Ed walked across the room and straight to her, pulling her out of the chair and taking possession of her mouth. It must have sparked the right amount electricity in her, and every one of her senses awakened.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him deepen the kiss. Oh, she’d missed him.

He didn’t pull away, but he rested his head against hers. “I think it would be a good idea to take my assistant with me on every trip from now on.”

“Your assistant thinks that would be a very good idea.”

“Your brother thinks it sucks. She’s a great nurse.” Christian’s voice came from the other room, and they both turned to see him rested on his crutches in the doorway. “But she took such good care of me that you two should head out of here and leave me alone.”

A smile formed on Ed’s lips. “And I’m just unsentimental enough to take you up on that and make you fend for yourself.”

“Ed,” Darcy whispered against his chest.

“Okay, okay. He’s lucky you only live downstairs, but I’m taking her downstairs.”

“Be gone with you.” Christian motioned for them to walk past.

Darcy stopped as she got to the door. “Yell if you need me. The doors are open into the house. I can be up in just a moment.”

“I’ll be fine,” Christian said.

Ed gave her hand a squeeze. “I’ll be down in just a moment.”

Darcy gave him a nod and descended the stairs.

When she was clearly out of ear shot, Ed turned back to Christian.

“Mom said she invited Darcy to dinner Tuesday.”

Christian nodded. “Promised to make her a chocolate cake and fill it with candles.”

Ed smiled. “Good. I’ll take you to your appointment and then we’ll head over. It will be totally unassuming.”

Christian adjusted the crutch under his arm. “You’re really going to do this?”

Ed looked around to make sure Darcy wasn’t headed back up the steps. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box he carried. He opened it, and Christian’s eyes went wide.

“Holy cow!” He looked closer. “You’re serious.”

“I don’t mess around with this stuff. You know that.”

Christian nodded. “She’s going to love that.”

“I got her father’s blessing, too. Scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”

Christian laughed. “I’m happy for you. I really am.”

“Good, and you’ll stand up with me when we get married?”

The smile on Christian’s face grew wider. “I would never want to be anywhere else.”

Ed handed him the box. “Hold on to this. Your job is to get it to me on Tuesday at dinner.”

“You got it.”

Ed gave him a pat on the shoulder and hurried off to be with Darcy.

He could hear her in the bathroom. She was washing her face.

They’d spent enough nights together that he knew her routine before bed, her breathing pattern when she slept, and just how beautiful she was when she woke with the promise of a new day.

This would be forever—soon. This woman, whom he’d only met less than two months ago, was his dream come true. His forever.

Until she’d taken his face in her hands and kissed him that night he stood her up, he didn’t know it would come this far. But when you knew love was right there, you grabbed it with both hands and you held on tight.

Darcy walked out of the bathroom, turned off the light, and jumped when she saw him standing there. “I didn’t know you were down here.”

“I was just waiting for you to come out.”

She smiled sweetly and moved closer to him. She was already in her pajamas which, though pinstriped and too big, were very sexy.

“It’s not even eight o’clock. Are you heading to bed?”

“Not unless you have other thoughts on our sleeping arrangements.” She playfully lifted her brows.

Ed reached his fingers into her hair. “Oh, I have plenty of ideas.”

He pulled her into to him and quickly took possession of her mouth. The fresh taste of mint against his tongue sent a surge through him. There was no way, feeling as he did at that moment, he’d make it until they were married. Not that he’d truly intended on not sleeping with the woman he loved, but he was trying to be a gentleman. However, his body was quickly taking over his manners.

He moved his hands to the buttons on her pajama top. The moan that came from her throat told him she was on the same page with her emotions, too.

Darcy’s hands went straight for his belt.

There was no turning back now. He almost wished he’d kept the ring in his pocket. Wouldn’t that have surprised her? But that wasn’t the plan. Oh, hell, his head was swimming with her in his hands, what did he care about plans?

As Darcy pulled his belt from the loops on his pants, she broke the kiss.

Her chest, bare under her pajamas and now playing peek-a-boo with the fabric, heaved.

“I want to see that tattoo.” The smile that turned up the corner of her mouth was nearly pure devil. He liked it.

Ed unbuttoned his pants and quickly pushed them to the floor. He stood, very exposed, in his boxers.

Darcy bit her lip and looked down. There was no denying what part of his body was working the hardest.

“You’ll find it just under the band,” he suggested, trying to keep his voice solid.

Darcy gazed into his eyes. There was love there—so much love. And trust. She trusted him with everything. He could see that, as if he could see into her soul.

But he blinked and broke the gaze when her finger slipped under the band of his boxers.

This was it. Time’s up.

Darcy shifted her eyes to where her hand folded down the band on fabric, which was not concealing much at the moment.

His entire body quaked as she ran her finger over the infinity symbol with the word family intertwined on it.

The smile she flashed him was different now. It smoldered, just as her eyes did.

She held up her left wrist. “I want mine here.”

“Done.” He sucked in a breath. “Tomorrow seems like a great day to do that.”

She nodded and moved her mouth back to his.

But the moment was gone when they heard an enormous crash from upstairs and a slew of curses from Christian.

The smoldering looks were now filled with fear and panic.