whispered.

He wasn’t wrong. My best friend glowed like I’d never seen her glow before. Loving Lacey had ignited something within Greer, and I couldn’t be happier to see them start their lives together.

My joy was accompanied by a pinch of longing. I’d been so sure that I didn’t want to get married, that I would never tie myself down to a man, but after seeing how happy Greer was today, something had shifted inside me.

I was absolutely head over heels for a man who would move mountains for me.

“Will you ever agree to marry me,” he whispered, his lips teasing the shell of my ear.

Voicing my thoughts again. I don’t know why I was surprised. The man had a way of reading the room, of reading me. He knew what I wanted before I could voice the words or even make sense of my own desires.

He knew me.

I patted the hand that rested against my belly, smiling as I said, “Are you ever going to ask?”

He spun me in his arms and dropped to one knee, a black velvet box open in his hand. A massive emerald cut diamond was nestled in the black velvet, the reflection of the twinkling lights above making it sparkle as though it moved.

I gasped and brought my hand to my mouth.

“Rylan Janine Blake,” he began—

I squealed. “Yes!” I quickly closed my mouth.Shit.

Cabot blinked. Ran his tongue over his teeth. His lips twitched with amusement. “Must it always be a battle for control?”

“God, I fucking hope so.”

He laughed and I lowered to my knees and cupped his face. “Go ahead. Ask.”

His nostrils flared on a deep breath, then he said, “Will you marry me?”

I nodded, just to push him. My man loved his verbal responses.

“Rylan.”

I smiled. “Yes, Cabot, a million times yes.”

The baby kicked and I gasped, looking down between us, then Cabot placed his knuckle under my chin and lifted my face. “Eyes on me, baby.”

When he pressed his lips to mine, the people around us broke into applause.

“About damn time,” Greer yelled.

I laughed, but he continued kissing me.

With one hand gripping the back of my neck firmly and the other gently resting on my pregnant belly, he kissed me without restraint.

He kissed me like each needy brush of his tongue laid a claim.

To me.

Tous.

To the rest of our lives.

He kissed me the way only Cabot Reed could.

With absolute control—and total surrender.