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I take a deep breath as I kiss her forehead.
Time to make my move.
Before flying out here, I had Grady make a special stop without fully knowing how I’d do it. I thought we’d go out, maybe to the steps of D.C.’s many monuments. Or maybe I’d pick a gorgeous tree in a park lit up like autumn.
Now, none of that makes sense.
There’s a fire in my chest that screams do not fucking wait.
Now, I know this is it.
Still holding her tight with one hand, I reach over the side of the bed, feeling for where I left my jeans. I find them a second later and rummage around in the pocket.
It’s surprising how such a small thing can feel like it weighs more than an engine block.
“I love you, too, Shel. Forever,” I say as I pull it out.
She lifts her head and smiles. “You don’t even know how long I’ve dreamed of hearing you say that...”
“Probably as long as I wanted to say it, and now I’ll never stop. You make me the man I thought I couldn’t be after the war. You make me better. And with you by my side, Shelly, I know I’ll always be the very best I can be—even if I’ll always suck an egg at words. I know common sense says I should wait. We should slow down, take it easy, take time to find ourselves before I drop a bomb on you this big, but fuck. You know that’s never been my style, and we’ve spent too long waiting thanks to me. We’ve lost too much precious time for me to sit around wasting more.”
My throat feels raw.
“Weston...what do you mean?” she whispers, her eyes shining up at me like smooth jade, adoring and patient.
“What I’m trying to say is this...” Brushing her chin with my knuckles, I turn my hand over, slowly opening my fingers so she can see what I’m holding. “Will you marry me, Rachel Simon? Marry me soon?”
Her mouth drops open in this long silence.
There’s this killing second where I worry she’s about to let me down easy, to tell me to cool it.
Shit, I knew this was stupid. Too fast. And now I’ve probably blown my chance to—
She springs up before I know what’s happening, closing the distance separating us, her arms pinned around my sides.
“Weston, Yes! Yes, yes, yes, and yes! I’ll marry you tonight if you want.”
My eyes pop open as I hug her back with a gravity bigger than my life.
Hot damn.
I never guessed she’d come at me with this bubbling enthusiasm, bigger than my own.
“We need a preacher or at least a judge, I think. Can’t imagine there’s one hiding in this apartment,” I say through a smile that strains my face.
She laughs. “No, but you know what I mean.”
“I also think we’d be a lot happier doing it in another town that starts with a D,” I say, running my fingers slowly through her hair. “Plus, you didn’t see the ring yet.”
“I didn’t need to!” She slaps my chest playfully. “It could be an onion ring and I’d still say yes.”
“Lucky me. Think you’ll like this better than any junk food ring, though.” Chuckling, I open the box.
Her breath escapes in a sweet puff. “Oh, man. Oh, God. Weston, it’s...it’s gorgeous!”
The way her eyes shine tells me how much she means it.
I just knew.
