"I mean, can't we elope?"
He resumed the gentle movement, taking me with him. "What about your parents? Won't they want to be here?"
I shook my head. "I doubt it. I haven't heard from them in..." I thought hard, but still couldn't remember exactly how long it had been. "Six months or more. When I mentioned I was moving in with you, my mom said,That's nice, dear. And went back to talking about their upcoming trip to Santorini."
Ben grimaced. "Okay. But what about Cam and Brody?"
"They can come to the courthouse with us. And so can your parents."
"And the McClanes. And Lee," he continued.
Okay, so a courthouse wedding wouldn't work.
"What about a barbeque? Weren't there some celebrities who invited their friends and family over for a barbeque and then they surprised them with their wedding? Can we do that?"
Once again, Ben stopped swaying and stared down at me. Then he grinned. "Next weekend too soon?"
It was my turn to freeze. "What?"
He released my hand where it rested against his chest and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a box.
My heart stopped. Okay, so not really, but if it could have, it would have.
When he opened it, I gasped. Inside was a gorgeous ruby ring, the oval stone a deep blood red and surrounded by a halo of tiny diamonds set in curved filigree that resembled vines. I wasn't well-versed enough in fine jewelry to be able to tell if it was set in white gold or platinum, but the silvery metal gleamed beneath the dim lights.
"Are you seriously proposing to me at your brother's wedding?" I whispered.
"It was the first time you essentially agreed to marry me, so I wanted to get it locked down before you had a chance to change your mind," he murmured back.
I glanced around quickly but Ben had swayed us into a darker corner and no one was paying attention.
"So, next weekend?" he asked.
I huffed out a laugh. "Not next weekend. But maybe the next if everyone is free. But I want the barbeque catered. Neither of us should have to cook or clean up on our wedding day."
Ben released my waist and pulled the ring out of the box. He slipped it onto the ring finger of my left hand then kissed my knuckles.
"I love you," he murmured as he tugged me back into his embrace.
"I love you, too."
In the shadowed side of the dance floor, it felt like just the two of us, surrounded by music and love.
"Did this just happen?" I asked, leaning my head against his chest.
"Did what just happen?"
"Are we really getting married?" I lifted my head and looked up at him.
His arms tightened around me. "Definitely. It's too late to change your mind. There's no escape."
I laughed a little. "That sounds like a threat."
"Never. But I can't promise I won't hold on to your pant leg and cry and beg if you try to leave me."
"Never." I wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled his head down toward mine so I could kiss him. "I can't imagine life without you and I don't want to."
What was supposed to be a sweet kiss quickly became something more. We separated, both of us breathing hard.
