Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Another Christmas
My eyes flutter open, taking a few seconds to adjust to the soft morning light filtering through the small windows. I turn over and meet Dragon’s gaze.
“Merry Christmas,” he says, smiling, his voice still rough with sleep.
“Merry Christmas,” I reply. Our first one together.
I stretch as he pulls me closer, his arms wrapping around me. We fit so easily, like we were made to. I settle against him, his warm skin pressed to my bare body, only a thin sheet between us. We’re in the attic at Gemma’s dad’s cabin, the whole house packed with people.
Tish flew in from Cornell, Erika from NYU, Mia from San Diego. Tiana is here with my cousin—he’s completely smitten, and it’s sweet. They’re two doors down. Yesenia made it from LSU. Dimitri and Ivan are somewhere on the second floor. Matt and Hope, Nick and Katie… Vince is alone. Andreas and Dustin brought new girls—they’re never settling. Sergey and his wife are here too, their son with the grandparents.
But right now, the only person that matters is the man next to me.
The last couple of months have been good—better. I get more time with him. He includes me in most things now. I even went to a concert with them—it wasn’t as bad as I thought. The band was softer, actually fun. We moved tennis to afternoons so we can sleep in. Sundays mean breakfast in bed, and it’s become my favorite thing.
Dragon shifts over me, spreading my legs with his knee.
“What are you doing? We have to go downstairs,” I smile, even as his lips trail kisses along my neck.
“Getting some before we spend the day in the Gemma show,” he murmurs, not stopping.
His fingers slide between us, entering me, stretching me before he pushes deeper. I can feel myself already dripping.
“Someone’s in the mood.”
“Always,” I grin, trying to suppress a moan as his fingers curl inside me.
His hand snakes around my waist, pulling me up, and in one slick move, he’s inside me. My eyes roll back, my body stiffening in his grip. His mouth catches every sound I make, swallowing my moans as his free hand pinches my nipple, sending a sharp electric shock down my spine.
I buck into him, desperate—more, faster, harder.
He gives it to me like he can read my mind.
My inner thighs sting from the force of his thrusts. There’s no getting used to the stretch he gives me, no matter how many times we do this. I look up at him, and our eyes lock. He doesn’t look away.
“I love you,” he groans, voice deep and rough.
“I love you too,” I answer automatically. I do mean it… even if sometimes it sounds fake coming out. Slow, small tears form at the corners of my eyes.
He grunts, and I fall apart beneath him, my hands gripping his hips as my stiletto nails dig into his skin.
“Fuck,” he breathes as he comes inside me—and without missing a beat, “Marry me?”
It hits like a bucket of cold water.
My body freezes. He looks down at me, just as stunned, like he didn’t mean to say it out loud. His cock jerks inside me on its own.
“Yes,” I mutter.
His eyes go wide. “Yes?”
“Yes,” I say again, this time with a smile.
Like a damn hurricane, he pulls out and jumps out of bed, dragging the sheet with him. He unzips his bag, digging through it like his life depends on it. I push myself up on my elbows, just watching him.
Then he stops.
Turns.
Grabs my ankle and pulls me to the edge of the bed. I giggle at his insanity as he drops to one knee—still completely naked.
“Elena Dimitrova, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
I sit up straighter, because if he’s going to do this, we’re doing it right. “Yes, Dragon Petrovic.”
He takes my left hand gently and slides the ring onto my finger. The metal is cold, sending goosebumps across my body. My stomach flips, weightless—I feel like I might throw up.
Then I look down.
The rock is massive.
“It was my mother’s,” he says softly. “Twenty carats.”
I cover my mouth, half in awe, half because I’m pretty sure someone is going to cut my finger off for this thing. Emerald cut, platinum band—it’s stunning. More than I deserve.
“The band is inscribed… ‘for the love of my life.’”
I cup his face and kiss him.
Am I even ready for this? Only time will tell.
An hour later, we’re all sitting around the dining table. Plates of food cover the center, everyone serving themselves. I sit there, hands hidden under the table, playing with my fingers.
My eyes flick across the table—Vladimira is sitting between Dimitri and Ivan. It makes me wonder if she’s the other girl. The one they both like as much as me. When the hell did that bitch get here? I regret ever sticking up for her.
I glance at Gemma. She tilts her head.
“Are you going to eat, Elle?”
Everyone’s eyes land on me.
Dragon smiles—he knows I’m hiding it.
“Yes!” I turn to him. “Babe, can you get me some food?”
He chuckles. “Baby, just tell them. You can’t hide your hands all weekend.”
“I don’t know,” I laugh. “I don’t think I can lift my hand. I might need to start weight training.”
He laughs with me.
Then, slowly, I lift my left hand onto the table, revealing the massive rock.
Silence.
Then jaws drop—everyone except the Pavlovs.
Ivan stands abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the hardwood as he storms out. For a second, Sergey looks… something. Mad? Sad? I can’t tell, because it vanishes just as quickly.
What is his problem? He’s married. I’m allowed to move on.
Congratulations start pouring in. Gemma grabs my hand, asking Dragon about the ring. He explains it was his mother’s, that he asked his dad for it after my sister’s wedding.
“So when are we doing this?” Gemma asks, grinning.
“I’m giving her a year… in case she changes her mind,” Dragon says with a laugh.
I shove him playfully.
Do not hurt me, I chant in my head. Because almost like deja vu, I can feel the dark clouds roll in.