11. Eric

Chapter 11

Eric

As I sit on the private jet headed back to Silver Spoon Falls, I can’t shake the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. Nothing matters except the woman sitting next to me. Thinking of her sends a rush of love flowing through me. She’s all I can focus on, the pull of her presence overwhelming every other thought.

I glance over at her; her curly red hair catches the soft light coming in through the window, framing her face like a halo, and God, she looks beautiful. Echoes of her laughter dance around my ears, reminiscent of how our weekend unfolded. We had a two-day whirlwind of fishing, playful banter, and intense bedroom workouts. The way she fit into my world seamlessly made me realize just how fucking lost I’d been before she showed up.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she asks, turning to me with a coy smile, her eyes sparkling with that same light I fell for at the auction.

“A penny?” I scoff, shaking my head. “You owe me at least a hundred for the chaos you’ve stirred up in my brain.”

“Chaos? Who? Little old me?” She presses her hand to her chest playfully, leaning in closer. Her delicate scent intoxicates me. I don’t even fight the insatiable need to close the space between us and remind her just how much she means to me.

“You,” I say, feigning nonchalance even as my heart races, “turned my world upside down in the span of a weekend, and I don’t ever want it righted. You stole my goddamn heart the moment you bid ten grand for me.” I allow a smirk to tug at my lips, doing my best to keep the mood light. “And I’m keeping you.”

She laughs, a captivating sound that fills the cabin. “You stole my heart, too,” she admits, and my heart beats in rhythm with hers. “Bidding on you was the best thing I ever did.”

“I love you more than life itself.” It’s so goddamn true. Watching her inhabit her space with such confidence, whether she’s debating the merits of art or wrestling with a stubborn fish, makes my heart swell. I can't help it. She’s captivating in every sense of the word, and the more time I spend with her, the more addicted I become.

The plane begins its descent, and my heart drops at the thought of leaving this bubble we’ve created. I want to hold on to it, to preserve this high of being together, laughing and teasing like the world doesn’t exist, but the thought of returning to Silver Spoon Falls brings its own sense of anticipation.

Once we land and the plane rolls to a stop, I turn to her, heart racing. “Before we get off, I need to talk to you about something.”

“What’s up?” she asks, genuine curiosity lining her features.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady the emotions bubbling within me. “This has been… incredible. I mean, all of it. The way you bring contentment into my life and make me feel alive. I don’t want to waste a moment.”

Her brow furrows as she leans in, attention focused entirely on me, and I can feel the weight of what I’m about to say hanging over us. “I feel the same way.”

Every rational bone in my body says take it slow, but hell, when has sensible ever been my style? Part of me wants to say screw it, drag her off to Vegas, and make things official. But I'd rather not scare her off by rushing her. Moving in together seems like a smarter first step.

I reach over, brushing a stray curl behind her ear, and her happy smile revs my heart like a powerful engine. “I don’t want to ever spend another night without you by my side.”

Her eyes never leave mine as her mouth opens and closes silently. There’s an electric current flowing around us, making me want to throw her over my shoulder and lock us away from the world.

“So,” I take her soft hand in mine and bring it to my lips, “I want you to move in with me.” I let the words hang in the air, charged with an intensity I can't quite mask. “To start.”

She arches a brow, lit with a mix of intrigue and amusement. “To start?”

“My goal is to get my ring on your finger and my baby in your belly, but I’m willing to be patient, so I’ll give you a few weeks to get used to the idea.” I shrug, my heart hammering against my ribs as I add, “I need to wake up with you and see your stubborn little smile every damn day.”

For a moment, there’s silence, heavy with the weight of possibility, and I wonder if I’ve pushed too hard. But then she grins, that wicked, soul-searing grin, and I know I’ve hit the jackpot. “A few weeks?” She throws back her head and laughs, the happy sound filling my heart while the band of tension around my chest loosens. “I love you, and I want all of that with you, too.”

There’s a rush, a surge of triumph that has my arrogance spiking. “Fucking hell, little siren. You’re stuck with me now.”

“No place I’d rather be,” she purrs, and just like that, I’m done for.