“You mean, run over,” she said, and he laughed as he nodded. “Or my brother or father intercepted him.”

“That’s more like it,” he said with a chuckle, causing her to laugh. Opening her hand, he kissed her palm again. “Did the cancer ever come back?”

She shook her head, her eyes locking with his. “No. I’ve been blessed with a clean bill of health.”

“That’s really great, Lacey. I think you had me and my mom praying for you.”

She smiled. “Well, thank you.”

“Anytime,” he said with a nod. “When did you get the breasts?”

Her lips went to a straight line and she pulled her hand away, reaching for the glass again, draining it.

Whoa, what was that about?

“Is that an off-limits topic?” he asked and she looked up at him.

Shaking her head, she said, “It’s a touchy one, but nothing is off-limits to you.”

“And the same goes for you.”

Biting into her lip, she looked down at the table before explaining that the douche had bought them for her after a horrid night together. He didn’t want the details, and thankfully, she gave him the Cliff’s Notes, but nothing could stop the rage he felt. He wanted to rip the dude limb from limb.

“Fucking douche.”

“My sentiments exactly,” she agreed with a grin.

“And your dad and brother liked him?”

“He wasn’t you,” she answered and he shook his head.

“I’m not a bad guy,” he said, not understanding their hatred of him. He was a stand-up guy, was great on the ice, and always did right by anyone he met. Yeah, he walked away from Lacey, but it was because they demanded for him to. What the hell did he do to be on the receiving end of their undying hatred?

Shrugging her shoulders, Lacey said, “You’re right, but Karson, you are the one that took my heart.”

Reaching for her hand, he was glad when she surrendered it to him. Standing up, he pulled her out of her chair and then wrapped his arms around her waist, unable to take her being so far from him. Looking deep into the pair of eyes that starred in all his dreams, he kissed her nose and spoke from his heart, “And I don’t plan on ever giving it back.”

Crashing his mouth against hers, he kissed her long and hard, his toes curling in his shoes with no cares that they were in a crowded bar. Karson wanted to leave; he wanted to get lost in her body and never stop. He craved it, needed it, but when he pulled back, looking into her sweet eyes, he knew that could wait. They still had so much to talk about, and as painful as it may be, he knew in the end that he would have her.

Kissing her nose, he whispered, “Wanna get out of here?”

She grinned, her fingertips dancing along his jaw. “There is still so much to talk about.”

“You’re right,” he said, smiling because she read his mind. “But we can do that back at your apartment.”

“You don’t like the bar?” she asked, her eyes meeting his.

He shook his head. “Not really. The whole time we’ve been sitting here, men have been staring at you, and it’s driving me insane.”

She laughed, her eyes bright and playful. “Oh, please.”

He scoffed. “You think I’m playing, but I’m not. When I’m not looking at you, I’m shooting dirty looks to half the bar. You’re a very attractive woman, Lacey Martin.”

“You’re crazy. I look so different than I did back then. I’ve put on weight.”

He nodded, his eyes looking down her heavier body, her new breasts, her thick hips, and a round ass that had him fighting for breath. She was a showstopper. Yeah, she was thicker and could maybe stand to lose some weight, but he didn’t care about that. He loved her. He thought she was gorgeous. “Hell yeah, and let me be the one to thank nine-pound, sweet baby Jesus for it.”

She giggled sweetly and leaned into him. “Well, thank you.”

Moving a piece of stray hair out of her face, he said, “You’re very welcome, my love. Now, let’s get out of here. I want to wrap my arms around you in the privacy of your apartment.”

“So you can get me naked?” she teased and he laughed.

“After the fact, yes.”

She laughed, nodding her head. “All right, as long as you promise we are gonna talk.”

“I promise.”

And he did, he just left out that it scared him what would happen next. His pocket was burning with the ring he had bought earlier that day. He still couldn’t believe he had done it, but it just seemed right when he saw the round, two-carat diamond set in a twisted platinum band that was encrusted with smaller diamonds. It just screamed Lacey. He could actually see it on her finger, see it flicker in the light on her delicate hand. It was her ring. So he dropped the forty-five grand and walked out of the place with a ring for a girl who he had no clue if she’d want to marry him. He wasn’t sure if that was something she would want right now, but he knew he couldn’t walk out of that store without her ring.

Because he knew he was going to marry Lacey Martin.

And the more he spent time with her, the more he knew that he could make the dream of having her be Mrs. Karson King a reality. After all this time, he could read her like a book, and she wanted him; she still loved him. She was everything he wanted in a girl. Successful, gorgeous, funny, playful, and special. She was his, and though he didn’t know what was going to happen at the end of the night, he had a gut feeling that it would end with his ring on her sweet hand.