As a French photographer continued ordering Avery and I around, I consoled myself by pressing my face into her hair. She smelled like lilacs. Usually Avery was several inches shorter than me, but today her heels made our height difference meager.

"Tilt your head towards the camera, mademoiselle," the cameraman, Claude, instructed.

Obviously annoyed, Avery shifted her head toward the sunset. Behind his camera, Claude moved to accommodate her notion and began snapping pictures.

I knew Avery was ready to be done.

Throughout the past twenty four hours, we'd practically visited every famous landmark in Paris. Although it had seemed fitting to finish the day with the Eiffel Tower, I was only now realizing how exhausted we both were.

But I was certainly not backing out of my plans now.

I'd had this day planned for months. With the help of Libby, Max, and my brothers, I'd selected an engagement ring back in December. Soon after, I'd booked a flight to Paris for April.

Because, really, where else was better to propose?

Especially to Avery, who'd been dreaming of visiting France ever since her mother had died.

"Le parfait," the cameraman said, snapping me from such thoughts. My quick wit immediately translated the sentiment to perfect.

When Claude snapped a few more photos, Avery winced in my arms.

I forced my eyes to remain on the camera as I asked, "You okay, Heiress?"

She nodded against my shoulder. As Avery leaned against me, my hands moved to rest on either side of her waist. Avery was wearing a satin red dress I'd cleverly recommended she wear tonight. It not only matched her heels and my tie, but also her future engagement ring.

If I was lucky, it would be on her ring finger in just a few minutes.

To keep her at ease, I lowered my lips to her ear and murmured, "We're almost done."

"We are?"

I nodded, my chin disarraying her hair as it moved against the back of her head. "Just hang on, 'kay?"

"Avery," Claude said in a thick accent, "take a few steps forward."

As he said it, Claude shot me a look. The look I'd asked him to give me when it was almost time.

Which meant this was my moment.

Avery stepped forward, and my arms slipped from her waist.

Quickly, she became preoccupied with smiling for the camera. Though these photos were simply a distraction for what was about to happen, I did enjoy watching her. Obsessed was a mild way to describe my infatuation with Avery Kylie Grambs.

I couldn't help but mentally autocorrect her last name into mine. I hoped, one day, she'd take it.

As I removed a small satin box from my Armani dress pants, a few pedestrians gaped. When Avery's head began to turn in confusion, the cameraman jumped in to save me.

"S'il vous plait, Mademoiselle," Claude insisted. "Look at the camera."

Annoyance evident in her posture, Avery flashed a pained smile and Claude took more photographs.

After a few, Avery inquired, "Are we almost done?"

"Doubt it." Even Claude's thick french accent couldn't hide the mischievous smirk on his lips.

Smirking, I approached my girlfriend from behind and rested my free hand on her waist. Lowering my lips to her ear once more, I murmured, "I doubt it too."

I was wearing a crooked grin when she finally turned.

"Jameson?" Her hands started trembling.

With my free hand, I took one of hers.

"You were never a game to me," I murmured against her ear . . . right before I took a step back.

And slowly lowered myself to one knee.

"Jameson," she said again.

I loved the sound of my name on her lips.

"Heiress," I replied with a grin. "Come here."

She complied cautiously, taking one step. Then another.

When she reached me, I slowly lifted the box's lid.

Inside was a ring clasping an oval-cut ruby, nearly begging her to take it.

"It's stunning," she said, glancing between me and the ring in my outstretched hand.

I winked. "Must be a good fit for you, then."

Her fingers quivered.

I lifted my chin to meet her eyes. Proposing to her may have been the only time I had to look up to meet her gaze. "You were a very risky gamble to my grandfather," I began, refusing to succumb to my emotions, "but never to me."

A tremor overtook Avery.

"And I know," I continued, "that you've thought that you're just a game to me." My gaze clutched hers, begging her to listen to my words rather than the drumming of her heart. "But you aren't. You never have been."

She swallowed. "Never?"

"Well, maybe when I heard of you." I flashed a crooked grin, my gaze traveling up the lovely figure wrapped in scarlet silk. "But not once I saw you."

Though tears were gathering in her eyes, Avery laughed.

As she smiled, I took her hand. "Heiress."

"Yes?" she breathed.

"I am desperately in love with you, Avery Kylie Grambs." My eyebrows drew together. However, my lips quirked up in excitement as I casually added, "Marry me?"

The seven seconds it took her to nod felt like seven eternities.

Without her notice, two tears had nosedived down either side of her cheeks. Flashing a grin, I stood. She watched me, dazed, as I slipped the ruby onto her left ring finger.

It was a perfect fit.

Before setting Avery's hand down, I kissed the back of her hand. She was smiling. I was too.

As Avery ogled her new jewelry, stares and whispers gathered on the streets.

But neither of us cared.

I lifted her chin, took her face in my hands, and brushed back her tears. Pressing my forehead on hers, I murmured, in earnest, "Turn around."

"Why?"

Smirking, I kissed her. Once, softly. And another, sweetly. "It looks like we have a few more pictures to take."