“You deserve to have this sort of life. Wanting for nothing.”
I laugh. “You think this is the sort of thing I want? And you said you’ve been paying attention to me for years.”
His brow raises, and for a second I think he’s going to argue with me but then he lets out a breath and nods slowly. “You’re right. This isn’t you.”
He grabs his tie, yanking it loose and pulling it from beneath his shirt collar. “And it’s not me.”
“What’s really going on?”
The waiter appears in the doorway, but Artem shoots him a look that warns of bodily harm if he comes any closer, and he backs out quietly. Now this is the Artem I know.
“Artem?”
He stands up, bumping the table as he does and making the silverware and crystal clatter. He digs through his pocket then rounds the table and slams a black velvet case in front of me. Again, making all the place settings dance.
I stare at it. My mouth goes dry. My eyes fill with tears. Whenever this man is around, my body goes haywire.
“Marry me.” He dictates, though his voice is low and raw.
When I look up at him, he glares down at me. I’ve ruined whatever his plan was for the evening, and he’s reverted right back to being the bossy, arrogant, mountain of a man.
The one I’ve fallen in love with.
“Is that supposed to be question? Because it’s usually a question.”
He shakes his head. “No. It was going to be. I was going to let you decide. But I changed my mind.”
“You changed your mind?” I laugh as a tear slips down my cheek.
He leans down, swiping the tear away and brings it to his mouth. My heart skids right into my ribs as he licks the moisture from his thumb. Is there anything this man can’t turn sexual?
“Open the box,” he says, but then he does it for me, presenting me with a heart-shaped black diamond set in the middle of a row of white diamonds on a silver band. Simplicity and elegance perfectly combined.
It’s the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.
“By end of the year. But you can pick when and where.”
“What?” I raise my gaze from the sparkling ring.
“The wedding. You can decide when and where, but it has to be before the year ends.”
“First, I haven’t agreed. Second, that’s only like five weeks away.”
He plucks the ring from the box and grabs my hand, gently sliding it over my knuckle and settling it on my ring finger.
“Artem.”
“Are you saying no?” Not an ounce of worry in his tone. It appears once you take the man out of the facade of being a pure gentleman, his confidence comes roaring back.
“Of course I’m not,” I find myself saying as I rise from my chair in such a haste, I knock it backward, sending it clamoring to the floor.
“Good. Then I won’t need the rope I put in the car for just in case.” He flashes the sexiest grin I’ve ever seen from him, then grabs me, pulls me into him and kisses the life right out of me.
At least that’s what it feels like. The world could spin straight off its axis and fly into the sun, and I would not care. So long as Artem holds me like this.
He growls against my mouth, then pulls away just enough to press his forehead against mine.
“We need to go home.”