Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 550 -

*Natalia*

"Will you marry me?"

All around me was an emptying silence. I knew of course that I was sitting in the middle of a restaurant, the apple cake that the waiters had just delivered to our table sitting innocently in front of me, coerced in the powdered sugar and sweetness that a single bite could make my teeth hurt.

Wide-eyed and unblinking, I stared at the glittering ring inside of the velvet box that Tallon had presented to me, one foot and one knee firmly on the floor as he looked up at me, imploringly, nervously, hopefully.

The noises around us slowed down. The sound of the waiters hiding just behind the corner, too attentive to be natural as they kept stealing looks at the two of us-faded into the background.

I trembled as the breeze blew through the open window, brushing my loose hair from my face and across the uncovered skin of my open-back dress. The stars twinkling above us and the sight of the mountain just behind Tallon-it was a gorgeous picturesque moment where I wondered if this was truly happening.

Most women dreamed of this moment their entire lives, a handsome man on one knee, an expensive and gorgeous diamond presented to them as they stared at the one they loved like they were the only person in the whole world. I had never had the luxury to imagine such a sweet life.

I had struggled just to survive for so long. I had soldiered my way through life trying to get through each day as they came. There was no time for childish dreaming, or imagining better lives.

Not until this moment.

Possibilities flashed across my eyes as the world seemed to burst into colors and for the first time in my dull, colorless life, I could imagine it-a gorgeous aisle decorated with flower petals, my mother next to me in tears as she watched me glide down in a white dress.

The world around us ceased as my eyes met his. Everything else faded away as I held out my hand to the man I loved with all of my heart and the words we both whispered, full of emotion and vows to the universe itself. I do.

"Natalia?" Tallon asked, alarm and dismay flickering in his eyes as his words jolted me back to the present.

He dropped the ring, reaching for me and I let out a loud sob, unable to stop the rush of emotions that had suddenly taken over my body.

Trembling and weak, I fell to my knees in front of him, grabbing onto his shirt as I tried not to completely fall apart. He gently held my face in his hands, the concern in his eyes overpowering anything else as his eyes swept me for what could possibly have dissolved me into tears.

It was sweet and charming to see how much he loved and cared for me but I shook my head, pulling out of his embrace as I glanced at the fallen box on the floor and quickly grabbed it. I pushed it into his hands, staring into his eyes as I dropped my entire guard.

Tears rushed down my face, and as my body trembled from the powerful motions I probably looked like a mess, but whatever he saw in my eyes shocked him. Hope lit up his face as he gently plucked the ring from the box, tossing the now empty container to the ground as he tightly held onto the ring.

Swallowing, with a look of complete and utter astonishment, he gently slid the ring onto my finger-a perfect fit.

"Will you-" he repeated, just as overwhelmed as I was.

"Yes," I choked out between sobs, nodding furiously into his chest. "Yes, of course, I will, you idiot."

I gripped him like he was my last lifeline and I heard his laugh, the rumble of his chest everything to me as he held me tightly in my arms, as if he was afraid I would disappear.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear, and before I could respond, he'd lifted me into his arms, holding me by the waist as he stood both of us up.

He laughed as I yelped, wrapping my arms around his neck tightly as I suddenly went weightless, my feet dangling in the air.

"Tallon!" I yelled, holding onto him as he just gave me a joyful, mischievous glance and began to twirl us around in the room.

The disbelief faded as pure unadulterated joy overtook every inch of my body and I laughed, shutting my eyes as I savored being this close to him. I'd never felt this happy in my entire life, and I wanted to keep this moment close forever. I was going to marry this man, and nothing was going to stop us now.

Finally, however, the twirls slowed to a stop and Tallon gently let me down until my feet were on solid ground once more. He grinned, wide and happier than I'd ever seen him as he breathed laboriously.

His eyes were shining with love, the room utterly quiet and absent except for the two of us, and my eyes flickered to his lips before I grinned, realizing there was no reason for me to hold back anymore.

I followed my instincts and kissed him with everything I had. His lips opened for me automatically, like he didn't even have to think of it and he pulled me even closer, one hand delving into my thick wavy hair as we both tried to devour one another right then and there.

