She teared up and quickly wiped her tears away.
"You want to marry me?"
He stood up.
"I want to marry you, spend the rest of my life with you, share every single day with you, never go to bed without you, all of it. You are what makes me happier than I ever thought possible, and I want to make you as happy as I possibly can. So, what do you say, baby? Will you marry me?"
She nodded.
"Yes, yes, I will".
He slipped the ring on her finger and then kissed her and picked her up and spun her around.
She caught a glimpse of her ring. It was a French-set pave diamond band with a radiant cut 3 carat diamond. It was simply mesmerizing.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him for several minutes.
They walked back to their gazebo.
"Perfect timing, Mr. Hart. Everything is ready".
"Bottle of your best champagne, Jorge. 2 glasses. She said yes".
"Right away, sir".
Jorge had grilled them steaks and various types of seafood and veggies.
Jorge came and popped the bottle of champagne for them, and poured them two glasses.
"To my gorgeous fiancee".
"To my handsome fiance, the most wonderful man in the whole wide world".
They clinked glasses and then he leaned over and kissed her, and then they took a few sips.
"Darling, when did you do all this?"
"Well, I bought the ring a few days ago in LA. And while you were at the spa, I went and bought you the dress so that you would have a special outfit and I made all the arrangements for this dinner while you were at the spa".
She leaned over and kissed him.
"So you knew you wanted to propose to me here?"
"Not at first. I've been carrying the ring with me everywhere since I bought it. Losing all your possessions tends to make someone do that. I wanted our proposal to be special, and I wanted it to be memorable, so I needed to think on it. I decided on the plane ride here that I would do it on Christmas day, so we would always remember the day we got engaged".
After a very romantic dinner, they walked hand in hand back to their room.
As they came into the lobby, the staff all cheered for them.
They came and presented her with flowers, and they handed him a few gift certificates.
"Congratulations!".
"Thank you".
They walked to the elevator and headed up to their room.
"Darling, do you want to sit on the patio?"
"Sure".
She kicked her shoes off and they went outside and sat on the patio together.
"Max is going to be so happy you said yes".
"How should we tell him?"
"I'm not sure. He's not too hard to talk to, though. He'll love however we tell him".
"How soon do you want to get married?"
"As soon as you do".
"What kind of wedding do you want?"
"You know I used to say I wanted a huge wedding, with all my friends from high school, and my family. But now, I think I just want a small wedding. No attendants, just you and me and the person who marries us, at the altar and Max, and my aunts and maybe a few close friends in attendance".
"We cannot get married without the dinner party crowd in attendance. They would have us killed".
She chuckled.
"And I suppose we should invite people from your office, that you see every day".
"Yeah, we should".
"So, we could do a wedding where it's just us at the altar, and then a big party. Or we could do a private wedding ceremony, and then a big party after".
"We don't have to figure it out right now, we have all the time in the world".
"Darling, when did you decide you wanted to marry me?"
"It was last week, at L'Orangerie. You had just been rear-ended a few times by Jordan, and all during lunch, you were more concerned about Max and whether or not they were going to drop the charges. And it hit me-you and Pam are the only women I've ever had in my life that didn't view Max as a personal slave. I've brought women home before that ordered him around, and it infuriated me. And here's the thing-there's a little clue about Max that tells me if he likes the woman I brought home".
"Oh, what is that?"
"Well, he's picky. He doesn't like people to fuss over him. And you and Pam are the only ones he's ever let help him in the kitchen".
"Darling, Max is one of the kindest, genuine, caring persons I've ever met. I know he's not your real daddy, but I can tell those qualities in him rubbed off on you".
They stayed out on the patio a little while longer and then went inside.
"What time are we leaving tomorrow?"
"Well, I was checking the weather. It's supposed to be pretty sunny. So, maybe we can leave after lunch, and spend the morning at the pool?"
"Wonderful".
He walked over to the phone to call Jack.
They spoke for a few moments and then he hung up.
"Change of plans. Jack says we won't be able to leave till 5, because he'll have to fill the plane up."
"So, we get another a whole day here? Wonderful".
She threw her arms around him and kissed him.
"Where do you want to go on a honeymoon?"
"I'm up for anywhere, darling".
They got ready for bed and climbed in bed together.
"Darling, I've been meaning to ask you, where do we stand on the secret project?"
"Almost done, actually. Just needs a few finishing touches and then some proofreading and it should be ready".
"Wonderful, I can't wait to see it".
"So, we need to finish the secret project, find a house to live in, plan the wedding, get married, have a honeymoon, move out of our respective homes into the one we purchase…anything else?"
He chuckled.
"Just this".
He engulfed her lips with his and wrapped his arms around her.
She quickly straddled him and locked her legs in place on either side of his.
He took her nightgown off over her head and watched as her perky round breasts sprang to life.
He rolled them so she was on her back and settled on top of her.
He pushed a stray curl out of her face and kissed her.
He kissed his way down to her nipples and sucked and nibbled on them for a minute.
"Mmmm".
He heard her breath hitch and felt a sense of pleasure that he was doing that to her.
He kissed his way back up to her lips, stopping only to suck on her neck for a minute.
She drew her legs up and ran her heels up and down the back of his legs.
He laced both of his hands through both of hers and held them over her head.
In one swift, forceful motion, he entered her and found her sweet heat. With each powerful thrust, he made her see stars and cry out his name.
