The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven) novel Chapter 661

Zane was worried Annalise might read too much into it. She could start wondering if he was still keeping his distance—or worse, if he was just using her.

But saying he wanted a child? That would be a problem, too.

Annalise had once fallen from an upper floor, and the injuries were so severe that she could no longer have children. Zane didn't want to upset her by bringing it up, so after thinking it over, he decided to stay quiet.

He glanced at Annalise, who looked a little puzzled. Smiling, he asked, "After all this time together, what do you think of me?"

…

I wasn't one to hold back on praise.

"You're wonderful!" I said.

Honestly, Zane was the kind of man most people could only dream of. He was handsome and incredibly good at making money.

At work, he was all business and determination, yet at home, he was nothing but a gentle presence for his family.

Sometimes, just the thought of being with someone like Zane made me feel like the luckiest person alive—almost like I was in a dream.

Zane's expression softened as he asked, "Have you thought about when you'd like to be with me?"

I blinked in confusion. "Aren't we already dating?"

"I mean marriage." His voice was firm, almost like he was making a promise. "Maybe it's not a big deal to you. Divorce is always an option if it doesn't work out. But for me, it's something different.

"I need something official so I can protect you. At least then, if anyone causes you trouble, I can step in, tell them I'm your husband, and handle it myself."

His words really got to me.