Page 203 of Sinful Like Us

We’ve drawn closer, touching without touching.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.” It pours out of me. “Je’taime, je’taime, je’taime.” He’s already clasping my face, and I’m in his arms, legs wrapped around his waist. Our foreheads nearly press together, and his lips skim over my lips.

“Jane.” My name is cast in love.

We kiss, so intensely that the cold breath in my lungs sparks into flames. For the longest time, out of all the March sisters inLittle Women—I aspired to be Jo. Fiercely independent with career passions and desires far outside a household.

It turns out, all along, I resisted against being Meg. I want to be a wife and to one day raise children, a life as traditional as they come, and that ending is as worthy as any other.

We stare deeply into each other. His hands beneath the backs of my thighs, my fingers woven behind his neck.

I take a deeper, stronger breath. “Mr. Moretti, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

His mouth breaks apart. He looks stunned.

“I’m asking you to marry me,” I clarify.

He smiles. Ladies and gentlemen, a full-blown smile that overtakes his face.

My lips pull to extraordinary heights. Happiness swelling between us.

“I know what that was.” He places me gently on my bare feet.

Fountain still rushing beside us.

I don’t understand what he’s doing until he drops down to one knee. And he unpockets a paperclip, twisting the metal between his fingers into a little ring, and I laugh, tears pricking my eyes.

My steepled fingers touch my lips.

His eyes are reddened, and he holds up the paperclip ring. “Yes. My answer will always beyes.” He slides the ring onto my finger. “Sempre toujours.”

Always always.

He stands back up and lifts me effortlessly. I’m in his arms again. Kissing, and my heart is overcome with a thousand words. Branded on his lips, on his body and soul.

Our kiss ignites fires. Melts snow and burns the grounds beneath our feet. It is filled with epic, soul-crushing love. And we’re armored for whatever storm comes next.

I hope and plead that nothing will ever tear us apart.

42

THATCHER MORETTI

A single beamof morning light slips through blinds, through cheetah-print curtains, and glides across Jane’s cheek as she sleeps soundlessly. I lean midway up the headboard, holding her against my chest while her arms curl around my bicep.

I don’t move a muscle. I could stay right here all day long.

And the fact is—I can.

Nowhere else I have to be, not until tonight at least.Wednesday.I’m off-duty thanks to Donnelly, picking up the extra slack with Xander.

He told me, “You’ve got a Wednesday Night Dinner to prepare for. First non-Cobalt to walk those hallowed halls. Do us proud, man.”

Her parents invited me to the mysterious andlegendarydinner party. But only after they admitted to knowing about the twin switch…and they knew from the moment Banks dodged their calls.

And they didn’t tell the Tri-Force.

Rose said to Jane and me, “We kept the secret because that’s obviously what you both wanted, and it’s just amorbidfact that you didn’t trust us and decided to keep us out of the loop.” She seemed hurt but layered on a cold glare.