Besotted by Rebecca Sharp
Eve
Seven months later
“Miles?” Groggily, I worked myself up, wiping my eyes and reaching for my glasses on the nightstand.
Afternoon naps had become a necessity this last month. It felt like I hit a giant wall as soon as I got home from Roasters in the morning, and I needed that afternoon reset before my evening yoga classes.
Soon, Miles would start insisting that I cut back. I’d stopped the nights at the Pub months ago, but I wasn’t ready to give up Roasters, and I definitely wasn’t going to stop my practice.
The running joke was that I’d be doing Happy Baby pose all the way into labor and delivery.
Sliding on the frames, I winced and tugged them right back off, remembering I didn’t need them anymore.
After the kidnapping, I decided to make another attempt at contacts. I didn’t like the feeling that my sight could be taken from me so easily, especially with the baby coming. So, with Miles by my side, I got a prescription for contacts and hadn’t looked back. Though, in fuzzy moments like this, I still sometimes forgot.
Resting back on my palms, the room came into focus.
Miles hadn’t stopped with the downstairs of the home.
We’d lived together at Mick’s old apartment for two months after he’d shown me the renovations of the areas for my studio while they’d renovated the rest of the house.
I’d continued to hold classes outside because the weather was so nice, and the banging and cracking sounds of construction on the upper levels weren’t exactly conducive to the mood I was trying to set.
But then, we’d finally moved into our home.
Almost every room was painted in light yellows and oranges and neutrals except our bedroom; for our bedroom, I’d chosen a pale blue and a deep navy bedspread. When Miles had asked why the change in theme, I’d explained it was because I missed the nights we’d spent sleeping between sand and sky with the ocean in our front yard—the night, or maybe morning, we’d made our baby.
One hand came to rest on my growing stomach, a small smile tugging on my lips as I looked over to the nightstand.
“Miles!” I squealed, my eyes popping wide at the time.
Frantically, I worked my increasingly cumbersome body out of the bed, afraid he’d gone and canceled my evening class because I was sleeping.
It hadn’t happened yet, but I saw the look in his eyes that promised he’d do what was best for me, even if I didn’t like it.
I felt a small measure of relief when I saw a set of my yoga clothes laid out on the bed. That better mean he hadn’t canceled it.
Working myself into the tight fabric, I glimpsed my reflection in the mirror. My breasts, much to Miles’ approval, had grown and my hips had widened slightly, but for the most part, I was all belly—my stomach popping out like the sun from the horizon, the rest of me relatively unchanged. For now. I still had six weeks to go.
“Miles?” I called, roughly braiding my hair as I waddled to the stairs.
Were they working at Fleurtations today? My face scrunched, and I tried to remember.
My bare feet squeaked to a stop at the top of the stairs, all thoughts fleeing at the sight below.
“Mi…” Shock made me incoherent. My hand lifted to my chest, confirming by the steady beat of my heart that this wasn’t a dream.
“Evie.”
Miles stood in dark jeans and a light, long-sleeve T-shirt, but it was the hundreds of tiny tea lights that turned the floor into a sea of small candles that stole my breath.
They framed a path down the stairs and into the front foyer, covering the floor and spilling into the studio room on the left; the door to the right room—where I thought I’d be holding class right now—was closed.
In silent awe, I took one step at a time toward him, the smile on his face growing the closer I got, but it was the love in his eyes that gleamed brighter than a million stars, that made my knees weak.
“This is it, isn’t it?” I murmured, reaching the bottom.
Of all the places, of all the times… I hadn’t expected a proposal to come today—after my afternoon nap.
But then, he’d always promised it would be when I least expected it.
Miles’ hands closed possessively on my widened waist and tugged me in front of him.
“You’re going to ask me to marry you now, aren’t you?” I winced. “Sorry. Go ahead.”
His grin widened and he rubbed small circles on my sides as he laughed.
“I love you, Evie.” He bent down and kissed me.
Then, capturing my gaze, he slid down slowly onto one knee, gently pressing his lips to my stomach along the way and sending a shiver up my spine.
“You’re my happily-ever-after.” He pulled a ring box from his pocket, the velvet shadowed from the candlelight. “My forever. And my everything.” He paused, breaking the silence with only the soft strain of the box’s hinge as he popped it open. “And it would make me the happiest man in the world if you would agree to also be my wife?”
My hands cupped over my mouth, eyeing the engagement ring in wonder. The center yellow diamond was circled by nine smaller white diamonds—it was shaped like a flower.
I choked as an unexpected sob broke free, tears flowing much easier these last few months with much less provocation than a perfect proposal.
“Yes!” I blubbered. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”
The ring found its way onto my finger but, more importantly, I found my way into his arms and his lips found theirs onto mine.
At this point, I knew my class was canceled, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was getting my man—my fiancé—back upstairs and into our bed.
“Miles.” I whimpered and reached for the hem of his shirt, surprised when his hands stopped mine.
“Not yet,” he groaned.
“What?”
His forehead came to rest on mine. “Trust me, I’d like to tell you that I’d love nothin’ more than to take you back upstairs, peel you out of these clothes, and have my way with you.” He cleared his throat. “But there is somethin’ I’d love more.”
My brow scrunched.
He reached to the side and pushed the sliding door to the other front studio open.
My eyes turned wide as saucers, and it was a good thing Miles had his arms around me because my legs almost gave out when I saw our family and friends piled into the small room, dressed for a celebration—dressed for an intimate wedding.
“Miles… what… what…” I sputtered.
He chuckled, loving when he made me speechless.
“You asked if I was going to ask you to marry me now,” he drawled slowly, reminding me of my question. “You were right, baby. And this is me, asking you to marry me… Now.”
I gaped at him.
He tipped his head forward, murmuring in my ear, “Surprise.”
My gaze dropped to my yoga clothes—at least he’d left out a set that was white—and then rose to meet his.
“So, what do you say, Evie?” he murmured with a boyish grin. “Will you marry me now?”
I bit my lip but it didn’t stop the happy tears. Nodding eagerly, I gripped the front of his shirt and pulled my mouth back up to his.
“Hey, Eve, you skipped a few parts!” Jo yelled from the back of the room.
I drew back, laughing along with everyone else.
“I will,” I told him, beaming. “I would love nothing more than to marry you now.”
“How did you know I would say yes?” I teased much later, wrapped in his arms, staring out at the calm ocean out the front window of our honeymoon suite—a room with fabric walls, an unblemished view of the sea, and a ceiling made of stars. “Very risky of you, Mr. Madison.”
It was the perfect night. The perfect proposal—the perfect wedding—with my perfect prince.
“Because, not that long ago, a beautiful woman reminded me that anything is possible when you follow your heart.” He kissed along the side of my neck up to my ear. “And, Mrs. Madison, when you follow your heart, in the end,
Love Wins.”
Keep reading…
Did you love Eve and Miles’ story? Then you can’t miss Addison and Ace’s story! Addy’s past comes knocking in BETRAYED, the sexy and suspenseful first standalone in my Covington Security series!
As for the Carmel Cove crew, keep reading for the prologue to Cammie and Bennet’s second chance, friends to lovers romance—BEFALLEN, the fourth book in my Carmel Cove series!
You can get your copy of BEFALLEN here.
Keep reading to check out the prologue!
*Note: Befallen contains references to certain subjects that might be sensitive to some readers.