<spanng="EN">Charlie’s POV


    <spanng="EN">I knew the moment we kissed yesterday that Ana was the one I’ve been waiting for. As soon as she went back for her therapy session, I told Drew to stay put to watch out for her, and I went into the hall to make the call.


    <spanng="EN">“I see you finally remember that you have a family, brat. What do you want? That’s usually the only time you call me,” My grandfather asked.


    <spanng="EN">“I need a favor, and you are one of the only people I know who can help me,” I answered. I wanted to get him a little worked up. Once he finds out what the favor is, he’s going to be thrilled.


    <spanng="EN">“What kind of a favor? Is yourpany in trouble? I can help if you need it,” He quickly asked.


    <spanng="EN">“No, thepany’s fine. What I need is for you to arrange a meeting with Reid Caldwell for me,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">“Reid Caldwell? Why?” Suspicionced my grandfather’s voice.


    <spanng="EN">“I want to talk to him about his daughter. I would like to marry her,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">I had to hold my phone away from my ear, as he loudly shouted for my mother and grandmother toe to his study. “When do you want the meeting? I want toe with you. I would like to meet this youngdy,” he said.


    <spanng="EN">“You’re not going to scare her away, are you?” I teased him. I knew he would be weing her with open arms.


    <spanng="EN">“No, but it shows respect to show up with your family. It shows that we are taking this union seriously. This meeting is important, Charles. Don’t mess around. This is a meeting between two strong families. I will be happy to call him as soon as we get off the phone. How did you meet her?” he asked.


    <spanng="EN">“I’m part of her security team. But she is beautiful and kind. There’s a small issue, but Iwill fill you in on the way to meet her family. I believe that Reid will give us his blessing on it. He’s in a little bit of a bind. Her former fiancé is worthless and didn’t deserve her. She doesn’t need a weak man like him anyway. She needs to be loved and protected. She needs me, so his loss is my gain. Once I get her to ept me, I will never let her go,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">“That sure of her epting, are you, Charles? Good, I’m d. We’ll discuss the rest in the car. I’ll prepare the gifts to take with us. Your father’s out of the country on business, or I’d have hime there with us to show our family’s support. Your grandmother and your mother are just as happy to hear this as I am. We would love to spend time with our great–grandbabies as soon as possible. We’re not spring chickens anymore, Charles,” my grandfather responded. I could hear how excited they were in the background.


    <spanng="EN">I knew it would make them happy. They have been after me for thest several years, wanting me to get married and settle down. I was thirty–two, and it was time, but I wanted to wait for the right one this time around. I had been impressed by Ana from the beginning. She calmly instructed us on what to do, even though I could tell she was scared about being arrested. It was all I could do not to beat Roger into a pulp that day. I will help her deal with all of them from now on. She will always be able to count on me.


    <spanng="EN">I knew on Monday when I heard Holden crying about wanting her back that I needed to work fast. He was a good guy, but he had burned his bridge down to the ground as far as Ana was concerned. I don’t mind swooping in and taking her away from anyone who had caused her pain. I respected Ana. She was kind and treated people well, regardless of their title. I liked that about her. I’ve been looking for a woman whom I could love for the rest of my life. When I toyed with her during the photo shoot, rubbing her neck with my nose, that was all I had intended to do.


    <spanng="EN">But after I heard that low moan escape when I nipped her ear, I couldn’t stop myself. I needed to kiss her like I needed my next breath. I wanted to see if we werepatible. We were more thanpatible; I wanted so much more I only stopped because we weren’t alone. I couldn’t chase her because I still had a hard–on. That’s the only reason she got away. It hurt that she called and tried to get someone else assigned. I knew why Roger had killed her self–esteem. But I’m here to build it right back up again. She was too good for him, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure that she knows that she is wanted and loved.


    <spanng="EN">I was co–owner of the business. I knew who she was the day she called to start the security detail. I just happened to win the flip of the coin against Mark. She was considered a VIP client. We both felt that one of us needed to be on her team. We trusted all of our men. We worked closely with half of them during our time in the military. But this job wasn’t just about trust, it was about ensuring her safety.


    <spanng="EN">The moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her. She is quite the dichotomy. She has moments where she is quite bold, handing out instructions to others like a drill sergeant. Then she can be unsure of herself when she’s in an unfamiliar situation, or around people she doesn’t trust. She shrinks herself in those moments and tries to fit into their perception of her, like when she’s around Roger. She’s hesitant, and I don’t like it. It’s not who she is.


