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That catches me off guard enough to give in to a laugh. Equally huge mistake. The woman already feels my vacillation and takes advantage, hauling me closer to the water.
“All right, hold up. Do I have time to take off my sh—”
Fast answer to that? No. The Pacific tide makes that a hundred and fifty percent clear by inciting a forceful wave to charge the shore—and us. The eager roller hits me up to waist level, and lands at the center of Kara’s bustline.
But the stampede of profanity in my mind is silenced by a bigger wallop. The delighted shrieks of my gorgeous, drenched girl.
By now, I really mean that last point.
After a stronger bomber courtesy of the sea, Kara loses her footing. I lunge and catch her, letting the choice obscenities have their way with my lips now. But not all. I’m sure she’ll have a few too.
But the only sounds from the woman are more laughs. Higher and giddier. Curling over every lush curve of her mouth. Igniting new fires in her huge, expressive eyes. Blazes I’ve never witnessed there before. While her anger and arousal inspire flames that prowl at her irises, these torches are…dancing. Popping up and down as if moving to beats all their own.
The rhythm of her joy.
The cadence of her celebration.
A tempo I want in my life forever.
At first, I tell her that with the surge of my spirit. As soon as she feels all of it, I tell her again with a tuck of fingers beneath her chin. The waves are kinder now, having enjoyed their fierce flirtation with the shore, and undulate around us with their hypnotic flow.
Now.
This is the perfect moment. Theonlymoment.
And I pull in a breath, getting ready. Summoning the words I’ve rehearsed so many times.
“Maximus?” Kara winds her arms around my neck, misreading the sudden lurch in my psyche. “What is it? I’m sorry I got us soaked. But look, it’s such a nice day, and—”
“Marry me.”
Her throat clutches. Her lips separate from each other. “Uh…huh?”
Her vacillation is a spur for my purpose. “We didn’t do this thing true the first time. And to be honest, this wasn’t how I planned thingsthistime. But I know, with everything I am, it’s the right time.” I emphasize it by palming her head with my hands. “I’ve never been more in love with you, Kara Valari—and I want to spend a lifetime of getting soaked with you. Stunned by you. Best of all, loving you to the best of my ability.”
I compel one of my hands to slip down, searching for the delicate metal circle that I stashed in my pocket while she changed her clothes in the yurt. It’s a giant relief to find it there, tenaciously camping out in a wet corner.
When I lift it between our chests, I can’t tell if Kara’s expression is twisted from another surge of happiness or a fresh hit of discomfort.
Maybe that’s a good thing. I was pretty confident about this part of the afternoon, if not the other components. But I’ve been wrong about some things before, and some of those things include women.
I probably should have researched this part of the subject better. Should have grilled Kell a little more about Kara’s hopes for the thingsotherthan the wedding. But I got cocky, thinking my instincts were providing the best directionals. That something rustic and private would be the way my girl really wanted to do this. That she wouldn’t care if my gold ring was borne by my fingers and not a velvet box.
At least I can address one odd factor about the jewelry. The fact that the prongs aren’t holding a single diamond.
“It’s not that fancy right now,” I rush to say. “But I wanted you to have something unique, that’ll be an emblem of us. I have a friend, a former student, who’s now an artist in Ventura. He had this design, with the fire on one side and the stars on the other, and it felt right. But there’s no stone because I wantyouto pick it for yourself. I thought we could hit his studio on the way back to LA. That’s only if you want t—”
Her lips mash mine with intensity that surpasses table-breaking force. I clutch her close with one arm, taking care to hold the ring tight with the opposite hand. Neither grip comes close to the hold she’s just taken of my heart. This realization… It hits me as if she’s lined her spiritual fist with spikes. It’s joy and pain. Gratitude but fear. This captivating creature has the power to fly me to new heights yet plummet me to the worst pain. It’s all her choice. My whole soul is hers.
Facts that aren’t exactly new.
Only now, as I pull away just far enough to slip the gold circle around her finger, it’s official.
“It’s beautiful,” she breathes out as soon as the ring is settled. “The most perfect treasure of my life. I love you so much, Maximus.”
“Not nearly as much as I love you.”
Tears brim in her eyes—euphoric ones, I’m close to sure of it now—before leaping up to kiss me again. This time, she clenches her legs around my waist too. In the process she rips her drenched dress, but neither of us cares. Actually, as we make our way back up to shore, I’m adamantly looking forward to having dinner with a sea siren in an intriguingly cut outfit…
