AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It definitely does,” she says. “It’s not even the sight itself, exactly, is it?”
“No,” I say huskily, so relieved she knows what I’m trying to say.
“It’s because we met there. Our need, it started there, didn’t it? This crazy wonderful thing we’re both feeling. It’s the place where we fell in love.”
“That’s why I wanted to do it in this way,” I whisper, my lips close to hers, our breath teasing each other.
“Do what?” she murmurs.
“Turn around, Autumn.”
She moves slowly, and I take a step back and lower myself to one knee. Reaching into my pocket, I take out the ring box and open it, waiting for her to turn back around.
She gasps when she sees the Memorial replica, her hands rising up to cover her mouth as she reads the rose-petal text.
Will you marry me?
The beast within me never settles. Even in this tender moment, my gaze tries to flit to her ass, to the way it moves as a vibration of emotion grips her.
She finally turns to face me again, looking down with tears glistening in her eyes.
“Autumn Davis, will you make me the happiest man alive? Will you marry me?”
“This is so amazing,” she whispers. “The helicopter ride, the I love you’s, and now this… oh, Asher, you thought of everything.”
I smirk. “Is that a—”
“Yes, it’s a yes,” she cries, throwing herself down at me.
I laugh and tumble with her in the grass, wrapping my arms around her and then haul her to her feet. She giggles when I handle her weightlessly, cradling her gently to my chest.
“Let me put the ring on.”
I grin, my cheeks aching from so much smiling, feeling like I’m going to burst with pure unfiltered bliss.
I slip the ring onto her finger and she holds it up to the sunlight, head tilted, admiring it.
It’s an elegant diamond, but still full enough so that she can show it off to her friends, set within a white gold band.
“Do you like it?” I ask.
She beams at me. “Like it? I love it. And I love you.”
“I love you too. So much. I’m never going to stop loving you.”
I take her hand and lead her towards the place where this all started, in spirit if not in reality, and really that’s all we need.
To share our love, to share our happiness, to share our joy.
To share everything.
Always.
EPILOGUE
THREE WEEKS LATER
Autumn
Paula stands at the window of Asher’s apartment, of our apartment.
Asher still has one week left on the lease for the other place, but I’ve already ended my lease on my rundown apartment. I already spend every single night with Asher. Last night, as his fingers tickled through my hair, he told me to think of everything he owned as mine too.
I perched on his chest, my forearms pushing against his hard chest. I’ll never get used to the feeling of how firm he is, how solid, reinforcing my knowledge that he’s going to protect me, always.
“But—”
“No buts,” he said firmly. “We’re going to be together forever. This place is yours. My money is yours. We’re a team, Autumn. Hoarding stuff is for people who plan on getting a divorce, and we’re never going to do that.”
“Never.” I dug my nails into his chest. “Never, never, never.”
The conversation bounces around my head now, feeling more significant after what I learned this morning.
“Um, hello? Earth to Autumn?”
I laugh when I realize Paula has turned around, staring at me as though she’s been talking to me for a while.
“Sorry, I was thinking about—”
“You don’t need to tell me who you were thinking about.” She smiles. “Have I told you yet how unbelievably, ridiculously happy I am for you?”
“Yeah, only about a million times. But I won’t be mad if you want to tell me again.”
“Honestly.” She looks around the living room – with a Viking shield on the wall and plush Norse-style rugs – and then returns her gaze to me. “This place is amazing. Your relationship is amazing. The fact that Declan is going to be in prison for at least ten years is really amazing.”
I can’t help but agree there. When Asher told me about Declan being arrested for an open case of attempted murder, I ran around his – our – apartment, leaping up and down and waving my hands in unrestrained relief.
“And yes, little man, you’re amazing too.”
Paula kneels and picks Egil up, hugging him to her chest.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay a while longer?” she asks, as she strokes the dog.
She came by after I called her with the news, but I know she’s got a lecture soon.
“It’s fine, honestly,” I tell her. “I’m going to do some work before Asher gets home. He said his research should only take a few hours.”
“All of this, from a mistaken text.” Paula smiles, shaking her head slowly. “I bet you’re so glad you texted him and not me.”
