Stolen Identity: Mute Heiress

Chapter 441: Perfect

"No," Mari said quickly before Jax could lie down again. "Give me a moment."

His eyes returned to hers immediately.

Mari swallowed softly. "I’m just surprised."

"Why?"

"Because you asked it so casually," she admitted.

Jax leaned back slightly against the headboard.

"That wasn’t an official proposal," he murmured. "But going by your reaction I guess I shouldn’t even think of it."

"I never said so."

"You didn’t have to. Your hesitation told me all you couldn’t say."

"Can you please shut up and stop making stupid assumptions?" Mari snapped at him.

Jax blinked at her.

Silence settled between them briefly.

Mari exhaled softly, then looked down at her hands for a second like she was trying to gather her thoughts, before speaking quietly.

"When you asked me that... my heart skipped."

Jax watched her carefully without interrupting.

"And honestly?" she continued softly, "it scared me a little."

Something flickered across his face at that.

Mari reached for his hand. "Not in a bad way," she assured him. "It’s just..."

She exhaled softly.

"I’ve never loved someone like this before."

Jax’s expression softened instantly.

Mari looked down at their joined hands.

"Before you, love felt like something far away to me," she admitted quietly. "Something nice in movies and books. Something other people around me experienced. Just not me."

Jax listened quietly.

"With you..." she smiled faintly, "I get really happy when I see you or talk to you. And then I’m in a foul mood when I’m not with you. For the first time I can’t control how I feel."

The room became very quiet after that.

Jax gently rubbed his thumb over her hand.

"Is that your way of rejecting me gently?" he asked quietly.

Mari hit his arm. "Are you being deliberately obtuse or trying to get on my nerves?"

Jax’s lips twitched slightly.

Mari frowned at him.

"Why are you smiling? What’s funny?"

Jax shook his head. "You’re so short tempered."

"I wouldn’t be if you weren’t being annoying," she retorted.

"You still haven’t answered my question," he reminded her.

Mari stared at him for a long moment.

Then slowly, very slowly, she moved closer until she was sitting almost in his lap.

Jax’s eyes darkened slightly as his hands settled automatically on her waist.

Mari wrapped her arms loosely around his neck.

"Do I think I love you enough to settle down with you?" she repeated softly.

Jax nodded once.

Mari smiled faintly. "I think I love you enough to marry you even right now if you ask nicely."

Jax stared at her.

Mari’s smile softened and she brushed her fingers softly through his hair.

"And honestly? That’s a very big deal for me. Although it’s scary. But I trust you with my heart."

Jax looked at her like she had just reached into his chest and touched something important.

Something fragile.

"I can actually picture it," she admitted quietly. "Living with you. Sleeping beside you every night. Annoying you with my chattiness forever. Especially when you need silence. And forcing you to take a break from your base and draft paintings."

A quiet laugh escaped him.

"You really see that with me?" he asked quietly.

Mari nodded slowly. "Yes."

Jax exhaled shakily. Like he had not realized how badly he needed to hear that until now.

Then suddenly he pulled her into his arms again.

Mari laughed softly as she wrapped herself around him willingly.

"You’re so clingy," she murmured against his shoulder.

"I know."

"And needy."

"I know."

"You’re bsessed."

His arms tightened around her slightly. "I told you already, didn’t I?"

Mari smiled against his skin.

For a while neither of them spoke again.

Jax rested his chin lightly on top of her head. His breathing had finally slowed properly now. The tension in his body was easing little by little.

Mari rubbed his back gently. "Now can you finally sleep?"

Jax made a sleepy sound. "Hm."

Mari smiled knowingly. "That’s not a yes."

"It’s the best you’ll get."

Mari laughed quietly.

A few seconds later she felt his body grow heavier against hers.

Then his voice came softly again. "Mari?"

"Hm?"

"About us getting married..."

Mari smiled instantly. "You’re still awake?"

"Unfortunately."

She giggled. "What about us getting married?"

Jax’s tired voice softened even more.

"How long do I have to wait to marry you?"

Her heart fluttered again, "How long do you want to wait?"

"I don’t want to."

Mari frowned. "Huh? You don’t want to get married to me?"

Jax chuckled. "Who’s being obtuse now? I don’t want to wait. I feel as though I’ve done all the waiting I can for three years already."

Mari’s heart fluttered wildly at his words.

Jax opened his eyes properly now and looked at her. "I’m serious," he murmured. "If it were up to me, I’d marry you right now."

