Total pages in book: 21
Estimated words: 18799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18799 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 63(@300wpm)
She doesn’t know where I’m taking her. That’s the whole point.
The only sound in the car is the engine and her slow, steady breathing. Every few seconds, I glance over and catch her watching the city, eyes wide and blue and impossible to fucking ignore.
“I know that look,” she finally says. “You’re up to something.”
I keep my eyes on the road as we climb higher, winding through streets lined with cedar and trimmed lawns. “Who, me?” I tease as I reach over for her soft hand. I bring it to my lips for a soft kiss. “I just want to enjoy a little peace and quiet with my girl.”
That earns me a sidelong glance and the tiniest hint of a smile.
We pull up in front of my favorite park. I kill the engine, grab the jacket from the back seat, and walk around to her door.
“My hero,” she drawls, but her voice is softer than usual.
I hang the jacket over her shoulders and place my hand at the small of her back, guiding her up the gravel path. She leans into me, and my pulse kicks into overdrive as her curves press against my body.
The clearing opens up, grass glistening dark under the moon. There’s the same battered stone wall at the edge. I steer her straight to the spot where you can see the Space Needle lit up like it’s putting on a show just for us. The black water of Puget Sound cuts through the city below like a shadow, all slow and heavy.
She comes to a stop, both hands resting on the wall, and just looks.
“Wow,” she breathes. “It’s even better than I remember.”
I memorize the moment. The wind tosses her hair, wild and dark, and the city turns those blue eyes into something damn near electric.
I let her have the silence for a second, but my pulse is hammering so loud I’m shocked she can’t hear it.
She cocks her head like she senses the shift. “You’re acting weird,” she says.
I step behind her, hands braced on either side of hers against the stone. “Just thinking.”
“Dangerous,” she snorts.
I laugh, low and quiet. “Yeah. Dangerous.”
I draw in a deep breath and loop around so we’re face to face. The moonlight is enough to catch the shimmer on her lips, the curve of her cheek. Her hair blows around her face.
My hand finds her jaw, thumb tracing the spot just beneath her ear. I tuck a stray wave behind it, careful, because I know how much the gesture gets to her. I do it anyway.
Her breath catches. She knows something is up.
I drop my voice so low it barely makes it out of my chest. “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you,” I say as my heart pounds away in my chest.
She blinks. That’s all she does, but her fingers curl into a fist on the wall like she’s bracing for impact.
“I can’t picture my life without you in it. Without that smart mouth. Or your crazy family. Or even the way you hog the covers.”
She chokes out a laugh, but her voice is shaky.
I shove my right hand into the inside pocket of my jacket.
I drop to one knee, letting the gravel bite through my jeans. The light is perfect. The city throws shadows across the grass, and the Space Needle glows like a trophy I couldn’t give a shit about, because Rory is right here.
When I pop the ring box open, the diamond inside is so clear and bright it throws a scatter of light onto her face. It’s not huge, but it’s classy and beautiful, just like her.
I look straight up into her bright blue eyes and blurt out the words I’ve been practicing in my mind for the last several days. “Will you marry me, Rory Fox?”
She just stands there, both hands clapped over her mouth, eyes filling in real time. First one tear, then a second. Her shoulders shake, but she doesn’t make a sound. For a minute, I start to worry.
Then she reaches down, real slow, and runs her finger across my cheek.
She drops her hands, starts nodding like she can’t stop, and finally manages, “Yes. Oh my God, yes.”
My lungs finally unclench. I can’t remember the last time I felt this fucking alive.
I take her left hand and slide the ring onto her finger. I stand and pull her into my arms.
She’s shaking, but she’s laughing, too. One of those laughs that turns into a choked sob. I smooth her hair, kiss the top of her head.
Her face stays pressed against my chest, but her left hand crawls up, bunching in the front of my jacket. Her fingers dig in, showing off the ring to the empty night.
My girl is trembling so hard I’m scared she’s going to shatter in my arms. I press my mouth to the top of her head, breathing her in, but it’s not enough. I need more. I want her wild and laughing. I want her whole fucking heart.