Page 68 of Possessive Ink

“And they’re moving to Rockhead Point too?”

“Yes, they usually like to stay a little closer to the rink, but we all agreed to move to be close to each other again, so they’re looking for a house in town too.”

“Oh, wow! That’s so cool. But I can’t go to dinner tomorrow night?” she says, staring up at me with imploring eyes.

“Why the fuck not?” I snarl.

“Because you’re having dinner with your family,” she says, like it’s obvious.

“I’m failing to see why you can’t come.”

“Because we literally just met. It’s insane for me to meet your parents so soon.”

“I don’t see anything insane about taking my woman to meet my parents. In fact, it makes perfect sense to me. It’s just a bonus that the twins are going to be there as well.”

“Oh no, no, no, no,” she says. “No, that’s insane. Meeting the brother you live with and then having dinner with your sister who I already know is one thing. It was fast, but unavoidable when you and Felix are roommates, and you were helping me get a job with Tori. But it’s far, far, far too soon for me to meet the rest of your family.”

“And how long should we be together before it’s okay to meet my family and brothers?” I question, intrigued.

“A year, maybe longer,” Lemon says, like it’s obvious.

She’s completely serious, and I can’t help it. I laugh.

“Why are you laughing?” she asks.

“Because if you think I’m keeping you a secret from my family for the next year, you’re insane. My collar is around your neck. I’m planning on putting a matching ring on your finger in the next month or so. My parents really will think it’s crazy if I don’t invite them to our wedding.”

“Wedding,” Lemon shrieks.

“Yeah, wedding, Princess. I want you in a huge dress, looking like a perfect fucking vision in white, and only I’ll know that you’re naked for me beneath it.”

“Wedding,” she shrieks again, like she didn’t hear a word I just said.

“Yes, Lemon. Wedding.”

“You want to marry me?”

“As soon as possible. I’d take you to city hall tomorrow, but you need enough time to design and make your dress. A month, or maybe six weeks, should do it. I don’t want to, but I can wait that long to see you in one of your dresses.”

“Wait,” she says, narrowing her eyes as she shakes her head. “You’re teasing me.”

“I don’t tease, Princess.”

“We’re not getting married.”

“Yes, Lemon, we are.”

“No, we’re not,” she says, shaking her head.

“Yes, we are, and the quicker you figure that out, the more time you’ll have to design and make your perfect dress.” I can see that she’s building her case to argue with me about this, but my mind wanders to the rings I already had designed to match the collar she’s wearing.

When I picked the design of the collar, the designer suggested I have a matching wedding set made, but I didn’t think it was necessary. At the time, I assumed having my woman wear my collar would feel like a significant enough commitment that we wouldn’t bother with a wedding. But now that Lemon is wearing my collar, I’ve realized that its significance is only apparent to people in the kink community. To anyone else, it’s just a pretty necklace.

Hell, Lemon herself doesn’t fully understand its meaning, so there’s no way your average person would get it. But a wedding ring is universal. It’ll be right there on her finger, a constant and visual claim that no one can fail to understand the significance of.

“Atticus—” she says, but I cut her off, speaking over her before she has a chance to argue with me.

“Lemon, when I said you were mine, I didn’t mean for the night or the weekend. I meant forever, and forever comes with a ring and a happy ever after. I’m ready to get started on that, so unless you already have a husband somewhere that I need to get rid of, you have a maximum of six weeks to get your head around the idea that you’re mine, that we’re getting married, and to make that dress.”