I nodded, tracing a heart over his heart. “You know who else is avoiding us? Carianne. I’ve barely heard from her in weeks.”
“Talk to her if it’s bothering you.”
“Hmm. I’m just … She seemed cool about us last time we chatted, but maybe she’s secretly upset about me and you. Or maybe she’s no longer interested in a friendship because of the baby.”
“If either of those are true, you’re better off without her.” He kissed my temple.
I melted into him. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Let’s switch off the movie and go have hot, sweaty sex.”
His chest rumbled with amusement beneath my cheek. “One day, people will call you the romantic one in our relationship, but today is not that day.”
Laughing, I got up, tugging him to his feet. “I promise I’ll scream something really romantic when I come.”
“I think we might have a different idea about what romantic actually means.” He switched off the TV before I dragged him toward the staircase.
“Are you saying ‘Lewis, you’re making me come so good’ isn’t romantic?”
His laughter bounced off the walls as I hurried him downstairs. “No, nor is it grammatically correct.”
“Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
I squealed as he suddenly lifted me into his arms, carrying me bridal style into our bedroom. “Never change, Callie Ironside.” He lay me gently down on the bed and then braced himself over me, gazing deep into my eyes. “Well, maybe there’s one thing I’d change about you.”
I grimaced. “Oh?”
Lewis’s voice was gruff. “Your name.”
What?
I froze, wondering if he meant what I thought he meant.
“I know I gave you shit for not being romantic and, believe me, this wasn’t how I planned to do this, but I can’t wait any longer. I love you so fucking much, Callie. And I know this is the opposite of taking it slow … but taking it slow would be a lie. I’m going to love you forever and I don’t see any point in not telling you I want forever to start now.”
“Lewis?” Blood rushed in my ears as I gaped up at him in abject joy.
He reached across the bed and pulled open his bedside drawer. I gasped at the ring box he pulled out. Sitting back on his heels, he popped it open, revealing a simple, elegant platinum engagement ring with a princess-cut diamond. It was perfect. “Callie Ironside … will you marry me?”
Never in all the times I’d imagined Lewis Adair proposing did I burst into full-blown sobs. But that’s exactly what I did.
“Fuck, fuck.” Lewis’s panicked voice cut through the painful cries I couldn’t seem to control. “I’m sorry. I didn’t?—”
“Yes!” I sobbed, reaching for him through the blur of tears. “Yes, I’ll m-marry y-y-you.”
Bundling me into his arms, he rubbed a soothing hand down my back and pressed a hard kiss to my temple. “Why are you crying, then?” he whispered hoarsely.
I needed to get a hold of myself for his sake, so I took deep, shuddering breaths. After a minute, I had calmed, even though salty warm tears seemed to fall with a mind of their own down my cheeks. I pulled back to cup Lewis’s face in my hands. “Because for so long I thought this dream was lost. These are tears of relief, Lewis. Of joy. I never wanted to admit, even to myself, how painful those years without you were. Now you’re mine forever.” I pressed a wet kiss to his lips, and he deepened it. When we broke apart, I leaned my forehead against his. “I have a notebook in my room, from high school. It has Mrs. Callie Adair scribbled all over it.” I laughed softly. “I guess I manifested it.”
Lewis laughed quietly and pulled back to raise my left hand. His eyes held mine as he slipped the beautiful ring onto my fourth finger. “Do you like it?”
“I love it.” I kissed him again, smiling between kisses now. “Mrs. Callie Adair.”
Lewis stiffened.
“What?”
