Page 29 of Rescuing His Kitten
He wraps his arms around me, pulling my body against his. We’re right here in front of everyone, and I practically feel their eyes on us.
“I want a family,” he continues. “I want all of it with you, and I can’t have that while I’m running Nibbles. I want to be a husband who is present and not sitting in meetings all day. And I want to be a present father to our children so I can help raise them and watch them grow up.”
Tears start to burn in my eyes. “West.”
His other hand cups my jaw while his thumb brushes my cheek like I’m something precious.
“You walked into my life wearing cat ears and a smile that stopped my heart,” he says, his voice dropping. “You made me remember what it felt like to want something just for myself. Not for the company, not for the shareholders. For me.”
The bonfire crackles behind us, and I hear someone make a shushing sound. Clearly they are listening to us.
“Your laugh,” he continues, his forehead touching mine. “The way you light up when you talk about your designs. How you trust so openly even when you’ve been hurt. You breathed life back into me, Bellarose. I was going through the motions until you got stuck in that damn tree.”
A small laugh leaves me.
“I need you,” he says, rough and certain. “And don’t forget, kitten.” He leans in next to my ear so only I can hear. “We haven’t been careful. You could be carrying my baby right now. And God help me, I hope you are. I want that with you. I want everything.”
His thumb strokes my bottom lip as he pulls back to look me in the eyes.
“I love you, Bellarose, and I’m not letting you go. Wherever you go, I’m coming with you.”
Tears spill over and down my cheeks. “I love you too,” I whisper. “I was so scared you were going to break my heart.”
“Never.” He kisses my tears, my cheeks, my jaw. “Marry me. Not because of the baby, not because of any of this. Marry me because I can’t imagine a single morning without you.”
He reaches into his pocket and produces a ring box before he drops to one knee right there in the dirt.
“Bellarose Fontaine,” he says loudly enough for the watching crowd to hear. “Will you marry me?”
He opens the box to reveal the ring, and a small gasp leaves me. West truly sees me, and this ring is the proof. I look down at the massive, brilliant diamond catching the light and see that it’s cradled perfectly in the sleek shape of a cat’s head. It’s a beautiful symbol that he loves every piece of who I am, even my wildest quirks.
I’m crying and laughing and nodding before he finishes the question, but eventually I’m able to form words. “Yes, yes, you ridiculous man. Yes.”
He slides the ring on my finger and then practically jumps up to kiss me like the world is ending. His hands are in my hair, and my arms are around his neck. His kiss is claiming and passionate, and somewhere in the distance, I hear people cheering for us.
When we finally break apart, I’m breathless.
“Let’s go home,” West says, and I smile up at him.
“Which home?”
“Ours,” he says, smiling back.
I nod, thinking that’s all that matters.
West sweeps me up, literally off my feet, and I laugh against his neck. He carries me toward the parking lot, leaving the bonfire and the retreat and everything else behind.
