I opened the front door to find a FedEx man standing there with an envelope in his hands. I immediately felt butterflies in my stomach as I stared at it.

“Sign here please,” he said, handing me a handheld device.

I scribbled my name and took the envelope. “Thank you.”

Closing the door, I turned to face Colton who was standing almost directly behind me. “Open it!”

I squealed. “I can’t!”

“Babe, you worked hard for that. Come on, I have a surprise for you, but it requires you opening that envelope.”

I watched him walk to the hall closet of the home we had bought together after I sold my little two-bedroom next door. We had talked about moving to a little better neighborhood, but in the end, we decided the house he had rented a year ago was perfect for us.

It also meant Abby wouldn’t have to move again and me moving in was super easy considering we only had to carry the boxes across the lawn. He’d gone back to Boston a few months back to close up his old apartment and grab all of his stuff. Crazy enough, some of it was still in boxes.

Colton pulled out large black frame with a shiny gold mat.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“That is where we are putting that degree and hanging it in the living room.”

I giggled. “Nobody frames their degree!”

“I beg to differ. Doctors and lawyers do it all the time. I’m proud of you. I want to show off how smart my woman is.”

I took a deep breath and carefully opened the envelope, pulling out the heavy cardstock piece of paper that said I had finally earned my degree in criminal psychology. It had been eight years in the making, but I finally had it. I was almost sad that Kevin wasn’t there to show too. He’d moved out a while back and opened his business finally. I would have to get Colton to call him later. It was a reason to celebrate. I was finally done with my degree.

He walked to the table and removed the back of the frame, sliding my degree in place and put it all back together before turning to present it to me.

“You earned it. I know how many late nights you had studying, plus all the trips back and forth to New York for tests. I hope it was all worth it.”

I stared at the frame, nodding my head. “It was.”

“Alright, well, we better get the food put out. Our guests should be arriving any minute.”

“Abby! Are you dressed!” I called out.

She opened her bedroom door, walking out with her new blue party dress that highlighted her eyes that looked just like her daddy’s.

She stopped in the dining room and twirled around. “Do you like it?”

“I love it!” I told her, my heart full of joy.

She had grown so much the past year. She had just finished kindergarten and of course, passed with flying colors. We had been reading every night. I knew she was a smart girl and couldn’t wait to watch her excel through the first grade.

We were having my mother and new stepfather over for dinner, along with Kevin and Rose. We were celebrating the end of the school year, me getting my degree, and Kevin and Colton finishing the expansion of the gym they had purchased from Landon.

I heard the first knock on the door and asked Abby to get it. It was my mom and Mr. Peters—my stepdad, which was still too weird for me to say. Soon, everyone had arrived and we all took our seats at the table enjoying the meal we’d had catered. There was no way either Colton or I felt comfortable enough to be cooking for others. It was a running joke in our house about who made the worst food.

Colton poured glasses of wine for everyone and apple juice for Abby.

He stayed standing. I looked at him, silently telling him to sit. He smiled and shook his head.

“I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. As you know, we’ve all had a pretty amazing year. I am so thankful to all of you for taking me and making me one of your own. I am most thankful to this beautiful woman here who gave a damaged rough guy like me a chance. I know there were times I probably didn’t deserve it. You are the most generous person I know, and Abby and I are both so grateful to have you in our lives.”

I felt tears glistening in my eyes and rapidly blinked them away, not wanting to turn into a crying mess in front of everyone. The man had an uncanny knack for bringing me to tears.

When he dropped to his knee in front of me, I gasped. “Colton!”

He reached into the pocket of his slacks and pulled out a black velvet box. He cracked it open, revealing a gorgeous and rather large diamond ring.

“Jenna Westin, will you make me the happiest man on this earth and do me the honor of being my wife?”

I pushed my chair back, dropping to my knees in front of him, taking his face into my hands. “Of course. Yes, yes, I’ll marry you.”

Colton stood, helping me to my feet. Everyone clapped as he slid the ring on my finger.

“Now are you my mommy?” Abby asked innocently.

Colton burst into laughter. “Yes.”

Abby jumped out of her chair and ran around the table, throwing her arms around me. I hugged her back, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world to be able to call the little girl my daughter. I envisioned our future together and nearly burst into tears of overwhelming joy. Abby took her seat again and we finished our dessert.

With everyone gone and Abby tucked into bed, Colton and I headed for our room. I held my hand out in front of me, admiring the beautiful ring and shaking my head in disbelief.

“I can’t believe we’re getting married,” I whispered.

He smiled, closing the bedroom door behind him.

“Me either. You’ve made me a very happy man.”

“And you have made me a very happy woman.”

