Chapter Ten
Garrick and I lay in bed, my back to his front. Our bodies glistened from sweat after making love. This was my favorite time of day—when it was just us. I loved being one with him.
He kissed my neck while his fingers lightly played with my nipple. The added attention only added to the euphoria of the moment.
“When do you want to marry me?” His voice was low, cautious.
“Are you anxious to be tied down with a ball and chain?” I closed my eyes as he moved his hand to my other nipple.
“Yes, actually.”
I turned in his arms, pressing my chest against his. I was happy to see that Garrick’s eyes were excited. This was happening. And I wanted it, too. Sooner rather than later. “What needs to be done considering your status, prenuptials, announcements? Then I’ll have a better idea of when we can do this.”
Garrick’s brows drew together. “Prenuptials?”
“Yes, where you’re protected financially. You don’t know what that is?”
“Yes, of course I do. Are you drawing one up?”
The set of his jaw and tenseness of his arms around me had me stiffening. “Umm…no. Why are you acting weird?”
“Then why would I?”
“Garrick—”
Abruptly, Garrick sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. “No, Knoah. I’m not beginning our marriage with conditions if we should fail. I never thought I’d fall in love or get married, so I’m all in. Why would I even think of putting a condition for losing you?”
Moving beside him, I rubbed his back and said, “I just want to protect you. People will think I’m after your money. I don’t want that.”
“No conditions. None.” He turned to face me, and his thumb stroked my lower lip. “You are the most precious thing to me in the world. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
“And I’ll spend the rest of my life showing you how much I love you,” I responded.
We lay back down, and I nestled into the crook of his arm, loving how the sheets smelled of us.
“Which brings me full circle. When do you want to get married? I’m not basing my marriage on timed announcements or any of the other bullshit that comes with this lifestyle. This is about you and me.”
Okay, that eliminated a lot of time. “Do you want your family there?”
“Knoah, what do you want?”
I thought about it for a second. I knew I wanted the exact opposite of my first wedding, which had been stressful because of Vivian, Dylan’s mom. This time would be different…completely different. Garrick’s family loved me. And we were making the decisions.
“I’d like your immediate family and mine. And also Kurt and Sawyer. Do you have any friends you want to invite?”
“No, that’s it.”
Chewing my lip, I asked, “Do you think we should invite the Monroes?”
“Only if you want.”
“I do.” A huge weight was lifted with the decision.
Garrick insisted for more details. “When do you want to do this?”
All the planning. The decisions. Yes, that had been my job at As You Wish. But now…now I simply wanted to be married with none of the worry in between. “Surprise me.”
Garrick’s eyes grew wide. “What do you mean, surprise you?”
“Surprise me. I don’t want to know anything until it’s time to marry you.”
“But what about all the details?”
I cradled his face in my hands, loving the stubble of his whiskers. “All I want is simple. I don’t want to plan it. I don’t want to stress. I just want to show up and marry you.”
“Done.”
A bubbly giggle escaped me. I’d found my happily ever after. “We’re getting married!”
“We are. I will say this. It’s going to be soon. Very soon. Be ready to say I do, future Mrs. Shaw.”
“The day cannot come soon enough.”
Garrick moved his body on top of mine, and our mouths found each other’s. Beside us on the night table, Garrick’s phone vibrated. Stopped. Then started again. Something might be wrong. “Who is it? They’re persistent.”
Groaning, he picked it up to check and chuckled before showing me the screen. Sawyer had sent him a message. “Check your phone, sweetheart.”
I grabbed it from the nightstand where I had put it on silent. There were about ten messages.
Sawyer: You’ve got about half an hour left. Then Shaw has to give you up. And I’m not sharing. He’s had you for a week.
Sawyer: Tick tock.
Sawyer: Ten minutes.
Sawyer: Five.
Sawyer: It’s time.
Sawyer: Come on!
Sawyer: Not kidding. I’m going to find Joe to let me in.
I glanced at the time. “Oh no!”
I dialed Sawyer.
“Oh, you better not be canceling on me.”
Putting her on speakerphone, I set off to find some lounge clothes. “I’m not. Give me five minutes and I’ll be over there. I’m getting dressed now.”
“TMI. My vagina has cobwebs in it. Don’t make it jealous—”
I hurried to take the phone off speaker. Garrick’s eyes were wide, and he shook his head.
“Sawyer! You were on speaker!”
She snickered. “I’m not ashamed of my cobwebbed state. Are you on your way?”
I found my sandals. “I’m on my way.”
“Timer is starting.”
I was nearly to the door when Garrick swept me up. He took the phone and said, “She’ll be there in just a few. I need to say good-bye to my fiancée properly.”
He ended the call before giving me one more kiss. “Bye, sweetheart. I love you. Hurry back to me.”
Inside I melted. “I love you, too. I will.”