Mari stared at him.

There was no teasing in his face. Just raw and terrifyingly sincere honesty.

Her chest tightened painfully.

"You say things so seriously," she whispered softly.

"Because I mean them."

Mari swallowed hard.

Jax brushed his fingers lightly against her waist.

"I know it sounds crazy," he admitted quietly. "But after waiting three years just to finally have you like this..." His eyes searched hers carefully. "I don’t really feel like waiting anymore. I’ve been having a really hard time since you left. The house feels empty without you. And to be honest, that’s part of the reason I’ve buried myself in my work. I feel as though I’d go crazy without you here. And I’d love to call you or visit you, but I want to give you space to do your own stuff. So all I can do is channel all that energy and frustration into painting," he confessed.

Mari’s heart melted a little more.

"You’re making me emotional now," she complained softly.

A faint smile touched his lips. "Good."

She rolled her eyes weakly but couldn’t stop smiling.

Jax watched her face quietly for a second before speaking again.

"I used to think I was fine loving you from afar," he admitted. "Then you showed up here and turned my life upside down. Now my life is too quiet when you’re not here."

Mari’s expression softened instantly. "You say the sweetest things when you’re sleepy."

Jax’s hand slid slowly up her back.

"I can’t sleep because I need to get all these out of my head first," he explained.

"The other night, you said we should go slowly," she reminded him.

"Yeah. I know I did. I thought maybe I needed to slow down to get my feelings under control. We can take our time if you want. But this is me letting you know that it’s driving me insane," he murmured again. "You’re living rent-free in my head."

"Jax..." Mari’s throat tightened.

How was she supposed to survive this man?

"Would you want to?"

Mari blinked. "Would I want to do what?"

"Get married soon."

Mari burst into laughter immediately.

Jax frowned slightly. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you sound insane."

"I’m very sane."

"You want us to get married immediately because you’re sleepy and emotional."

"No," he corrected calmly. "I want to marry you because I can’t function without you. You’re consuming my mind."

Mari looked at him softly. "You know what’s funny?"

"What?"

"A few months ago if anyone told me I’d be lying in bed talking about marriage with a pretty white haired artist, I would’ve laughed in their face."

His lips twitched slightly. "And now?"

Mari smiled softly.

"Now here I am actually considering it."

Jax’s eyes immediately sharpened slightly despite his exhaustion. "You’re considering it?"

Mari instantly regretted speaking. "Relax," she said quickly. "Don’t start getting excited."

Too late.

Jax was already staring at her properly now. "Will you marry me after I’m able to convince your parents to let me have you?"

"You know you don’t need to convince them. They love you. And my Dad wants you to have dinner with us as soon as it’s convenient for you."

"He said so?"

Mari nodded.

"Anytime you pick is convenient for me," he assured her.

Mari smiled. "I must have been a witch in my previous life. You’re completely besotted with me."

Jax laughed. "That I am."

Mari touched his face gently. "You really want to get married soon?"

Jax nodded once. Then after a second he admitted quietly, "I really love you, Mari."

She smiled softly and pressed a lingering kiss against his forehead. "I know," she whispered.

Jax closed his eyes briefly at the feeling of her lips against his.

Then suddenly he pulled back slightly and looked at her again.

"So... hypothetically speaking."

Mari narrowed her eyes immediately. "I don’t like hypothetical questions."

Jax ignored her. "If I officially proposed tomorrow, would you say yes?"

Mari stared at him for a long moment.

Then she smiled slowly. "Yes."

Jax’s breath caught slightly.

Mari laughed softly at his expression. "But," she added quickly.

His face instantly changed. "There’s a but?"

"Yes, there’s a but," she said firmly.

Jax sighed dramatically.

Mari pinched his cheek lightly.

"I love you very much," she said softly. "Enough to marry you. But let’s have this conversation again after you’re well rested and clear headed."

Jax watched her quietly. "You’re clear headed and well rested, are you not?"

She nodded. "Of course."

He grinned. "That’s good enough then."

"What does that mean?" She asked with a frown.

"It means you’re going to marry me," he said, pulling her closer again.

Mari smiled against his lips when he kissed her softly.

"I can go to sleep now."

Jax settled back against the pillows, and this time when he closed his eyes again, his body finally relaxed fully.

Mari kept stroking gently through his hair while listening to his breathing slowly deepen.

A small smile stayed on her lips.

Because the thought of forever with Jax... sounded just right.

It was more than right. It was perfect.