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He spun me in his arms, and his mouth descended on me with a hungry kiss. I moaned into his mouth when his hands gripped my ass and pressed me against him. I pulled back. “You sure you don’t want to stay home instead?”
“Not a chance in the world.” Lucas kissed my forehead and stepped back.
I tipped my head to the side, even more curious about what the plan was. Although his eyes were hooded with heat, there was something off about how he was acting. His hands lifted off me, and he cracked his knuckles before pulling the purple dress from my hand. “Is this the one you like?”
I ran my hand over the silk fabric. “How’d you know?”
“Your eyes lit up when you held it in the mirror.” Lucas removed the dress from the hanger and bunched it together, lifting it above my head. I guided my hands through the straps and smiled when he let the fabric fall around me.
His thumb traced the thin strap on my shoulder, then trailed down my side, over the tapered bodice, and into the flowing skirt. “You look stunning, Killer.”
His voice was a low rasp, and I stepped closer, determined to get him to change his mind and stay home. There was something about him tonight that had me wanting to snuggle into him and never let him go.
His hand cupped my jaw, thumb stroking my cheek. “You’ll need a jacket.”
“You’re really serious about going out?” I huffed out a breath, grabbing my jacket from off my dresser.
His stare deepened, holding me in place as he scanned me from head to toe and back again. “Dead serious.”
* * *
Lucas tucked me under his arm, and I wrapped my hands around his hips as we walked through the Coventry Gardens. The position made our progress slow, but he didn’t seem to mind. I’d briefly come here during the day, but nothing prepared me for the gardens at night. The winding path was lined with every type of flower imaginable and lit by small display lights that showed off topiaries sculpted into the shape of different animals.
The place was made all the more magical by the reflection of the city lights on the Detroit River that ran parallel to the path. The place was something out of a fairy tale that had me leaning further into Lucas.
His hand twitched at my side, and his chest rose in shallow pants. He wasn’t looking at me; instead, his attention was pointed toward a concrete railing up ahead. My gaze trailed over the structure, unsure of what was so interesting when people popped out.
No, not people. Our friends. They unfurled a giant banner, and my breath caught in my chest at the writing across it:Will You Marry Me.
My gaze snapped to Lucas, but he was already down on one knee in front of me, looking back with a soft, loving gaze.
“Piper, since the day you came crashing into my life, even my seven-year-old brain understood the world had somehow shifted. I spent the next fifteen years figuring out what that meant. But Piper, I know exactly what it means now.It means that life without you is meaningless. No amount of money or awards could come close to the happiness you bring me. Even the thought of us being apart makes my chest ache with a hollowness that’s too painful to describe.”
My heart pounded against my ribs, and I pressed a palm to my chest, trying to hold it in. Lucas gave me a sad smile, and tears pooled in his eyes, catching the light as he continued.
“I almost lost you, and it would have been the biggest mistake of my life because, Piper, we are meant to be together. If soul mates existed, you’d be mine. I’ve spent too much time afraid everyone would discover I was broken… You looked at the most vulnerable, shattered parts of me and loved me anyway.
“I will mess up again, but I promise if you let me, I will love you more than anyone. That you will always be the most important person in my life, and I would gladly turn the world upside down for your happiness.I know we’re still young, and with graduation and the NHL coming up, things are going to be hard. But if the last years have proven anything, it’s that if anyone can do this, it’s us.
“Piper, I am deeply, irrevocably in love with you. Will you spend the rest of your life with me—”
“Yes.” Before he was even done asking, I was nodding and shouting yes at him. He stood, wrapping me in his arms and twirling around before stealing my breath with a slow, languid kiss. The crowd cheered, and I buried my face into Lucas’s chest. I’d forgotten about them.
Both of our parents were here, along with a smiling Alex and River. Misty stood by Shana, wiping tears from her eyes. My eyes caught on Jax. He was looking at Sidney while everyone was looking at us. I leaned into Lucas so he could hear me over the cheering.
“I think Jax is in trouble.”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
The night went by in a haze of congratulations and best of lucks. Lucas and Jax had planned the entire thing, and we ended the night in a venue nearby. My eyes had gone wide, and tears burned at the corners when I saw the double-length table that had all my favorite food on it, including a Froot Loop station with almond milk.
I was tucked into Lucas’s side, watching our guests dance, when Mr. Knight came up to us. Lucas reluctantly let me go so his dad could wrap me up in one of his giant bear hugs, followed by his mom pulling me in for an equally tight squeeze.
“I always said you were like a daughter to me. About time this kid finally asked you,” Mr. Knight said, pulling his son into a hug of his own. He looked at Lucas. “You better understand how lucky you have it. Most people don’t see that kind of love in their lives.” He glanced back at his wife, and there was a charged moment between them before he returned to his son. “Think of all the best ways to treat her, then double it.”
Lucas tucked me back into his side and kissed the top of my head. “You don’t have to worry. I know exactly how lucky I am.”
The Knights moved on, and my eyes caught on Jax. I tugged Lucas behind me as I weaved through the crowd to get to their table. Instantly, I wrapped Sidney in a hug. We’d only really gotten to know each other for a few months, but anyone who could make Jax look as sappy as that was already family in my mind. Jax had his work cut out for him to convince her of that. But by the way he was looking at her, he was more than happy to take up the challenge. I gave her arm a light squeeze. “I’m happy you came. Lucas told me you almost couldn’t make it.”
