Jake huffed in amusement as she spoke.
“As for Gina and your family, they’re tough as nails. They can handle this because they love you. We’re going to find out why Allison was involved, even if I have to beat it out of her myself.” Madi gritted her teeth as she spoke. “And as for me…” She pressed her palm into his cheek. “I’ve never been happier than when I’m with you. When I’m with you, I’m safe and I’m loved. I’d go through every second of everything that’s happened with us to know I’d still be standing here with you.”
Jake turned and breathed into her hand before kissing her palm. “Remind me again how I found you?” he asked, smiling.
“It was a contest,” she said. “Now that it’s over, it seems the universe wants to test us and our relationship. The other side of the contest is another test. We’re tested at every turn.”
“Yes we are,” he sighed. “But we always come out better than before.”
She nodded and he smiled, kissing the tip of her nose.
She gazed into his eyes. “I believe in you and I believe in us. There’s a reason I won that contest. It’s because you and I were meant to be together. What are the chances that my entry was picked and that we’d fall in love? It isn’t chance and it isn’t luck. I’m going to stand by you through all of this, and I promise you, I’ll still be here when the dust clears—and itwillclear.”
Jake’s mouth curled into a smile. “How did I ever function without you?”
“I have no idea,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
He lifted her over his shoulder and held her legs to his chest.
“Jake!” she screamed, beating his backside with her hands.
He laughed as he flopped her onto the bed and climbed over her.
“I’m a lucky man,” he breathed into her mouth as he untied her robe.
“We’ll figure this out,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips and hips to hers until their thoughts were only of each other.
