Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 117505 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117505 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 588(@200wpm)___ 470(@250wpm)___ 392(@300wpm)
Finally, after the fourth trip, he returned to the sofa and held out his hand to her. She let him pull her up from the couch and lead her toward the tree, where they both sat on the floor. Oh, this was going to be so much fun.
They took turns opening gifts, each expressing the sentiment behind each one. Drake looked honestly pleased by what she’d chosen for him, and she hadn’t realized just how nervous she’d been over his reaction until she saw that he truly loved everything she’d picked out.
The whole unwrapping-gifts thing seemed to bemuse and befuddle him in turns. Her heart clenched thinking about the fact that no one had ever likely given him a Christmas present, a birthday present or any kind of present for that matter. If she had her way, she’d give him happiness and joy for the rest of her days.
They’d opened the last of the gifts, or so she’d thought. As she started to get up to start picking up the wrapping paper that lay in shreds all around them, he caught her hand and tugged her back down, only this time, he positioned her in his lap with one arm curled securely around her.
“I have one more present for you,” he said in a husky voice.
“Oh, Drake, you shouldn’t have,” she said helplessly. “I think you bought the contents of one entire department store already!”
He handed her a medium-sized perfectly square and artfully wrapped gift with a huge bow made from satin ribbon. It was almost too beautiful to open.
“Go ahead,” he urged. “Open it.”
With shaking hands, she reverently removed the ribbon and bow and then tore off the paper. When she opened the box, yet another box lay inside. She pulled it out and then proceeded to open it. When she saw the small jeweler’s box inside the second box, her breath caught, refusing to expel from her contracted lungs.
Her fingers glanced clumsily off the top of the box as she tried to get it open. Finally, Drake helped her by flipping the top up to reveal a gorgeous, huge diamond solitaire ring. She glanced hastily at him, her eyes wide with question. She wasn’t jumping to any conclusions and potentially humiliating herself, but oh God, she couldn’t breathe!
He took the ring from the box and then proceeded to slide it on the ring finger of her left hand. Her vision blurred with tears and her nostrils flared as she fought to maintain control of her raging emotions.
Then he cupped her chin with his hand and looked intently into her eyes.
“Will you marry me, Angel?” he asked solemnly. “Will you be mine, legally, for the rest of our lives?”
“Oh, Drake,” she said on a shaky breath. “Are you sure? You really want to marry me?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” he vowed. “You are the only woman I’ve ever wanted—or will ever want—to marry me. To have my children. To grow old with me. Say yes, Angel. I don’t want to wait. I want you to be mine in every way possible so the world knows you’re mine.”
She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely, her heart beating insanely fast, so fast she was lightheaded.
“Yes! Oh my God, yes! I love you so much, Drake. I’ll never love anyone but you. There is nothing more that I’d love than to be your wife and to have your children. I want an entire houseful,” she said wistfully. “How many do you want?”
He smiled, his eyes filling with absolute satisfaction. He looked . . . happy.
“I’ll give you as many children as you want, Angel. With you as their mother, I’ll never have to worry about our children having the kind of childhood I did.” He hesitated, his eyes dimming for a brief second. Then he looked back at her, his expression so fierce and . . . loving . . . that it took her breath away. “Before you, I would have said that I’d never marry. Never have children. The risk was too great. I never wanted any child of mine to have the same kind of mother I had. One who would have aborted me if it weren’t for the benefits she would receive for having me. But then I met you and everything changed. I didn’t know women like you existed,” he said with awe and reverence. “But thank God they do. And thank God I found you.”
“Oh, Drake,” she repeated for the third time that evening. It seemed like they were the only two words she was capable of saying. “You’ve made me so very happy. You are a living reminder that dreams really do come true. You’ve made all mine come true. How could I not love you? How could I not marry you? How could I want any man but you to father my children?”