One year later

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It feels now like an eternity has passed since rehab, but Vicky’s taste never left my lips. Every time I feel her mouth against mine, a new wave of feelings rise inside me.

Hope, love, pride?

Yeah, pride.

I’m proud of what we have achieved. Together, brick by brick, we left our past behind, setting the foundations of our future. After the birth of our child, we moved in together.

Persuading her wasn’t easy, let me tell you that.

I had to ask her a thousand times before she finally agreed.

It was the statement that our child needed both parents in the same place that gave her the courage to enter that new phase in our relationship.

If you had asked me if I could imagine that one day I might be so desperate to have this woman near me, I would have said that’s impossible.

Having a child, a home, a family, commitment…I guess the impossible has become real.

She has become real.

She is my new, favorite kind of reality.

Smiling at her, I pull the car into the driveway and hit the brakes. She’s frowning at me as I lead her around the house to the backyard.

“I don’t like surprises,” she says with a scowl, but the delighted glint in her eyes tells a different story. Her enthusiasm is one of the many things I love about her. “The last one didn’t work out so well.”

“This one will be more to your liking.” I take a long moment regarding her, marveling at the way the rays of the setting sun seem to catch in her red locks, giving them that fiery hue that fits her personality.

She’s been away on vacation visiting her family. I insisted that she spend some quality time with them while I secretly built the tree house.

“What do you say?” I point at the trees, but don’t look away so as not to miss her reaction.

We have a huge backyard. Her gaze sweeps over the vast space, past the shrubs and the trees…and settles on the little tree house.

A gasp escapes her lips. “Holy shit.” Laughing, she turns around. “Don’t tell me you built that.”

“Guilty as charged.” I grin. “Do you want to see it from the inside?”

I don’t wait for her answer. Holding her hand, I guide her down the path, eager to get to the actual surprise.

She eyes the small ladder warily. “You sure this is safe?”

“Safest place on earth.” My hands go around her waist to steady her. “And if you fall I’ll be right here to catch you.”

“Heard that one before.” In a minute we’re inside. Her eyes grow wide as she takes in the table and two chairs set up in the middle of the room.

“This is huge.” She picks up a rose from one of the flower arrangements and lifts it to her face to smell it. “It’s so romantic. And completely unlike you, Kade.”

There’s a strange tremor in her voice, as though something as little as a bunch of red roses are enough to fill her heart with joy.

“I admit I had a little help. But the rest was all my idea,” I say.

“The rest?” Her eyebrows shoot up.

“Yes. The rest.” I bend down on one knee, and as my hand squeezes inside my pocket, her eyes narrow.

“Kade,” her voice is a shaky whisper now. “What are you doing?”

“Only something I should have done a long time ago.” My gaze interlocks with hers, holding it, bathing in its warmth and love. “Remember the day I said I liked you?”

She nods slowly.

“I was lying. I didn’t just like you. I was falling in love with you. And I still am, Victoria, more and more, every single day.” I clear my voice to get rid of the sudden hoarseness in it. “I want to brand you as mine. I want to be able to call you my wife. Treat you like my queen. Respect you not only as the mother of my child, but also as the one person I get to spend the rest of my life with. And I hope you want the same, but not because I’m the father of your child.” I exhale a slow breath as I try to recall the speech I carefully prepared—but can’t remember a single word. “I need to know that you want more of me in every way I can give you. That’s why we’re standing here. That’s why I built this tree house. Because the god honest truth is, I can’t imagine another woman by my side. Will you marry me, Victoria?”

She inhales a sharp breath and her expression changes before my eyes.

I take it all in.

Suspicion. Shock. Surprise. Wonder.

And happiness.

So much happiness.

“Yes.” She nods slowly, then with more fervor. “Yes, I do.”

I cock my eyebrow. “You sure? Because you haven’t even seen the ring yet? And that might be a dealbreaker for some women.” I wiggle the box in my hand.

“Yes, I’m sure. Very much so.” She wipes at the delicate tears trickling down her cheeks, but as she does so, more seem to take their place.

I open the box, holding up the ring.

“I’m so happy.”

“Because our very own love story has become true?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “Because you just showed me that sex is overrated, and love is a cure.” She catches my amused expression. “And of course, because this is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen and I so want it on my finger.”