They finished together and held each other. It was the most explosive, intense, exhilarating sex that either of them had ever had.
"I love you".
"I love you too".
They laid there, kissing and cuddling for about an hour.
Suddenly, Jonathan sat up.
"Oh shit".
"What?"
"Don't get mad".
"I won't. What is it?"
"Promise".
"Jonathan, you're scaring me. What is it?"
"I forgot to protect us…."
She leaned up and kissed him.
"It's ok. I have an implant. I'm clean, you're clean, it's ok".
He breathed a sigh of relief and she kissed him lightly.
"Darling, do you want kids?"
"With you, absolutely. But at the moment, we don't have a home together, and we've only been engaged a few hours. It's low on the list".
"Good, it's low on the list for me too".
She scratched his back and held him for a few moments.
"Darling, can we make an agreement?"
"What's that?"
"That our married sex will always be like that".
"Yeah, that was pretty good. You make me feel things that no one else ever has".
"I think it's because we have passion, darling. We love each other, but we are passionate about each other too".
"I agree".
They chatted till they fell asleep, their arms and legs all twisted together.
***Sunday***
They spent the day by the pool. Jennifer laid in the wading deck for most of the day. They were very fortunate that they basically had the pool to themselves. The resort was almost like a ghost town.
Jennifer got really sunburned and was a deep red when they went in, especially on her chest.
They quickly showered and changed and packed up their things.
Jonathan called the front desk and asked them to call a taxi for them to go to the airport.
About a half an hour later, they were downstairs checking out.
"Darling, the gift certificates".
"Oh yeah. Guess we better use those".
They headed to the shops in the lobby and spent the gift certificates that they had been given by the hotel. Jennifer picked out a really nice picture frame and a Christmas ornament with Barbados and the date on it.
Jonathan picked out a shirt and a couple of high-ball glasses and shot glasses.
They used the rest of the credit to place to-go orders at the restaurant.
An hour later, they were settled on their plane.
Jennifer was coating her chest in aloe.
Jack came on board a few minutes later.
"Hi you two. Have a nice trip?"
"Yes, we did".
"Jack, we will need you in a couple of months. What's the max number of hours you can fly us?"
"24, if it's just me, 36 if I have a partner".
"Oh, our honeymoon won't have that long of a flight in it, I'm sure".
"Honeymoon? You mean you two are getting married?"
"Yes, she said yes".
Jennifer held up her hand to show him the ring.
"Well congratulations, couldn't have happened to a nicer guy".
Jack came over and shook Jonathan's hand and leaned down and kissed Jennifer on the cheek.
He headed to the cockpit and Jonathan went and got them plates and silverware.
After they took off, they ate their meals and chatted about the week ahead.
They ended up going to bed around 11 and slept all night.
They landed back in Los Angeles around 6 a.m.
Jonathan drove them to Jennifer's house and brought her bags in.
"Want to stay, darling?"
"Absolutely".
They quickly changed into their pajamas and then climbed into bed.
He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest and within minutes, they were back asleep.
They slept all day, and then headed to Jonathan's house later that night.
***A few days later***
Jennifer had basically stayed at Jonathan's house since they got back. Neither of them wanted to sleep without the other.
Jonathan woke her up when he was leaving for the office.
"I love you, stay as long as you want. Max will be home sometime today".
"I love you too".
She kissed him goodbye and then he left and she went back to sleep.
She finally got up around 9 and got dressed.
She decided to head downstairs and grab a bagel and then head to her house to work.
She was coming down the stairs just as Max was coming in the garage door.
"Hi Miss Edwards".
"Hi Max".
She discreetly turned her ring around.
"Mr. H. here?"
"No, he's at the office. Did you have a nice trip?"
"Yeah, Canada is lovely this time of year".
"Well, I'm heading to my house, I'll see you later".
She kissed his cheek and then headed to the garage.
As soon as she got home, she ran inside and called Jonathan.
"Hello?"
"Hi darling. Listen, I have to tell you something. I almost called you from the house, but I didn't want Max to hear me and I don't have a car phone, so I had to wait till I got to my house".
"What is it?"
"Well, I was at your house and I was coming downstairs, and as I did, Max came in and caught me".
"Oh, that's ok. He loves you".
"Yeah, and I love him too. But I still feel like I did the walk of shame, darling".
He chuckled.
"You didn't, believe me. Max is cool, he doesn't get ruffled by things like that. I'm sure he was just glad to see you".
"I hope so".
"Darling, you won't mind if he lives with us, will you?"
"Mind? Jonathan, I insist on it. I love Max, you know that".
"Good, I hope he agrees to live with us".
"Me too".
"I'll be home around 6 tonight, so come over whenever you want to".
"Wonderful. I love you".
"I love you, too".
She blew him a kiss as she hung up the phone.
Her editor called a few minutes later to check in.
"I have an amazing opportunity for you- I just need to know if you are interested".
Jennifer listened to the details.
"I'm definitely interested, but let me talk to Jonathan first, ok?"
"That's fine. Just call me and let me know what he says".
"Ok, will do".
She worked steadily till 5, and then got ready to go to Jonathan's.
He called around 5:30.
"Can I come pick you up? I want to take you somewhere".
"Certainly".
He arrived about 15 minutes later and came in.
"Hi darling".
She came and kissed him and wrapped her arms around him.
"Hi".
"Jonathan, sit down. We need to talk".