“Are you intending to propose marriage to me, Quinn Ralston? If that is the case, I shall tell you that I’m already married, and I have no intention of getting a divorce.”

Her playful tone trickled down his body like a sensual caress.

“Alas, I can’t offer you marriage since, like you, I am already wed, so would you, my impetuous Rose, please give me a chance to speak?” He looked into the depths of her eyes, drinking in her beauty and grace.

“Why, Quinn Ralston,” she began, sounding exactly as she’d sounded on their wedding night. “You are still a scoundrel, because if it isn’t marriage you’re after . . .” She suddenly stopped herself, then let out a soft “Oh” as she realized his true intention. Moisture suddenly rimmed her eyes.

He tried to do his scoundrel nature justice and let a wicked grin play around his lips.

“So, what’s your answer then?”

“Quinn Ralston, you’ve still not learned how to propose!”

“Because you keep interrupting me!”

“Well, then do it and don’t keep me on tenterhooks,” she urged.

He cleared his throat, pressing his hand over his heart. “Will you, Rose Haverford, become my blood-bonded mate?”

A second later, he found himself lying with his back flat on the mattress, having been catapulted there by Rose who now straddled him.

“I’m assuming that’s a yes?” He smirked and pulled her down to him.

“Before I can say yes, there’s just one more thing you need to know. I hid the flash drive in—”

He pressed his finger to her lips, interrupting her. “I don’t need to know.”

“You do. There’s no need to keep the flash drive anymore. I’ve decided to destroy it.”

“Are you sure?”

Rose nodded. “Keegan is dead, he can’t hurt us anymore.”

Then she lifted her left arm and allowed the fingers of her right arm to turn into claws.

“What are you doing?”

She made a three inch incision into her bicep before he could stop her, then dug into the open wound, pulling out a rectangular item covered in blood.

“The flash drive,” she whispered.

Surprise and relief collided in Quinn. “Oh my god, you kept it inside you all this time!”

“It was the safest place.”

She lifted her arm to her mouth to lick the wound so it would close, but this time he was faster and grabbed her arm.

“Allow me.”

His tongue licked over the incision, lapping up the blood that dripped from it. Within seconds, the wound closed, leaving only the delicious taste of Rose in his mouth.

Instantly, more blood pumped to his loins.

“And now?” he asked.

She balled her hand holding the flash drive to a fist, crushing the item. When she opened her palm, it had broken into a thousand tiny pieces. Leaning toward the nightstand, she let the debris fall onto it, then wiped her hand.

“It’s done.”

All obstacles between them were gone. They were free to love now. “Thank you.”

“Now there’s nothing between us anymore.”

He winked mischievously. “Only those clothes. And I believe you still owe me an answer.”

“Can’t you guess?”

“Rose, you still haven’t learned how to properly reply to a proposal.”

“Well, let me try again then.” She snatched his wrists and pressed him down into the mattress. “Yes! I’ll be your blood-bonded mate.”

As her mouth descended on his, he freed his hands and ripped her top in two, exposing her breasts. Capturing them, he allowed the flesh to mold to his palms and her warmth to seep into his body.

He finally had her back. Rose was in his arms, arms that would never let her go, arms that would always protect her. Quinn drunk in her kiss, letting all tension drain from him. Everyone of her moans acted as a stone thrown against the wall around his heart, tearing it down one by one. And every sigh that left her breathless body drove into his heart, lodging there for good.

As he frantically tore her clothes from her body, he lifted her off him and dropped her to his side, so he could pull her pants off her.

“Dresses were so much easier,” he complained.

“For you maybe,” she chuckled and helped him, then turned the tables on him and undressed him just as impatiently.

Wherever she touched him, his skin burned with desire. As soon as he was naked, he reached for her to bring her under him, but Rose had other ideas.

“Oh, no,” she whispered seductively and let her eyes trail down to his groin. “First I get to do what I never had a chance to do on our wedding night.”