Page 83 of Tease Me, Doc

Guilt and fear and terrifying happiness welled up in my throat, and I swallowed them down. "Benjamin, you don't have to?—"

"Sweetheart," he said firmly, cutting off my denial. "I have spent years running." A cool autumn breeze filtered through the trees, ruffling the soft, styled curls against his forehead and sputtering some of the candles. It drew my attention to the way the light hit his high cheekbones and brightened his electric eyes. My heart sang with sudden rapture, and I allowed myself to believe that this incredible person was staring up at me with adoration in his gaze. Somehow, it was true. "I hadn't realized I was running until I met you. You fell into my arms, and I literally found myself breathless. Frozen."

I couldn't help myself. The raw emotion in his voice compelled me to reach out, and I smoothed my thumb along his jaw. "Benjamin."

"You gave me a home, Evie," he went on, his gaze earnest. "You gave me a reason to love. All I'm asking for now," he gently moved my hand away from his face and closed my fingers around the open velvet box, "is to let me love you forever."

A rush of love and acceptance flowed from my head to my heart, and my fingers twitched around the box. I couldn't look away from Benjamin's gaze—the sincere plea in his blue eyes. I swallowed hard, fighting an onslaught of tears. "I really love you so much," I managed to choke out.

"Then, will you marry me?" he asked hopefully.

Tessa made a funny, excited squeak behind Benjamin, and Nan pressed her hands together. Wells was watching with silent expectancy, not quite smiling, but a supportive presence nonetheless. Benjamin waited, patient and clearly fighting another round of amusement at my stunned reaction.

How could I ever pass up the opportunity to keep Benjamin at my side forever? He was the strength to my weakness. My fortress in the storm. As he'd said, since the moment I'd fallen into his arms, I hadn't been able to deny that he was my safe place. If I was his home, then he was my hearth. "Yes," I whispered.

The word had barely left my lips when he stood and swept me into a hug that enclosed me fully, and the box snapped closed again between us. "Jesus, I thought you were going to say no," he laughed, crushing me to him.

"I would never," I replied tremulously. "But I just wasn't expecting it."

"The least patient man in history," Wells rumbled.

Benjamin pulled away, cupping my face like he always did, cherishing every part of me like the most delicate alyssumblossom. "She's owned every inch of my soul for some time now. I'm just making it official."

Tessa gagged. "I'm never falling in love. It's disgusting."

I laughed, but my focus was on Benjamin, on the velvet box between my fingers and the promise it held. "You own mine too." Nan sighed happily, and I pushed myself onto my tiptoes, wrapping my arms around Benjamin's neck. I kissed him softly, and he leaned into it, sizzling my insides with a scorching, sensuous kiss.

"Do you even want to see your ring?" he murmured.

I shook my head. "My hands are shaking."

"Please?" he asked, his eyebrows tipping up. "You'll see why. Just look."

Sighing shakily, I separated from him and brought the velvet box between us. When I opened it, the tears that I'd been swallowing pushed to the surface. The ring, nestled safely in the black padding, had a familiar princess cut and gold band that twisted like branches. It had been my mother's. The only difference now was that two small bees had been added to either side of the diamond, and they glinted under the glow of dozens of candles. The ring blurred as tears pooled along my lashes, and I looked up at Benjamin with surprise. "How?"

"Nan had your mother's wedding ring in a safe, put away for you when you were ready," he smiled. "I took it to the jeweler's and added the little gold bees on the side and sized it for you. But it's your mom's."

I hadn't been lying. My handswereshaking. This felt like a dream—a beautiful, magical dream filled with my favorite people and with feelings I never thought I'd experience in my lifetime. Feelings of true love and belonging, of knowing that I was protected and loved and safe. Benjamin took the ring from the box, and although my fingers trembled, he slid it over myleft ring finger. His thumbs skated over the backs of my hands soothingly. "You are everything to me, Evelyn."

I stared at the ring, my heart soaring in my chest and words utterly failing me. All I could manage to get out was a choked "Thank you." And then he was hugging me close again, but this time, Nan and Tessa joined him. Tessa squeezed my middle and Nan kissed my cheek, her eyes glinting with mischievous joy, like she'd been waiting for this day since I'd dragged Benjamin into her kitchen. Wells hung back, smiling mildly and adjusting his glasses.

We were an odd group in many ways. The unconventional family who lived on a bee farm and made Jell-O art on the weekends. But it was my family. It was my safe haven. And with Benjamin here, for the first time I could truly remember, it felt whole.

When congratulations were done, and Nan took Tessa back to the cottage, Wells waved to us, finally coming forward. "I'm sorry for intruding. I came for business, I swear."

I laughed, still in Benjamin's arms. "I thought maybe you came to represent Benjamin's side."

"God, no," Wells replied with mild disdain. "It's just that when Nan says, 'We're having an engagement,' and then demands that you escort her there, you can't exactly say no."

"Oh, you really are here for business." I coughed out a laugh. "Sorry."

"Apologies, Wells. Obviously, I'm not going to be inclined to go over investor reports tonight," Benjamin said with a good dose of humor. "But you're welcome to stay."

"I'll come back when you're less busy," Wells smiled weakly. His smile never touched his eyes anymore, I'd noticed. His warm brown eyes were cold now, guarded behind his thick-rimmed glasses. I couldn't imagine losing Tessa—he had to be suffering terribly.

"I'll meet you back at the house soon," Benjamin promised.

Wells left with another wave, and I swept a look around the clearing again, still slightly stunned. "Was this your idea or Tessa's?"

"Uh, the flair was Tessa's," he admitted ruefully. "The seven hundred dollars' worth of candles was mine. I'll pay you for them, I promise."

"I mean, the effect was well worth the expense," I chuckled. He pulled me into him again, and I lay my head against his chest, breathing deeply and then exhaling with contentment. "Even if it was cliche."

"I thought I was supposed to do the teasing." His voice strummed through me, filling my chest with soothing vibrations.

I wrapped my arms around his solid middle and squeezed. "You're right, I'm sorry." I tilted my head back and held his unwavering gaze, already knowing that what was to come would be filled with more joy than I could yet comprehend. "It's your turn. Tease me, Doc."