His long fingers traced the strip of bare skin across her lower back where the material of her dress dipped low over her spine.“Hmm?”He brushed a kiss across her lips, dipped his head to press another one to the side of her neck.
He was distracting her, and this was important.“Tripp.”
The click of doggy toenails reached them.Tripp straightened and released her.She smiled as Rufus trotted toward her, ears up, tail wagging.“Well, good morning, handsome.Where have you been?Oh, and look at your new bandana.Very distinguished.”
She crouched down to pet him.Stopped when she saw the writing on the front of the bandana tied around his neck.
There was a pawprint at the top, followed byPlease Say Yes.
“Say yes to what?”She looked up at Tripp.
He grinned at her and held up a fist.Turned it over and opened his hand to reveal a key the same shade of gold as the frame.“I want you both to come live here with me.”
She took it from him, smiling.“Are you sure?”
“More than sure.You could keep your place and rent it out for a nice amount every month.Oh, and there’s one more thing.”He rummaged in his pocket.Pulled something else out that she couldn’t see in his hand.
She caught her breath when he sank to one knee in front of her.No.Was he...
“I love you.I’ve loved you for half my life, and I want to be with you for the rest of it.”
“Tripp...”Oh my God, this was happening.Was she crying?
“I called your dad to get his blessing.”He held out a beautiful amethyst ring in his fingertips.“Will you marry me, Will?”
She nodded, a ridiculous, wobbly smile on her face while tears spilled over.It was fast.Way faster than she’d imagined.But she knew.They both did.And there wasn’t a single reason in the world for them to wait.
“Yes.”She threw her arms around him.“To moving inandmarrying you.”
He crushed her to him.“Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
They turned to find Tripp’s dad standing just inside the doorway, grinning at them.
“Did you two set this up?”she accused, grinning back.
He shrugged.“I might have helped a bit by hanging out with Rufus until I got the signal to let him go.”
She turned to her dog, who was sitting politely, ears relaxed, tongue hanging out slightly as though he was smiling too.“Rufus, you were adorably perfect.”She crouched and wrapped her arms around his neck to hug him, got a wet kiss up the side of her face.
Laughing, she eased back on her haunches and took Tripp’s hand, pushing to her feet.“The bandana and including Rufus was perfect, but you need to put that ring on my finger now and make it official.”
Tripp smiled, took her left hand and slid the ring onto her finger.The amethyst shone in the beam of buttery sunlight coming through the open doors.“It was my mom’s.I know she would love you to have it.”
“It’s beautiful.I’m so touched...”She put a hand to her chest, overcome with emotion.“And you even called my dad.”That old-fashioned gesture meant the world to her.
“I did.He said he was glad to finally be getting rid of you.”
“Ha, he did not,” she said with a grin and lifted up on tiptoe to kiss him, still overwhelmed.And happier than she’d ever been in her life.“I had no idea you were this romantic, Tripp.”It just showed she had a lot to discover about this amazing man.
“Me neither.Don’t get used to it.”
Tripp’s dad cleared his throat.“Still here.Do I get a hug, too, or what?”
“Of course!”She hurried over to embrace him, fighting not to cry at the love and care she felt in his hug.“Thank you.I love you too, by the way.”
“It’s mutual, sweetheart.Now.”He released her, smiled at the two of them.“I’ll leave you to celebrate, and when you’re ready, come on over.I’m making us an engagement brunch feast at my place, and I’m about to invite Mae.”
