Olivia stared into his eyes as her entire body trembled.
After a few excruciatingly quiet moments, Alexander took a deep breath and swiftly lowered himself to one knee.
Olivia, and half the audience, gasped.
“Alex. What are you doing?” Her eyes scanned the crowd, cell phone cameras flashing away. Olivia knew that photo would soon be all over the internet.
“Sarah Olivia Adler, I fell head over heels in love with you the minute I laid eyes on you, and my love for you has only grown over the past eight months. Even when you left me, and I almost married someone else, I never stopped thinking about you.”
The audience chuckled.
Olivia could barely see anything, her eyes turning into kaleidoscopes because of all the tears she shed.
“I can’t stand the thought of not spending the rest of my life with you.” He set the microphone on the floor and reached into his pocket. He produced a small black velvet box. “Will you please do me the honor of being my wife?”
He flipped open the box. Olivia’s eyes went wide when she saw the beautiful ring. It was a three-karat round cut diamond with small stones circling the larger one and inlaid into a platinum band.
“Oh, Alex. It’s gorgeous.”
Alexander took the ring out of the box and held it up to the tip of her ring finger.
“Marry me, Olivia. Make me the happiest man on the planet.”
All of a sudden, she knew why she remembered that song and that moment. Her dream. The green-eyed boy singing that song for her, then morphing into Alexander. And then him getting down on one knee with a ring box in his hand. Maybe her parents had been watching out for her. Maybe her mama had been sending her a message with the dreams. She immediately knew her answer.
Olivia smiled and nodded fervently. “Yes.”
“Yes?” Alexander asked excitedly, sliding the ring on her finger.
“Of course, Alexander.” She pulled his face toward hers, crushing her lips against his as they both stood up. “A thousand times yes,” she breathed into his mouth.
He pressed his body against hers, kissing her sweetly, his tongue gently caressing hers. She ran her fingers through his hair, relishing the taste of him, never wanting that feeling to go away.
“Come on, you two. Get a room,” Mo interrupted. Alexander pulled away slowly, planting gentle kisses on her nose and cheeks.
“So, Livvy. What’s your answer?” Mo asked.
Olivia held up her left hand, grinning.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
COMPLETE
ALEXANDER OPENED THE DOOR to the SUV, helping Olivia into the waiting car.
“Miss Adler. Wonderful to see you again,” Martin said, winking.
“You won’t have to call me Miss Adler for much longer,” Olivia replied, smiling wide.
Alexander got in the car opposite Olivia. “Where to, love?” He grabbed her left hand, sending shivers down her spine as he planted gentle kisses on her knuckles and ring, rubbing his lips against her soft skin.
Olivia felt her stomach clench, her body heating up just from the simple gesture. Alexander looked into her eyes, waiting for an answer. “Your place, Mr. Burnham,” she said in a quiet, sultry voice.
“Your wish is my command, the future Mrs. Burnham.”
Olivia giggled. She loved the sound of that.
Within a few minutes, Martin dropped Alexander and Olivia off in front of his building. “Thank you, Martin. I’ll call you if I need anything else.”
He ran around and opened Olivia’s door for her, leading her through the lobby of his building and into a waiting elevator. “Let’s go home.” The elevator door opened to the penthouse. Alexander picked Olivia up, cradling her in his arms.
“Put me down, Alex,” she laughed.
“No way. I need to carry you over the threshold, darling.”
Olivia playfully smacked him. “That’s on our wedding night, jackass.”
He leaned down, pressing his lips gently to hers as he stood in the foyer. She reached up and ran her hands through his dark hair. “I’m just practicing, love,” he whispered against her lips, punching the code into the wall. The door opened and he walked in, his lips never leaving hers.
“Maybe we can try practicing a few other things for our wedding night, too,” she whispered, her eyes wide with yearning.
Alexander slowly put her down, making sure she had her footing, his eyes intense. He peered down at her, his gaze burning a hole through her body. She backed up against the wall, unable to take her eyes off of him.
He pressed his body against hers, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “What kind of things did you have in mind, Olivia?”
She swallowed hard. Her body was on fire, her heart racing in her chest. “You know… Things…” She raised her eyebrows.
Alexander trailed kisses along her jaw. Olivia moaned, feeling that familiar tingling sensation overtake her being. He tugged on her earlobe, pulling it between his lips. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.” His breath was hot on her skin. “What kinds of things do you want to practice?”
He wrapped his hands around her body, lifting her up, forcing her legs around his waist, using the wall to support her. He gently thrust against her and she threw her head back, moaning out when she felt his erection between her thighs.
“Olivia, look at me,” Alexander growled. Olivia’s eyes met his. “What do you want to do?”
She pulled Alexander’s head toward hers, crushing her lips to his, telling him with her mouth what she wanted. Her tongue invaded his mouth, exploring him in a way that she never had before. She ran her fingers through his hair, pulling it. The kiss was so much more meaningful than any other kiss they’ve ever had.
Alexander groaned and Olivia could feel him get even harder. He pulled his mouth from hers, breathless. “Please, love. Tell me what you want to do. You’re driving me crazy here.” He grabbed her hair, pulling her head to one side. He kissed her neck, sending volts of electricity through her body.
“I want you to take me to your bed,” she whispered.
Alexander continued kissing her neck, sucking and biting. “What do you want to do there?”
Olivia knew what she wanted to do. She just had trouble saying the words, and Alexander knew that. She didn’t just want to fuck like they usually did. She wanted so much more than that.
“Please, Olivia. Say it,” he begged her softly, the dominating lover nowhere to be found.
She looked into his green eyes, the love he had for her evident. “I want you to make love to me, Alexander.”