The Guest (Steamy Shorts #16)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

KEVIN

M y father has officially handed the empire to me, and this is his long-overdue retirement party. Both of us know he won’t be quitting, though. He’ll be on the sidelines, listening, observing, and giving unsolicited advice.

The men before me won’t stop talking. I stopped listening a few minutes ago when they wanted to discuss business at a time when I just wanted to relax. I’m going to have to get used to it, I know, but not today.

Today, I have more important things to do.

I focus on Kara, holding onto my arm, smiling politely at one of the Board of Directors. She’s stunning in her deep red dress, her hair down just the way I like it. She only has a pair of earrings and a thin bracelet, but it doesn’t matter.

She glows.

I lean in close, my voice steady even though my heart is about to jump out of my chest. “Let’s step outside for a minute.” Turning to the others, I give them a sharp nod. “Excuse us, gentlemen.”

Kara lets me guide her toward the balcony, and the glass door closes softly behind us. Inside, there are at least three hundred guests. Here, it’s just her and me. Just the way I like it.

Before she can say anything, I take both of her hands in mine and kiss them. “Kara, I fell for you the first time I saw you. I fell deep and hard. It was like a part of me said, ‘It’s you. Finally, you’re here.’ I didn’t even know you were what was missing from my life until you arrived.”

A tear spills down her cheek, and I wipe it before sinking to one knee. I pull out a small velvet box from my breast pocket, and her hands fly to her mouth.

This is it. It’s the moment I couldn’t stop thinking about from the first time I laid eyes on her.

I open the box and show her the diamond ring inside. “Will you marry me, Kara?”

Her lips quiver as she nods. “I will. I will marry you.”

Happiness cracks me open as I slide the ring onto her finger and stand to pull her into my arms. She buries her face in my chest, and I lift her chin to me and seal this moment with a kiss.

“I love you, Kara. You make me whole.”

“I love you too, Kevin. I’m yours, always.”

Damn right.

Kara is mine, and I am hers. That’s the way it will be until my last breath.