AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t want you to think that my dislike of marriage has anything to do with you. Not for a second. If you want to get married, if that’s really important to you, then I’ll do it in a heartbeat. I’ll go to the courthouse right now and sign a paper. I’ll even take your name if that’s what you want.”
I laugh, unable to control my emotions at all right now. I’ve not doubted his love for me for one second in this relationship. He’s always been so respectful of my needs and my wishes. I could never force him into something he doesn’t want.
“Even so,” he continues. “I know that I never want to be with anyone else. I want to be yours for the rest of my life. It’s not even a question for me. You’re the only woman I’ll ever want. So…” He takes a deep breath and kneels down on one knee.
The last few minutes have been an emotional rollercoaster to say the least. The tears still flow freely, but I can’t stop the smile that spreads on my face or the gasp that comes from my mouth. I sob and laugh and have no control of any of my emotions. My head is spinning.
He reaches into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulls out a small, black velvet box. When he opens it, I start crying even harder. It’s my grandma’s engagement ring. Any ring would have been perfect, but this is beyond anything I could have hoped. He would have had to ask my dad for this ring, which means my dad must have given his blessing for this.
I pull him up to a standing position, unable to say anything at all. I kiss him as hard as I can, my tears wetting his face. He holds me tightly, his arms squeezing my waist. I’m crying so hard now I can barely stand, but he’s keeping me upright, supporting me. He has as long as I’ve known him, and now I know that he always will.
He picks me up and carries me to our couch, one that we picked out together. He gently lays me down on it, supporting his weight on his knee as he kisses me deeply. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with this man. He’s my forever. I knew that before tonight, but now I know he feels the same way. He wants me to be his forever, too.
“I don’t want to marry you,” I whisper against his lips with a coy smile. He immediately freezes and sits on the couch, putting distance between us. I grab his jacket and pull him back into my space, kissing him firmly on the lips. “I don’t want to marry you if you don’t want to get married. But I will stay with you forever, if that’s what you want. I don’t ever want to be with anyone else either.”
He relaxes against my touch and leans in to my kiss, his tongue capturing mine. We kiss long and slowly, then hard and desperate. Clothes are removed and thrown in a heap next to the couch. He’s on top of me and inside of me and all around me. He’s part of me and I’m part of him, and we’ll never belong to anyone else for as long as we live. He makes love to me on the couch, slowly and carefully like he’s worried this moment might collapse if he moves too quickly.
My body is so attuned to him now, it doesn’t take much for me to fall over the edge. It’s the first of many times he’ll unravel me tonight. After the first time, he pulls me on top of him and reaches down for the velvet box. Without a word, he slips the ring onto my finger and brings my hand to my lips. I run my hand through his hair, loving how the diamond sparkles in the light.
“People will think you’re crazy,” he says later, his hands rubbing lazy patterns on my back. My breathing is slow, my body so exhausted from the sheer amount of emotion it’s been through tonight. “They’ll think you’ve settled.”
“Then they don’t really know me,” I reply, kissing his chest. “Because if they did, they’d know that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t have to be your wife to know that I’m never going to love anyone else like I love you. Besides, I don’t need a piece of paper to know you are mine.”
He laughs, the sound so beautiful I can actually see it as I drift off to sleep. It’s bright and colorful and full of hope and love. It’s a sound I’ll never grow tired of. Even when we’re old and grumpy, his laugh will be my favorite sound in the world. He’ll always be my home.
