Page 67 of Tempt My Heart

“I’m proud of you,” he said, kissing her on the cheek and stealing her glass for a sip of her drink. “You’ve worked so hard for this.”

It was true. It had been six months since Jared had been arrested and convicted, and Ali had decided to move out of the PA world and into a new role at a charity for women affected by revenge porn. The pay was awful, but luckily money wasn’t something she had to worry about anymore.

She glanced down at the ring on her left hand again and smiled. Her eyes often drifted to the engagement ring Christopher had produced for her last week. It still felt so new, but also so right.

“I love you,” she said and he kissed her.

“Tell me again,” he whispered and so she did, over and over again until she was covered in kisses and her throat was sore and still, she couldn’t get enough.

“Are you guys planning on standing out here the whole time? This isyourengagement party you know,” David said as he poked his head out of the balcony doors to stare at them. A familiar blonde head appeared at his side and Rose grinned when she spotted them.

“So this is where you wandered off to—I think Jesse might be close to punching Denver, just so you know. He’s been winding her up all afternoon and I think she’s reaching the end of her tether—”

“Ouch!”came a deep voice from inside the house, and Rose glanced behind her before turning back to them.

“Ah, never mind! Looks like they’ve worked it out.”

Ali rolled her eyes. “Our friends are like a pack of wild animals.”

“You wouldn’t have us any other way,” Jesse said with a smirk as she pushed her way onto the balcony. “So we’re moving the party out here now?”

Christopher snorted and gestured for everyone to head back inside. Ali stepped away too and laughed when he caught her hand and pulled her back to his chest, placing a kiss on her lips that made her smile against his mouth.

“Do you think they’d notice if we left?”

She laughed and tugged him into the house. “I love you.”