“Honestly?” Isnuggled close. “No.”
“That’s mygirl.”
“How did youfind me?”
“My ring.”
“Your ring?”
“It’s got atracker in it. Maisie insisted on all of us havin’ them. The women havenecklaces, and you’re gonna have one too. Gettin’ it made now.”
“You are?”
“Fuck, yes, Iam.”
“But I don’twant to give the ring back,” I said petulantly.
He chuckled.“You can keep it, honey. I’m sure she’s aware I don’t have it and has gotanother ready for me.”
“She’s thatprotective?”
“You’ve met her,you tell me.”
“Okay, you gotme there.” I grinned. “I do adore that woman.”
“Same.”
I sat up slightly,tugging on his beard. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Will you marryme?”
“Absolutelyfuckin’ not.”
I frowned.“What, why not?”
“For a number ofreasons, the least of all being, I’m a traditionalist at heart and would wantto be the one to propose,” he said. “But, mainly, because I seem to recall youhave a pattern of marrying men during times of chaos.”
“Your pointbeing?”
Waving his armaround the room, he said, “Chaos… we have just escaped from the mouth of chaositself.”
“Yes, but evenif that has been my pattern, I’m not who I was back then, and you arenothinglike those other men. Trust me when I say that.”
“Baby, I dotrust you, but I also trust data and the data says if we do somethingimpulsive, this will go up in flames and I love you too much to let this burn.”
“And I feel thesame way,” I said. “That’s why I want to get married.”
“Love isn’t abig enough reason to get married.”
“What biggerreason is there?” I challenged.
“Love is onlythe start,” he said. “To get married means you want to start a foundation, andin my mind, a family.”
“Don’t you thinkI want those things too?”
“I don’t know,we haven’t even talked about it. This is what I’m saying.”