He reached for me, slowly turning me around and sliding down the zipper of my dress. I let it fall forward, sliding my arms out then letting it drop to the ground. I turned back to face him, standing in the new red bit of lingerie I had picked up.

He sucked in a breath. “This is new.”

I smiled and nodded. “It is. I wanted to make sure tonight was special.”

His hand reached out and cupped my breast through the fine red mesh. “It’s already special.”

His mouth dropped to mine, slowly kissing me with no real hurry. It was a beautiful, sensual kiss that aroused.

“I want you,” he whispered against my mouth.

I stepped back, my hand moving to his waistband and expertly unfastening his belt before flicking open the button and sliding his zipper down. With his pants off, I moved to unbutton his shirt, one button at a time before pushing it back over his shoulders and down his arms.

“Take me,” I replied.

He reached down, one arm going behind my knees. Lifting me, he carried me to the bed and gently laid me down, my head resting comfortably on a pillow while he stood back and stared.

“You are so beautiful, I can’t believe you’re mine.”

I arched my back, inviting him to touch me. His hand reached out, splaying across my stomach before moving lower, his finger sliding under the red mesh panties. His fingers worked to separate my lips before his index finger slid in. I groaned with pleasure. He moved his hand and slowly worked the panties down my body, kissing every inch as he did so. By the time his mouth found mine, I was panting with need, ready to explode.

“One touch,” I whispered. “Please.”

“Anything for you, baby. Anything.”

His fingers moved to my pussy, stroking gently and drawing out the first long orgasm from my needy body. When he moved over me, his dick replacing his fingers, I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him deeper inside my body.

“God, you’re hot,” he moaned, kissing me deeply.

His thrusts were slow and deep, teasing my body, taking me to the brink and then backing off, leaving me panting and begging for more. He rolled over, my body glued to his. I rode him, keeping up with the slow, sweet lovemaking he had started.

Never had I known it could be so good between two people. There was nothing over-the-moon happening, it was just us, sharing our bodies, coming together mind body and soul in the most passionate of ways.

I could feel my orgasm spiraling upward and held onto his biceps as I moaned low in my throat, rocking my head back and forth as he took over the thrusting, letting my body come apart on top of him.

Falling against his chest, I felt satiated, but knew there was so much more to come. He gently lifted me off his body.

“Knees,” he whispered the command and I silently went to my knees, propping myself up on my elbows with my butt up in the air.

He was on his knees behind me, slowly pushing inside. He kept up the slow and steady pace, in no real hurry at all as his body joined with mine.

“I love you,” he whispered, his voice strained.

“I love you,” I replied, feeling him push deep inside me.

His hands moved over my ass, lovingly massaging as he moved in and out of me. His touch became firmer and I knew he was close. I rocked back against him, taking him a tiny bit deeper as I arched my back, rolling my hips downward.

“Oh God,” he moaned.

I gasped, feeling a burst of fresh, delicious sensation spiraling through my body. I repeated the movement.

“Fuck,” he hissed.

I moaned, feeling as if my body was going to shatter with ecstasy.

His hips rocked against me several times before he pushed once and growled low. I felt him explode deep inside me and followed him to that special place that only the two of us knew. When he finished, he moved to lay down, bringing me against his body.

“That was amazing,” he mumbled.

I was still gasping for air, little aftershocks making me jerk. “Yes, it was.”

“No, like seriously, I don’t think I have ever come that hard in my life. I thought I was going to pass out.”

I giggled against his chest. “I’m glad you didn’t. That could have been a little awkward.”

He chuckled. “I would say so.”

We stayed there together, enjoying the post-coital glow that always made me feel so loved and cherished. He was a man with a lot of hard edges, but when we were like this, it was completely different. He was soft, loving and so gentle.

“What do you think about that job you applied for?” he asked.

I shrugged my shoulder. “I could work in Lincoln a few days a week. I don’t think the commute would be all that bad. I would be home for dinner with you two every night as long as I wasn’t stuck working a case.”

“Good. I want you to have it all, and if that means moving so you can have your dream job, I’ll do it.”

“I don’t want to move. I like it here. Everyone we love is here. I could always freelance if needed to or work at the gym.”

“Ohh, I have some serious fantasies about doing you inside that ring. One night after work we could have a little fun on those ropes.”

I burst into laughter. “You’re crazy.”

“Crazy in love with you.”

“Good. I’m glad you are. Now, what exactly did you have in mind with those ropes? I’m intrigued and oddly enough, kind of turned on.”

He laughed. “Oh baby, what I would do with your sweet little body.”

“I’m going to take you up on that offer.”

“Good. I’ll be expecting it.”