Pulling away, I run my thumb along her jaw as I whisper, “I can’t get over how gorgeous you are.”

She smiles, smacking my chest softly. “So what? I’m not gorgeous any other time?”

I smile, bringing her closer to me. “Of course you are. It’s just weird seeing you all dolled up.”

Wrapping her hands around my neck, she grins up as me before nodding. “I am thinking the same about you. Super hot, Declan O’Callaghan. I love your hair.”

She then twirls her fingers along the hair at the nape of my neck, sending chills down my spine. I love when she does this and maybe I should forgo the beanie more often, just so she touches me like this. Looking into her sparking blue eyes, I want to tell her how I feel. How when I look at her all I see is my everything, but I am so scared that she isn’t feeling the same. I think she is. Like right now, her eyes are glossy as they hold mine, but is that love? I’ve never felt like this. I don’t know how to know if someone feels the same. It’s fuckin’ stressful, and I wish I had the balls to just admit how I feel.

Clearing my throat, I say, “Are you ready?”

She nods slowly, meeting my mouth with hers, teasing my lips with her teeth before deepening the kiss. I’m lost when she does this. For someone that hasn’t been with many men, or kissed them for that matter, she really knows how to rock my world. I just can’t get enough and when she pulls away, I bring her back for more. She melts in my arms as I deepen the kiss, showing her how I feel. I don’t know if it is translating as love like I intend, or maybe lust, not really sure, but fuck, I love kissing her.

Pulling away before I do something that would offend Mr. and Mrs. Maclaster a lot, I put space between us, holding her hands in mine. She grins up at me, her lipstick gone, her face red, and her lips swollen.

“I’m pretty sure I have no lipstick on.”

I shake my head, a grin pulling at my lips. “Nope, it’s all gone.”

“Yeah, on you,” she says, laughing as she turns to go to the kitchen. Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I remove as much as I can before she comes to me with a baby wipe. “Here.”

I smile a thanks before wiping my face and following her to the mirror that hangs by the door. As she reapplies her lipstick, I clean my face and I can’t help but feel domesticated, as if this is something we’d do when we were married. Dropping the baby wipe, I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, pressing myself against her as I run my nose through her hair.

“I don’t want to go,” I whisper. “I just want to hold you.”

“You can hold me there. I got pretty; you have to show me off.”

“I don’t want to share you with anyone.”

“Too bad, I spent three hours shopping with Fiona and another two getting ready; you owe me a glass of something and dancing.”

Removing my nose from her hair, I groan as I meet her beautiful gaze in the mirror. She really is stunning tonight and while I don’t want to share her with anyone, I can’t help but be excited for everyone to see who I’ve been blessed to love for the rest of my life.

“Fine. We can go.”

She sends me a sneaky grin before tucking her lipstick in her bag before saying, “Let’s go then.”

After saying goodbye to her aunt and uncle, we get in the car and head back to the estate. My nerves are all over the place, and I want to drive off the road just to breathe. I think Amberlyn senses my nervousness because she holds my hand in hers, stroking it softly as we drive. Once we arrive, I bask in the beauty of my home. It’s lit up tonight with thousands of lanterns, and a spotlight is shining on the house that says O’Callaghan boldly on the stone. Hardly anyone is outside, and I’m glad. I don’t want to deal with anyone yet, even though it is inevitable.

“Are we late?”

I shake my head as I pull up to where the workers are waiting. “Not really, they are announcing us when I get there, so really, I decide when to come.”

She gives me a look, and I flash a grin before getting out. I head around to meet her on the other side and as she unfolds from the car, I can’t help but be stunned by her beauty again. The dress comes to her calves and fits her so tightly that I am convinced she is wearing no underwear. That thought alone has my slacks a little too tight for comfort.

“Spectacular,” I whisper again, taking her hand in mine.

She blushes as she shakes her head. “Stop, you are making me giggly.”

“Good,” I whisper in her ear before nipping at her. “I like you that way, remember?”

She grins up at me. “I do.”

Bringing her hand up so I can kiss it, I grin as we start inside. People are everywhere and like always, they fall silent as we pass them. Thankfully, no one stops me, and I head towards the ballroom. When one of our employees, Jimmy, sees me, he steps in front of me and nods. “Good evening, Mr. O’Callaghan.”

“Good evening.”

“How shall I announce your guest?” he asks, cutting Amberlyn a look.

“Ms. Amberlyn Reilly.”

Amberlyn sends me a look. “So proper.”

“Yeah, it’s dumb,” I joke as Jimmy wishes us a goodnight before heading inside before us. “So here we go.”

“I’m nervous as shit,” she whispers with a grin.

“Me too,” I admit.

At the same moment, Jimmy shouts loudly, “Announcing, Mr. Declan O’Callaghan and his date, Ms. Amberlyn Reilly.”

Squeezing her hand, I push my shoulders back and lead her into the full ballroom. Everyone’s eyes are on us and quickly, my heart kicks into speed as anxiety takes over. But when I look up and around, I see that they aren’t looking at us. They are looking at Amberlyn. Glancing over at her, I’m breathless as I take in every gorgeous detail of her. She is beaming, her shoulders back like mine, and her eyes are shining as the lights make her dress do the same. She captivates the room, owns it, and I swear I am the luckiest man on earth. She meets my gaze, a grin playing on her lips, and I can’t do anything but smile back. I know that this girl is special and at this moment, I feel more like a king than a prince.

And she is my queen.

Leaning towards her, I kiss her temple and she leans into me, basically melting against my touch. Pulling away, I send her a grin before leading her to where I see Kane and Fiona watching us. Like Amberlyn, Fiona is done up to the nines with the biggest smile on her face and Kane wrapped around her like a vice grip. As we make our way towards them, people wish us a good evening and I return the sentiment, along with Amberlyn. It’s nice, refreshing, because it doesn’t make me nervous. No, not with my love on my arm.