Breaking Away Read online

  “I know, but keep telling me that because I am freaking the hell out,” he said before starting the car but, before he could pull away, she stopped him.

  “She is going to be okay.”

  He smiled and nodded as she added, “We are going to be okay.”

  He leaned over, pressing his lips to hers and saying, “As long as we have each other, we will be.”

  Reese cupped his face and pressed her lips to his once more before whispering, “I love you.”

  Because she did. So much it hurt some times. Nothing could hold a candle to the last two years. They were honestly the best times of her life. Even with the fights they had with Claire, the fights they had with each other, they knew that no matter what, they had each other. He was her other half, her soul mate, her everything, and she couldn’t live without him. He helped her be the person she wanted to be. He pushed her and helped her strive. She owed him everything.

  His eyes fell shut a little as she ran his finger down her jawline. “I love you, too.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  He kissed her on the side of her mouth before whispering against her mouth, “Sure.”

  “Marry me?”

  He paused mid-kiss and then pulled back to look at her. “What?”

  She smiled shyly, and she knew he heard her. “Marry me?”

  “Hold on a damn minute,” he said, smacking the steering wheel, surprising her. “I have asked you to marry me at least twice a week for the last two years. I even did it with a ring, a big, shiny one, and you have said no, every single time, and now you ask me?”

  She laughed as nodded her head. “Yes, because I’m ready.”

  “Now you’re ready? What made you change your mind?”

  “You. You’ve changed everything. I want to fall apart because I am going to miss her, but you hold me together. So stop questioning me and answer me. Will you marry me or not?”

  He leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers as their eyes locked together. He cupped her face between his hands, his eyes shining with the love and desire he had for her. She hoped that he saw her love for him and knew that she was where she wanted to be. But then he shook his head before saying, “No.”

  “No?” she shrieked, backing away from him, shocked. That was not the answer she expected!

  “No, because I want to ask,” he said, putting the car in drive and heading off the campus.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yes, seriously. I’ve been waiting years to have you say yes to me.”

  “So what, you’re gonna make me wait?”

  “Yes, because now that I know you want to marry me, I’m going to ask you when you least expect it.”

  She shook her head and leaned back in the seat, annoyed. “Fine, I guess I’ll wait, which sucks because I wanted to have sex with my fiancé tonight.”

  Suddenly, he whipped the car to the side of the road and put it in park, jerking her back and forth. Holding onto the dashboard, she looked over at him, shocked, and asked, “What the hell?”

  He laughed as he reached over, opening the glove box and pulling out a little black box. Leaning towards her, he shot her a grin, his eyes shining with love, before he slowly opened it, revealing a single princess-cut, large diamond. The band had diamonds encrusted in it before wrapping around the large diamond that shined in the afternoon sun.

  “You had that in there all this time?”

  He smirked and said, “Shhh, I am trying to ask you to marry me.”

  A giggle escaped her lips as her eyes filled with tears. “So sorry, please proceed.”

  His eyes were glossy as they held hers. Her heart was jackhammering in her chest and despite the fact that she had asked him earlier, this seemed way more real. Reaching out, he cupped her face as he said, “I love you so much, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Reese Allen. Marry me.”

  “Always so demanding,” she teased as her eyes clouded with tears.

  “Yeah, I know, but you like it that way.”

  “I do.”

  “Good, so what do you say?”

  Meeting him in the middle, she moved her lips with his as her heart soared out of her chest. Breaking away from his captivating lips, she smiled against them as she whispered, “I say that this is very unexpected.”

  He laughed and God, how she loved the sound. With a wink, he said, “Good, I planned it that way.”

  Her eyes closed as he moved his lips with hers. When he parted from her, he shot her a smirk as he said, “Just say yes already.”

  She pressed her lips to his and felt nothing but love for this man. All the fear of the unknown was gone. All her walls were demolished by his love, and she knew there was only one thing left to say. The one word he had been waiting to hear her say for the last two years.

  The one word that would be the start to her forever.

  “Yes.”

  Read more books in The Assassins series

  Ugh, these things always gut me. I can never ever express how much the people in my life mean to me. I have the best support system and I honestly couldn’t do life without them.

  To my hockey stud, Michael, my life would be nothing without you. The support and love you give me goes above and beyond. I love you.

  Mikey and Alyssa, mommy loves you more than words can describe. Thanks for always saying that your mom is the best author ever.

  Nick, I love ya guy, thanks for being there and helping me out so much when I am trying to make my deadlines.

  Noey, dude, this is my sixth porn book. I rock. Haha! Love you so much!

  Nortis, Bobbie Jo, and Stacey, I think the dedication says it all. I love you three so much.

  Dad and Patsy, thank you for supporting me and always telling me how proud you are of me.

  To my family I don’t have room to mention, I love you and thank you for the support.

  To my agent, Rebecca, thank you for working so hard for me, and always being there to answer my questions.

  To my betas, Laurie, Lisa, Susie, Mary, Althea, Lisa, Christy, Rosarita, and Margreet, this book couldn’t have happened without y’all. Thank you and I love each of you so much.

  To Regina, the cover is a thing of gold. You are a cover master my friend. I love you so much for taking my vision and rocking the hell out of it.

  To Cynthia, thank you for editing the hell out of this book and making it amazing!

  To Damaris, it has to be tough being my PA/PR but man I love you for it! Thank you for coming into my life and being amazing.

  To Sue Grimshaw, thank you for forming me into the author I am today. I value our time together.

  To my Authors of the Self, Amy, Emmy, Rebecca, Renee, Hadley, Julie and Gretchen, my life would not be the same without y’all. I love you so much.

  To my new friends, I love you. To my old friends, thanks for helping me grow.

  To the Nashville Predators, well, mostly Shea Weber, thank you for giving me a team that I can be inspired by. I love you guys and will continually be the biggest Preds Fan EVER!

  And to my mom, I love and miss you every single day you are not here. Thank you for raising such a strong woman, I couldn’t have done anything I’ve done this year without the foundation you laid down for me. Thank you. I love you. I miss you.

  And last, but certainly not least, my amazingly, so totes-ma-goates awesome fans,

  I LOVE YOU!

  Y’all make this business worth it to me. If I didn’t have you, I’d be writing and saving manuscripts instead of having the balls to share them with the world. I freaking love y’all and I will always treasure each of you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  Upcoming from Toni Aleo

  The Whiskey Prince

  Jude (Rush Brothers 1)

  A Very Hockey Holiday (Assassins 6.5)

  Laces and Lace (Assassins 7)

  Make sure to check out these titles and more on Toni’s website:

  www.tonialeo.com

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