Life. Love. Family. Friendship.
Without her, he would’ve lost everything—everything he was—and everything he had the potential to be. She’d brought him back from the edge. Given him a reason to get up. A reason to fight. To heal. To be the man she needed him to be. The man he wanted to be.
She’d saved him.
Every second of every minute, of every hour, of every day, since the moment her warmth had pierced his heart, it had beat for her. And if he’d lost her. If anything—
His vision blurred. “Don’t,” she whispered, sweeping the pads of her thumbs along the corners of his eyes. “I was scared, but I knew you’d come. Knew you’d save me. I never had a doubt, Jamie. Not one.”
“But what—”
“Nope.” She held his jaw in an iron grip as she wiped the mess off his face with the cuff of her shirt. “No what ifs. It’s the two of us now. You and me. Together. And we’re not letting any of those little two-word combos come between us.” She sniffed and made the same clean sweep of her cheeks. “Got it?”
He stared at her. Stared. At her. His girl. His heart. His future.
The tiny blond-haired, blue-eyed nanny who’d rocked his world.
And he fucking loved her.
“You know what this means, right?” He wrapped an arm around her waist, snugging her pussy tight to his dick as he smoothed his other hand up the back of her neck to tangle his fingers in her hair.
“You can’t answer a question with a question.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.” She grinned and rolled her hips, rubbing herself along his cock, and Jesus, his girl ran hot.
He tightened his grip, holding her where he wanted her. Her lips close enough to kiss, he felt the caress of the air she exhaled. “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. I got it. No little two-word combos will ever come between us.”
“Promise?” She kissed him. A quick press of her lips.
“Promise.” He kissed her back. A slow tease of licks and nibbles eliciting a moan from her as she tried to burrow into his chest. “Now answer my question,” he said between flicks of his tongue. “You know what this means, right?”
“Yes.”
She would have kept right on kissing him, eager and unconcerned about what she was agreeing to, but he needed the reassurance. Needed to know they were on the same page when it came to her safety. He pulled her head back until he could see her eyes. “Use more words, buttercup.”
“God, you’re bossy,” she complained. “It means I won’t be going anywhere on my own—ever again.” She shuddered. “Honestly, I’m okay with it.”
“Are you?” He let go of her hair and traced his fingers down the side of her face, his hand coming to rest alongside her jaw.
“I am.” She lifted her chin, her direct gaze underlining her words. “Trust me. I won’t be trying to sneak out after dark.”
“Good. Because I love you, Summer. With every fucking fiber of my being. And I can’t lose you.”
“You won’t.” She grinned and poked him in the peck. “You, Mr. Snow-it-all, are stuck with me forever.”
“Even when I’m being bossy?”
“Even when you’re being bossy.Andhard-headed.Andcranky because you’re hungry.And—”
“Point made.” He grabbed the finger poking him with everyand, kissing the tip before wrapping his hand around hers. “You know what else this means, Mrs. Snow-it-all?”
“You can’t call me Mrs. Snow-it-all until you put a ring on it.”
