Clayton's POV

12/5/17

ALL I CAN ever do is watch her.

Watch her faint green eyes light up with contagious laughter. Watch her perfectly pink lips turn up in a playful smirk. Watch her long tan limbs wrap against my body bringing us both to pleasure. Watch her fall for me every single day we are together until she finally gave me her whole heart and I gave her mine. I watch her because she is the most beautiful person my eyes have ever laid on and I fear the moments we aren't together because a moment away from her is a moment not being able to watch her and love her even more.

We spent three months as just friends. Nothing more. No touching, no kissing, we barely even held hands in that time. We talked almost every single day, and spent an entire summer together, but we were still just friends. I had to know I was in the proper mind set to be the man she deserves. So that when we finally took that step to be together she would have no regrets. No fears in what I could provide for her. Be for her.

I was right when I told her it wouldn't be easy. But she was also right when she said she didn't want easy. I'm almost a year sober at this point, and I knew this month would be the hardest in my journey. But Hayley has been right by my side this entire time. Never giving up on me, always believing in me.

Loving me even in my darkest days.

I never thought I would find someone after Scarlett was taken from me so suddenly. I was beyond lost in a life with no light and far too much alcohol. After Scarlett was gone I knew there would be no one else for me. She had been it. With her long blonde hair and bright blue eyes, she was perfect. Sweet. Kind. Would never hurt a fly or say a bad word about anyone.

I decided I would be alone for the rest of my life. That no one could ever live up to the love I had, or that I even deserved to love someone again like Scarlett loved me.

But then I walked into a bar exactly two years ago from today.

I walked in and sat next to a stranger. The most beautiful stranger my eyes had ever seen with her dark hair and beautifully tanned skin and moss colored eyes. As soon as my eyes landed on her I knew she was everything Scarlett wasn't. Hayley doesn't hold back, she's sassy and strong, and not afraid to tell someone how she truly feels. She's also warm and vulnerable and incredibly intelligent, more so then she ever shows anyone.

I don't deserve not only one amazing love let alone two. But if she feels for me even a fraction of what I feel for her then I'm going to move forward and take her love by my side. I was lucky to have a first love like Scarlett but I consider myself more than lucky to be able to hopefully love someone like Hayley for the rest of my life.

So as the warm amber light takes shape over my gorgeous girlfriend all I can do is let my eyes take her in even more. Because after this she hopefully won't be my girlfriend anymore, with any luck she'll be more. Some may say we're moving too fast, but I've never been more sure of anything in my whole entire life. I just hope she feels the same way.

The early morning light casts over her right hand as it drapes over her sleeping body. It's as if the universe knows what's going to happen in this moment and highlights it perfectly for me to store away to remember in the future. Because this moment, right here, I never want to forget.

I pull at the gold ring that sits on her ring finger. Her grandmother's ring. The motion causes her to stir and shift in the silken sheets. "Clay," she moans, as her eyes remain shut. My lips pull into a small smile because her saying my name will always be everything I ever wanted. Craved. "What are you doing?" she complains hating the idea of waking up early. Though early to her is subjective.

I twist her ring until it's completely off her hand. I then take her left hand into mine, not realizing how fast my heart is racing in this singular moment. A moment that will change everything. A mix of nerves and excitement twist through my veins and I push forward. I take the leap. I run full speed ahead.

The thin, delicate band rotates in my hands twice facing the direction she once showed me in a dark library. The directions for single, taken, engaged, and married. I then slide the band onto the ring finger on her left hand. The finger that means everything, the one that means she mine. Forever. And that's all I've ever wanted since the moment I kissed her.

"Seriously Clay I'm tired—" her words cut off quickly as her eyes slowly open. The green of her eyes meet mine wide and filled with confusion and shock. "What, what are you doing?" she murmurs out faintly.

I don't say anything yet. I just smile and let the moment sink into her beautiful face. Her body shifts as she sits up, the sheets falling to around her waist leaving her almost bare in a small tank. Her hair is tangled atop her head, and there are lines across her face from the pillowcase. She's a mess, but she's the mess I want. I love. I can't live without.

She brings her left hand, slightly shaking, to her gaze and sees the golden band right where her ring finger meets her knuckle.

"Clayton," she breathes as shining tears fill her eyes.

I reach out and tuck a wry wisp behind her ear. "Hayley Mollgram," I say her full name knowing she loves the way it sounds. "I love you more than anything in this world. I never thought I could love another person this way," I admit openly.

She opens her mouth but no words leave. Which I have to admit has to be a first, and a part of me wants to laugh but the other half wants to hear her say yes so I can kiss her and then make love to her all day long.

"Marry me?" I ask. The words shaking me more than I thought they would. I never knew that asking two little words would cause such anxiety to soar through me, because I want her to say yes. I want her to agree to be mine for the rest of our lives more than anything.

"Marry me Hayley," I ask again though my words come as more of a request than a question. I can hear the beat of my heart echo throughout my whole body in these few passing seconds as time stops.

Shock morphs to love and then to pure joy as a smile overtakes her whole face. She leaps forward until she's suddenly in my arms knocking me backwards as her lips meet mine. Her smooth lips move against mine eagerly as giggles slip through her mouth as well. She pulls back so she's now straddling me and places her hands on either side of my face.

"Is that a yes?" I chuckle though nerves still eat away at me, and they will until she agrees to love me forever.

"That's a hell yes!" she shouts as her lips peppers multiple kisses all over my face. She pulls back with a sigh. "You sure you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" she questions as a wave of worry fills her bright eyes. I know a part of her still thinks she isn't enough for me, but she doesn't realize that she's more. She's everything I didn't know I needed until she came crashing into my life, and I will spend every single day we have together trying to convince her of that.

I lift my head so that my lips brush against hers lightly sparking the need that always courses through my body when she's around. "More than anything," I tell her with an honest heart.

A content sigh flutters from her lips and lands on mine before I wrap my arms around her body and kiss her senseless.

"I love you," I tell her as her lips begin to kiss at my jaw.

"I love you too," she responds before I flip our bodies so she's beneath me, her eyes aflame with mischief as her teeth sink into her plump bottom lip.

"Mission accomplished."

•

Author's note:

I honestly don't even know where to begin with this note. This story has definitely morphed from the original version I had planned, but it came out even better.

Hayley and Clayton's story is one that will stick with me for a long time, and I'm beyond grateful for all the love they have received in this time.

I know I'm not the fastest writer in the world, and I'm so thankful for everyone who has stuck by my side from the beginning to read this story.

Thank you for all the votes and all the reads and amazing comments and getting this book to 100k. You all are so so so amazing and I truly am grateful for every single one of you!

I'm sad it's coming to an end, but we all know it's not really the end because the next installment will begin soon and of course Hayley and Clayton's story will continue through it as well as Grayson and Cale's.

I hope you check out the next book as well and give it a chance because I'm so exited to share it with you all!

Thank you. For reading. For loving. For everything. ♥︎