Page 113 of Defend Her Heart

I’m out of the camera’s view now, so my parents don’t see the smile that stretches across my face at his answer. But I see theirs.

My dad grabs the phone from my mom, just he and Connor on the screens now. “Son…” His words trail off, and I don’t miss the way Connor inhales a sharp breath. “I was hoping you’d come to your senses one day.”

Connor releases a strangled laugh mixed with emotion and tears. “Sorry it took me so long, sir.”

My dad shakes his head in disbelief. “Knock it off with that ‘sir’ crap. It’s Jeremy or Dad now, you hear me?”

When Connor swallows, it’s so loud I know he’s fighting back a sob now. I reach out and grab his hand, lacing his fingers through mine. He doesn’t say anything, and my dadseems to understand how big this moment is for him because he doesn’t push.

“I know I probably don’t have to say this because I’ve always known you’d grow up to become an exceptional man, but it’s your job to protect her now, son. I’m trusting you with my baby girl. I know she’s in good hands, but don’t you go breaking her heart again, you hear me?”

Connor lifts my hand to his mouth and places a kiss on the top of it. He looks from me to my dad and smiles.

“I will protect Avery until my dying breath. She is safe with me, and I’ll defend her heart like it’s my own, because quite frankly, it is. I promise I won’t let you down.”

My dad’s eyes fill with tears and my mom snatches her phone back.

“We know you will, Connor. We’ve always known her heart belonged with you. We’re just glad you finally figured it out, too.”

We spend the next couple minutes planning when her parents can come visit before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone. I have to be at the rink in about an hour for a light practice, but everything that just happened has kind of thrown me off, and I find myself immobile in bed, wondering where we go from here.

I didn’t plan on telling Avery I wanted to stay married like that, but when her dad asked, I couldn’t lie and I also couldn’t wait to hear what she would’ve said. What if she doesn’t want to stay married to me? I’m kicking myself for not telling her soon when she takes me by surprise and climbs into my lap.

“So, you want to stay married to me, Superstar?”

She slides the strap of her tank top down her arm slowly, and I’m transfixed by the movement. She moves to the other arm and does the same thing with the second strap.

“My eyes are up here, Connor.” Avery pushes my chin up with her pointer finger, and I’m met with a seductive smile. As soon as I see it, she bites her lip, causing my dick to jump in excitement.

I rest my hands on her hips and tell her the truth. “I’ve wanted to stay married to you since the day we said, ‘I do.’” Ilean over to my nightstand and pull the drawer open. Reaching in, I grab the box I’ve been hiding there for weeks.

Avery gasps the moment I open it. Her eyes land on the two-carat emerald cut galaxy blue sandstone ring and her hand shoots to cover her mouth.

“Oh my god, Connor. It’s gorgeous.”

I pull the ring out of the box and grab her hand with my other one. The dark blue stone is surrounded by dozens of tiny diamonds that run along the entirety of the band as well. There are speckles throughout the stone that give the illusion of a night sky. When I saw it at the jewelry store, I immediately knew it belonged on Avery’s finger.

“This ring represents so much more than a marriage, Aves.” I brush my thumb over the deep blue stone, the diamonds glimmering in the light. “Every night I looked up at the stars, I was wondering if somehow you were looking at the same ones, too. This ring is proof that even after all this time, two people who spent years in the dark can somehow still follow the same stars back to each other.”

Avery releases a sob, and I reach up to brush away a stray tear.

“This isn’t just a promise to love you for the rest of my life. I already did that a long time ago. This is a promise that no matter how far we may drift apart, you’ll always be my North Star, Aves. Will you stay married to me so we can start the life we’ve always dreamed of together?”

She laughs through another sob and nods her head erratically.

“Yes! A thousand times, yes, Connor.”

I slide the ring onto her finger, and the moment it’s where it belongs, she leans down to capture my mouth with hers. Her tank top is already halfway off, so I help her lift it over her head. To my surprise, she’s not wearing a bra and her tits bounce free, begging for my mouth.

Reaching up, I take one of her breasts in my hand andgive it a good squeeze. “God, your tits are fucking perfect, Aves.” I lean down and suck one of her nipples into my mouth. Avery moans, and I pull back, pinching her nipple between my fingers.

“You like when I play with these pretty little nipples baby?”

She throws her head back just as I squeeze the other one. “Yes!”

I take turns biting and flicking my tongue over her nipple until she starts grinding herself over my hard cock. As soon as I halt my movements, she sits up, questions swimming in those gorgeous eyes.

“Why’d you stop?”