He claims my mouth with his, pushing his tongue in deep. I open for him, sucking in a hard breath, and grab his coat. I pull him closer. His lips on mine feel so good, so perfect, so right. Oh god, I missed him so much. A tear leaks from the corner of my eye, running down my cheek. His arms wrap around me, strong and possessive. He holds the back of my head, keeping our mouths locked together. I couldn’t pull away if I tried.
I cling to the lapels of his coat, falling, crashing, crumbling to pieces. I’m consumed by him—taken. Vaguely, I hear the fireworks, the huge crowd cheering.
He doesn’t stop kissing me. I’m surrounded by his scent, intoxicating and familiar. His mouth, so warm and soft. I melt against him, my body going fluid. I’m surprised my legs will still hold me up.
He pulls back, but our lips don’t part. He holds me there, his breath hot on my face, his arms around me.
My shoulders shake, and the tears come.
He breaks the kiss and holds me against him while I sob into his chest. It can’t be him. This can’t be real.
He speaks softly, his mouth next to my ear. “Kylie, I am so sorry. Please tell me I didn’t lose you forever. Please, baby girl.” His voice breaks. “I love you.”
I lean back so I can look up at him, tears still running down my face. He wipes my cheek with his thumb. My throat feels thick and I’m not sure I can get any words out. I open my mouth, my lower lip still trembling. “I love you, too.”
His legs buckle slightly, and he grabs onto me. For a second I think we both might fall over, but he’s steady. He clings to me, burying his face in my neck. “Oh, god, Kylie, I fucking love you so much,” he says, speaking low into my ear. “I’ll never leave you again. I swear. Never.”
I tremble against him, trying to catch my breath. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold onto him for dear life.
Braxton. My Braxton.
After long moments, he pulls away. The loud bang of fireworks continues, the crowd cheering with every explosion.
I finally find my voice again. “What are you doing here?”
“I had to come see you,” he says. “I couldn’t wait.”
Reality coalesces in my mind, the truth of what I’m seeing: Braxton, standing here, in London, in the middle of the night.
“How long have you been here?”
“We got in earlier today,” he says. “We’ve been trying to find you for hours.”
“We?”
“Yeah, Selene’s watching the hotel lobby in case you come back.”
I gape at him, astounded. “Selene’s here?”
He nods. “Of course she is. She wanted to help.”
“Help? I don’t understand.”
“Kylie, I made such a mistake. Leaving you was the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever done, and I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my life.” He puts a hand on my cheek. “I didn’t mean a word I said that night. I thought I had to do it. I thought I had to choose between you and my sister, and I didn’t know what else to do. But I was wrong. I was so wrong, and I’ll do anything to make it right.”
I take a breath, my body shivering. “I can’t believe you’re here.”
“It took me too long to figure out where you’d be,” he says. “I almost didn’t make it.”
“Braxton, you flew halfway across the world for this?”
“Yeah,” he says, and the groove forms between his eyes again, his expression intensifying. “I did. I had to. I have something to ask you, and it couldn’t wait. It had to be tonight.”
He touches my face, his eyes sweeping over me like they did the first night he told me he wanted me. The night everything changed.
My breath quickens again.
“Kylie,” he says, his voice gravelly. Before I know what’s happening, he takes my hands in his and sinks down onto one knee.
My eyes widen and my mouth drops open, my breath catching in my throat. He can’t be— “I love you, baby girl. Always have. I’m yours, and I want you to be mine, forever.” He reaches into his inside pocket and pulls something out, pinched between his thumb and two fingers.
A ring.
I clamp my hand over my mouth.
He smiles—that brain-melting smile that makes me forget where I am, that sucks all the oxygen from the air. “What do you say, Ky? Will you marry me?”
I meet his eyes. He’s so open, so honest. Holding nothing back.
My eyes tear up again, but it’s laughter that escapes my lips.
“Yes,” I say, though I can hardly get the word out. I’m smiling and laughing and crying all at once.
He stands, wrapping his arms around me, and lifts me off my feet. My face is even with his, and he kisses me, his lips like silk. People around us clap and cheer, and I’m pretty sure I see the flash of a few cameras. He sets me down and takes my left hand. He meets my eyes while he slips the ring on my finger.
“There,” he says, his voice soft. “Now you’re mine forever.”
Selene plucks the glass of champagne from my hand. “You can’t get drunk before your wedding.”
I laugh. “I’m not getting drunk. I’ve had one glass.”
She smiles and goes back to putting on my eyeliner. “Well, you’re making it hard for me to do your makeup.”