Six Months Later
After weeks of careful planning, Eden was thwarted by a cat. She sat cross-legged in the middle of Anna’s bed, staring at Nelle, who stared right back, emerald eyes daring Eden to find out what would happen if she tried to move her. Tentatively, Eden reached toward her. Nelle raised a paw, claws extended.
Eden sighed. She couldn’t risk a cat scratch today. In a matter of hours, Anna’s home would be filled with people—stylists and makeup artists, assistants and publicists—here to get Eden and Anna ready for tonight’s Grammy ceremony.
There would be endless photos on the red carpet, and if Eden won—iftheywon—those photos would include close-ups of her hands holding the award. So no, she couldn’t risk Nelle’s wrath today.
“C’mere, Nelle.” Eden snapped her fingers in an attempt to lure the cat toward her.
Nelle narrowed her eyes, curling herself more tightly over her prize.
Eden leaned forward, twirling the drawstring on her purple hoodie. She and Nelle constantly disagreed over whether this stringwas a toy. Nelle considered it her life’s purpose to wrestle the drawstring out of the hoodie, while Eden maintained that strings on clothing were off limits. But today, she would sacrifice her favorite hoodie to get Nelle to move.
But Nelle, perhaps sensing Eden’s mounting desperation, only tucked her front paws beneath herself, settling in for the long haul.
Of course, Anna chose that moment to walk into the bedroom, carrying a box of her own. “My parents sent us a gift. Dad says it’s a good luck gift for tonight, and knowing him, it’s bound to be something quirky.” She sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Eden and then Nelle. “Are you in a standoff with my cat?”
Eden’s skin flushed hot. This wasn’t how she’d planned it, dammit. “Um ...”
Nelle sat up, revealing the black velvet box she’d been sitting on. She nudged it with a paw as if presenting it to Anna herself.
Anna squeaked, pressing a hand to her mouth.
To hell with scratch-free hands for the Grammy red carpet. Eden grabbed the box, but when Nelle swatted her hand in retribution, it was a soft paw. Eden’s heart was racing, and a jittery feeling had taken hold of her body, because ... there was no going back now. Ring box clutched in one hand, she slid off the bed to kneel on the floor at Anna’s feet.
Anna still had a hand pressed to her mouth, tears glistening in her eyelashes.
For a moment, Eden could only smile at her. She loved this woman with her whole heart. Then she cleared her throat.Here goes nothing ...
“Anna, before I met you, I thought I knew what love was. I thought I was happy. I thought the only place I’d ever truly feel like myself was onstage in front of an arena full of people, but I was so wrong. You turned my world upside down and showed me all the beautiful,wonderful, passionate things I was missing. You were there for me while I figured out my sexuality, always knowing just what to say. You’re my best friend and the love of my life, and nothing in the world would make me happier than if you’d agree to be my wife.”
Tears spilled over her cheeks as she opened the box, revealing the ring inside. She’d chosen a simple platinum band with a round diamond encircled by tiny pavé diamonds that created a glittering ring around it. The ring had reminded her of Anna, so bright and beautiful as she surrounded Eden with love.
“Yes,” Anna gasped, sliding down to join Eden on the floor. She took Eden’s face in her hands and kissed her soundly, tears mixing on their cheeks. “A million times yes. Eden, I love you so, so much ... even if you did just basically let my cat propose to me because you were too afraid to move her after she claimed the ring.”
“Hey,” Eden protested. “What if she scratched up my hands right before the Grammy red carpet?”
Anna gave her an adoring smile before her gaze dropped to the ring. “It’s so beautiful. I can’t believe you just proposed! Oh my God, this is the best day ever.”
Eden took the ring out of the box and slid it onto Anna’s finger, and for a moment they both just stared at the way it sparkled against Anna’s tanned skin. “I feel like I was waiting for you, even before we met,” she whispered. “I waited my whole life for you.”
“And I spent my life dreaming about a fantasized version of you,” Anna said. “I love the real you so much more.”
Eden’s heart overflowed with joy and anticipation for the future. “Last year this time, I never would have thought I’d be marrying a woman.” She ran a thumb over the diamond on Anna’s finger. “Or that I would be proposing to anyone, for that matter.”
“I love everything about this moment,” Anna said dreamily. “Even Nelle’s interference.”
Eden scoffed, looking up to see the cat watching them from the bed. “I put the ring down forone minute, and she sat on it like she was nesting.”
Anna laughed, reaching up to rub her cat affectionately under the chin. “She keeps things interesting.”
“I love you.” Eden leaned in for a kiss, and before she knew it, Anna was in her lap, kissing her with a kind of intensity that hadn’t lessened in the months they’d been together. Eden hoped their passion never dimmed.
They scrambled onto the bed, pushing the box from Anna’s parents to the side as they stripped out of their clothes, bodies moving together in practiced ease as they quickly brought each other to climax.
“Wish I could stay here with you all afternoon.” Anna lifted her hand, moving it this way and that to admire how the diamond reflected the sunlight spilling across the bed. It cast rainbow patterns over Eden’s bare chest.
“But alas, the cavalry will be here soon, which means we’d better rinse off before they arrive.” Eden stroked a hand through Anna’s hair, making no attempt to move.
