“And you’re mine,” I say simply.
Her warm, dramatic laugh fills the night, and I immediately realize I would follow her anywhere, whether it’s from a half-finished bathroom to a busy bookstore or to the ends of the earth.
She pulls me down the sidewalk, with her lavender bow bouncing with each step. “I’m starving,” she declares, dramatic as always. “If you don’t feed me, I’ll waste away right here in the street.”
“You ate lunch two hours ago,” I mutter, though I let her drag me along.
“That was two hours ago,” she snaps back, like I’m the unreasonable one.
I huff a laugh. “You’re somethin’ else, darlin’.”
“Good thing you married me, then,” she says with a smug grin.
We arrive at a cozy bistro lit with string lights, the kind of place she loves, with small tables on the sidewalk, candlelight flickering, and soft music drifting through the doors. She slides into her seat, tucks her hair behind her ear, and begins studying the menu with seriousness.
I don’t even bother pretending to look at mine.
Her eyes lift after a minute, catching me. “You’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“Staring.”
I shrug, leaning back in my chair. “Baby, you have no idea how stunning you are.”
She groans, rolling her eyes, but the corners of her mouth curve. “Do you practice these lines in the mirror or do they just… come to you?”
“They’re not lines,” I say, my voice steady. “They’re just what I see.”
She pokes at her water glass, cheeks heating, and I feel the smallest surge of victory.
Dinner went by in a blur; she stole more than half of my fries and the last bite of dessert. I give her my best scowl, but she licks chocolate off her fork.
“Unbelievable,” I mutter.
“Marriage is about sharing.”
“Pretty sure I shared my last nerve about ten minutes ago.”
She laughs, tossing her napkin at me.
We walk back toward my truck, the night warm and peaceful. She loops her arm through mine, leaning on me, her bow brushing my shoulder. “See? This is why I married you.”
“For my fries?”
“For putting up with me,” she says, looking up at me with a grin that’s all teeth and love.
I pull her closer, pressing a kiss into her hair. “Hell, Catalina, it ain’t puttin’ up with you. It’s the best part of my life.”
She has no comeback, only a gentle smile.
She leans into me, letting out a little sigh. “This was nice.”
“Yeah?” I glance down at her, catching the curve of her lips.
“Mhm.” She rests her head briefly against my shoulder. “You should take me on dates more often.”
I chuckle, squeezing her closer. “Darlin’, every day with you feels like one.”
