CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

‘WHATIFWE made another movie?'

Startled, I glance up at Dain and feel my skin heating. ‘Are you serious?' I squeak.

We still have that movie we inadvertently made in the pool house that time and, yep, we might've watched it together a few more times in the last year. It's always fire. Always.

‘Absolutely,' he says, not taking his gaze from me.

‘Now?' I glance out of the window and see Lukas and the nanny making castles in the sandpit Dain had installed a while back.

‘Well, you might want a little time to get your outfit sorted first.'

‘Outfit?' I'm a little stunned but definitely intrigued. ‘You want to dress up?'

‘Oh, yeah, definitely.' His eyes smoulder as he stares at me. ‘I'd love to see you in a—'

‘Don't you dare say maid's outfit.' But my mouth has gone dry because I'm down a rabbit hole of exciting outfits I'd quite like to see Dain in.

He chuckles and steps close. ‘I was thinking more the sort of movie we can share with others,' he whispers. ‘Bore them with, actually. But we can make another later if you like.'

I frown, confused and totally distracted by how close he suddenly is. ‘You want other people in our personal movie?'

‘Ava would like to be involved, I'm sure.' He brushes back a strand of hair from my face and his tenderness muddles my mind even more. ‘Lukas will definitely need to be there.'

‘What?' I'm hopelessly confused, and the way Dain's laughing isn't helping. But I can't resist leaning closer because I want to kiss him. The light in his gaze morphs into tenderness and he suddenly drops to one knee before me.

I stare and it slowly dawns. Is the movie he's talking about making a wedding film?

‘Dain?' I'm so breathless I feel as though I'm about to faint. But I see the sudden vulnerability in his eyes and realise the full importance of this moment. ‘You don't have to...' I whisper. ‘We don't have to...'

He doesn't believe in marriage and I get why. He suffered so much in his parents' divorce. We don't need it. I have faith in him—in us—regardless. I know we'll be together always. ‘I know—'

He puts his finger over my lips. ‘I love you. I want to commit to you and promise that I'll be here for you always. I want to share my life, my bed, everything I am and have with you as my wife.' He breathes in. ‘Will you please marry me?'

I stare at him and my eyes prickle with tears. There's no camera here now but it's so intimate and special the memory will be seared on my heart.

‘I want to take that leap of faith with you,' he adds. ‘Not for anyone else. Just for ourselves.'

He believes in me. In us. And there's only one answer I can give. ‘Oh, yes!'

His smile explodes. So does my heart. He pulls me to the floor with him and we're a tangle of limbs and heat until he traps me beneath him and suddenly pauses.

‘I haven't got you a ring yet... I wanted you to help choose. But I have something for now.' He pulls something from his pocket. ‘I know you think things don't last, but these are diamonds. And they will.'

I gasp at the gleaming rope of jewels he dangles above me. Given their size and number I'd have thought they were fake, but this is Dain so I know they're not. ‘Dain—'

‘I got it so long ago,' he mutters with a gruff laugh. ‘I wanted to give it to you the night of that play we never saw, but I knew you had a thing about things.'

‘A what?'

He looks at me ruefully. ‘I figured you'd think I was trying to buy your favour or something.'

Back then maybe I would have thought he was trying to buy my favour. But now I know better. Because I want to do things for him and give things to him. Everything. And I know he wants to do the same for me. I understand his motivation and I believe in him wholly.

‘The "or something" is that you love me.' I take the jewels from him. ‘Just as I love you.'

I drape the heavy diamond choker across my throat. ‘Fasten it for me?'

But he fumbles. Swears. Abandons the attempt and lets the treasure slip to the floor beside us.

Because he devours me. Because I'm his treasure. Just as he's mine. We're everything and all to each other.

For ever.