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“Har, har.” He plucks his black T-shirt away from his chest. “Lilly likes me in black.”
“She likes you in short sleeves.” Emily circles her finger in the air. “So she can drool over your arms.”
I tilt my head at Emily.
“She told me so!” Emily laughs and lightly grazes her knuckles against my stomach, and lowers her voice. “Only arms I’m drooling over are yours.”
“Uh, guys?” Z gestures toward the open front door. “You need me to come back later?”
EMILY
Before he left for downstate, Z brought over two Adirondack chairs for us to use. Dex carried them out to the back porch.
“I want to sit out here and look at this view every night with you,” I whisper, staring at where the night sky meets the tops of the trees. Bright stars wink above us. I’ve never been able to have such a perfect view of the stars.
“So do I.” Dex slides out of his chair and kneels in front of me.
“What are you doing?” I smile down at him.
He takes my hand. “Emily, the first time I met you, I felt like I’d been hit by a lightning bolt. You were not only beautiful but so fierce. I love every moment I’m in your aura. I want to see the world, learn new things, and grow old with you. I want to experience everything with you by my side.”
“Dex,” I whisper, pressing my fingers to my throat.
He pulls out a small blue velvet box. “Will you be my wife?”
“Yes! Really? Oh my God. Yes!” I smoosh his face between my hands and smash my lips against his. “I love you so much,” I whisper against his mouth.
He presses two quick, hard kisses to my lips and pulls away, holding out the box to me. “Don’t you want to see what’s in here?”
“Yes!” Laughing, I take the box and flip it open. My breath catches. A halo of tiny sparkling diamonds surround one large shimmering oval diamond set into a white gold art deco-style band. “Oh, Dex, it’s beautiful. I love it. I’ve always…how did you know?”
“Libby helped me pick it out.”
“She did?” I sigh in wonder. “When? I can’t believe she kept it a secret.”
“Before she moved into her dorm.”
“Really? I’m impressed.” I hold the box out to him. “Will you put it on me?”
“My pleasure.” He carefully plucks the ring out of the safety of its velvet cushion.
I hold my hand steady and he slowly slides it on my finger. I admire it under the moonlight.
“When do you want to get married?” he asks.
“Um, now? Right this second?”
Laughing, he tugs me out of the chair, then takes my place, pulling me into his lap. “Really?” He quirks a disbelieving eyebrow. “You don’t want to plan something big?”
If that’s something he’s looking forward to, I don’t want to ruin it for him. “Do you? I’d like to have it here at the clubhouse maybe. Do you think that would be okay?”
“It’d be more than okay.”
“So that shouldn’t be too hard to plan, right?”
His grin grows even wider. “I guess not.”
“Good.” I cup his cheek again and he tilts his head to kiss my palm. “Because I’d really like to be Mrs. Watts as soon as possible.”
His smile fades to a softer, but no less happy expression. “You mean that?”
“I do.” My eyes widen and I burst into laughter. “See, I’m already practicing my I do.”
DEX
“We’re engaged!” Emily shouts the next morning as soon as we walk into the dining room. She holds up her left hand to show off her ring.
Damn that looks good on her.
The girls whoop and cheer.
Trinity races over to hug her and then me. “Congratulations,” she whispers.
“Thank you.”
Hope joins us, pulling Emily into a hug. “Congratulations.”
“Thought of a date?” Rock asks.
“Uh, apparently as soon as possible,” I say, still grinning like an idiot.
“Jesus,” Ravage moans, “I thought we said no more babies?”
“Shut the fuck up.” Murphy smacks him on the back of the head.
Emily chuckles. “Still not interested in babies.” She tips her head back and smiles at me. “We’re not done seeing new places.”
Wrath nods slowly. “Good plan. Where are you going to honeymoon? I’ll give you the name of the place we stay in Belize. It’s beautiful and child-free.”
I drape my arm over Emily’s shoulders. The dress she chose today couldn’t be more perfect. It’s blue with yellow lemons all over it. Two thick straps hold it in place, one just loose enough for my thumb to play with. “Italy.” I glance at Emily. “The Amalfi Coast?”
Her eyes widen and she stares at me. “How’d you know I’ve always wanted to go there?”
“Who else?” I shake with laughter. “Your sister.”
“Oh, that will be beautiful,” Hope says, clasping her hands together and sending Rock a meaningful look.
Emily’s still smiling. “You know why I want to go there, right?”
