“Who doesn’t like Christmas trees?” I came close to him, smelling the fresh scent of the needles as they filled the living room. I rubbed a green needle between my fingertips, the smell becoming more potent. “Do you always have a tree?”
“No.”
My eyes softened. “So, you did this for me?”
“Baby, you know I do everything for you.” His arm hooked around my waist, and he pulled me close. “Let’s decorate it tonight. I don’t have any personal ornaments—”
“We’ll make our own every year.”
He gave me a slight smile. “I’ve never had a tradition before. Every year, I kinda forget it exists until Balto and I get together.”
“Well, things are about to change.” I turned into him and kissed him as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
His hands immediately went to my ass, underneath my coat and dress. “You look hot, by the way.”
“You always say that.”
He chuckled against my lips. “Well, you do.”
I pulled away, a permanent smile on my face because I was happy, so happy that I forgot there was a possibility that one of Heath’s enemies might hurt one of us. It was easy to forget during romantic bliss.
“Going somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’m going to see my father.”
His eyes glanced down to my left hand, and he immediately looked disappointed to see the ring absent. He looked at me again, his mood noticeably different. “So, this is gonna be a secret forever—”
“I was going to tell him about you today.” I didn’t want to deal with his wrath when we were having such a nice moment. “And I think walking in there with a baseball-sized diamond ring is not the right way to do it. My family is very traditional. You need to ask permission first.”
“Well, I didn’t, and you already said yes.”
“And my answer is still yes, but let’s just put on the show for them.”
He was still irritated. “And if his answer is no?” He’d been hurt by me many times in the past, so now, he was always afraid he might lose me, that something could change and I’d walk out the door for good.
“My answer is yes—no matter what.”
He finally relaxed, the irritation in his expression fading away like smoke from a dying fire. “Should I come with you?”
“I think I should just talk to him alone. I don’t know what his reaction will be, and if I bring you, it might overwhelm him. He’s very intelligent, but he’s also over seventy, so he gets worked up sometimes.”
“Alright. But I’d like to talk to him—man-to-man.”
“You will.” I turned to the kitchen counter to grab my purse.
“I’ll take you.”
“No, it’s okay—”
“It wasn’t a question.” He grabbed his keys and wallet and headed to the stairs.
Caught up in our joy, I’d forgotten about our current situation, that he didn’t want me going anywhere alone…just in case.He pulled up to the curb right outside the double doors that led to the three-story mansion Damien called home. “I’ll wait out here until you’re done.”
“It might be a while.”
“Then I’ll grab lunch and eat it in the truck. Just text me when you’re going to leave soon.”
“Alright.” I leaned over the middle seat and kissed him.
His hand cupped my cheek, and he kissed me hard, like he didn’t want me to forget what we had in case my father hated him as much as Damien did. Heath had never been insecure, never been anything but potently confident, but now he wasn’t quite himself.
I pulled back and licked my lips. “Heath, you think I’m going to go anywhere after you gave me that gorgeous ring?”
“You could find another guy to buy you one just like it.”
I’d meant to make a lighthearted joke, but it didn’t land. “Nothing is going to change. I promise.”
He struggled to believe me, and he still wore a wary gaze.
“Standing up to my brother doesn’t prove my credibility?”
He stared at me with an unreadable gaze, like he was in a poker match and didn’t want to reveal his cards. “Your brother is not your father. It’s a very different relationship. No daughter wants to marry a man her father doesn’t approve of. So…I’m not sure what will happen once you tell him.”
My hand moved to his. “We’re spending our lives together, Heath. Period.” I stared at him with my fiery expression, telling him that I had my mind made up, that my choice was as clear as a message written in black ink on white paper.
He brought my hand to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on the knuckles. “Go.”
I couldn’t convince him further. He would just have to wait and see. “Love you.” I leaned over and kissed him again before I got out of the truck.
“Love you too.” His deep voice followed me before I shut the door.
I walked into the house without looking back, chatting briefly with Patricia before I entered the dining room.