    <spanng="EN">Modeling yesterday. I was barely able to keep from running to her and iming her as mine in front of everyone. I imed her as my partner in the photo shoot. Her friend, Gwen, saw me flirting with Ana, and she decided to test the waters. She was looking at me the whole time as she asked if we were willing to ‘help‘ them out. After she told us what she needed, I was all in. Allowed Drew to ept this side gig. He wanted to work with Emily anyway. I’ve caught him checking her out several times.


    <spanng="EN">I was happy to do this to help Ana out. I didn’t want them to get a male model to take my ce. I was happy to y along as Ana’s ‘fiancé‘ for the ad. I already know my family will be thrilled when they see the ade out. Ana was fire, and she was melting the ice around my heart. I knew where she wasing from.


    <spanng="EN">I had a fiancée before. One who knew exactly who I was, and hade after me with single–minded focus. Thankfully, I found out exactly why she was so in love with me. It wasn’t insta–love as she professed. One of my friends tipped her off who I was. She almost got her ws in me, that is, I had fully intended on marrying her, not knowing that she was just after me for my money. She was beautiful, and a year older than me. I believe she loved me. Thankfully, I was shown the error of my ways before we could get married.


    <spanng="EN">After that, I didn’t date anymore. I became an employee of my ownpany. Some women flirted, but most ignored me, as I was only the help. But not Ana, from the minute she entered the SUV, she was offering to pay for coffee for us too, which is not what our clients do. They only care about us if they are in danger. Ana was even concerned about us when she was getting arrested. She sent us to get something to eat, to keep us from being implicated in her arrest. Her actions showed me who she was. Roger and Holden lost someone who would have been the perfect wife. But she’s going to be my wife now.


    <spanng="EN">Ana sighed and then said, “I need an escort tonight. I need to go see my father at six p.m. He wants to have dinner and discuss something. I hope Holden isn’t still thinking that I’ll just let everything go. Because that’s not going to happen.”


    <spanng="EN">“Since I worked today, you will have someone else with you tonight. I’ll make sure Drew is one of the two, so you have someone you already know on your team,” I replied.


    <spanng="EN">He meeting is to discuss marriage with me. She just doesn’t know it yet. I saw her disappointment that I wouldn’t be escorting her. It was quickly gone, but I had been watching for it. I think she’ll be happy when she finds out I want to ask for her hand in marriage. I had already called Gwen and bought the ring that Ana designed. I knew it was special to her. Gwen told me that there was a story behind the ring’s design.


    <spanng="EN">I haven’t paid much attention to engagement rings before. I didn’t put much stock into what I bought for Samantha. She picked it, and had only picked it for its cost. I don’t think she really cared one way or another. She just wanted arge diamond to show off to her friends and family. I should have seen all the gs, but I didn’t. I was in a sex fog, and she happily kept me there. I mistook sex for love. She couldn’t get enough of me in bed. I foolishly thought that love was the reason for it. I couldn’t have been more wrong about it.


    <spanng="EN">Ana designed this ring herself. She loved it. Even though she designed it with her marriage to Holden in mind, I didn’t care about that. It was put aside and left in their store to be seen, but never sold. It was recreated for two other brides over the nine years that it was on disy. Ana loved it enough to rmission it in her current ring size. I sent Drew over to buy the ring with my card. Gwen was so excited about it that she was bursting to tell Emily. But I asked her to wait. Ana hasn’t said yes yet; once she does, they can tell the whole city for all I care.


    <spanng="EN">Gwen exined that the pear cut was meaningful to Ana because the point would always be aimed up, towards Ana’s heart. She wanted the reminder of the love she and her husband would share each time she looked at it. To remember our love just by looking at the ring she created. To me, it didn’t mean anything about Holden anymore. It was about the emotions and hope she had while designing it. She had given up on Holden long ago.


    <spanng="EN">I saw her face when she slipped it on. She still loved this ring. The emotions she held when she created that ring returned with a vengeance. She wanted it to represent everything she believed it stood for: love, care, andmitment. She’s been severely disappointed before, but I won’t let her be disappointed again. Analise is my forever. I can’t wait to slide that ring on her finger tonight.