I licked his bottom lip, meeting his tongue playfully as he matched my every move. Our kiss grew harder and more needy and I let out a soft moan, pressing my heated body flush against his front. I could feel the lump in his pants, growing with every minute and I slid my leg over him until I could feel him pressed against my core.

"Nat-" he groaned, but I swallowed my name on his lips, tugging on his hair as he lost his balance for a moment, hitting the table. We both ignored the rattling of the plates and silverware, too focused on one another.

I wasn't even conscious of what I was doing at this point, just fully focused on him as my hands slowly ran into the collar of his shirt, a few buttons pulling away as I felt his strong back tense in response to my wonderings. I would've fucked him right here and now if it hadn't been the harsh tug on my hair and I gasped, both in slight pain and annoyance from being pulled away from his lips as he stared down at me, eyes dark with lust but firm. "Fucking hell." He was out of breath, and I could feel the heat from very on as he sucked in oxygen to his lungs.

I licked my bottom lip, still tasting him there as we both caught our breaths and I smirked as I saw his eyes trace my eyes action. I felt like I was drunk right now, utterly incapable of thinking as I just acted on whatever impulse first entered my mind.

And right now, all I wanted was him.

He kept a firm hand buried in my curls, preventing me from taking his lips again, but my thoughts had already focused down lower.

My hand trailed from his neck down the side of his chest and all the way down until I felt the bulge in his pants. I trailed my finger up and down the zipper, teasing softly as I stared him down challengingly.

"We still-" He panted, not even dodging my hand as I felt his every twitch coming to meet me, "We still have dessert."

"We can get it to go," I whispered, intent on taking on what I wanted right here and right now the moment he let go of me. "I just want you."

And instead of teasing, I fully stroked my hand up and down, firmly gripping him through his pants and he gasped, buckling into my hand, his eyes now black and feral with want.

"Naughty girl," he bit out through his teeth, a bead of sweat falling down the side of his face and I just smirked in response, waiting until he broke.

But I should've known I wouldn't have won that easily.

Before I could even blink, he swept my legs out from under me, carrying me like a princess as he thundered out of the room. "We'll take dessert to go!" he yelled to the shocked waiters, giving them no more glances as he hurried out of the restaurant.

Still feeling mischievous, I kissed the side of his neck, nibbling a bright red mark on his skin and loving the way he tightened his grip on me. I focused my attention on his neck, hanging onto him as he rushed out and into the car. He didn't even bother with seatbelts, simply glaring at the driver as he settled me into his lap.

"Home," He said roughly and the driver just nodded, purposefully glancing away from us as a divider slowly slid upward.

I shifted on his lap, and he groaned as I parted my knees, pressing him into my core with a soft moan. The ring glittered on my finger as the car took off, the street lights glowing as we headed for the villa, not nearly going fast enough for me. I could feel Tallon's impatience with every sloppy and hurried kiss as he tried to distract me from fucking him right in this car, but I was long past any sort of logic right now. As soon as the car stopped, faster than I could blink, I was in his arms again as he carried me straight into the villa like a fire was on his heels.

Somewhere along the way, my heels fell off my feet onto the floor, but I didn't care in the slightest as he carried me to the bedroom, shutting the door with the heel of his foot and dropping me onto the bed.

I grinned, my back against the blanket as he loomed over me with an irritated look. Still drunk on happiness, I dug my hands into his thick curls, pulling him until our mouths connected and I moaned into his mouth.

I was buried underneath the force of his love for me as he hurriedly stripped me bare, his hands trailing heat waves along my bare skin as he devoured every piece of me like he was a starving man.

"I love you," I whispered between heavy breaths and kisses, wrapping my arms around his waist in the flurry of our passions.

Tallon didn't answer but I could hear the words without him saying it, could feel it on the weight of my finger, and see it in the gleam in his eyes.

My heart skipped a beat as he grabbed my wrist, locking his dark lustful eyes upon me as he laid a possessive kiss right above the vein that went to my heart as if he was trying to claim it for himself. But there was no need.

My heart was already his.