But they picked the wrong girl this time.
“No. It will leave us alone eventually.” Although, in my experience, that was very much not true. But the song would eventually be over.
AND HOLY CRAP MY FACE WAS STILL ON THE JUMBOTRON.
Where was Duke?
The crowd had started out thinking our reluctance was funny, but the uproar at the moment was riddled with near-hostile intent. I sent another pleading look out into the universe, begging for the camera to pick one of the other ten thousand couples in this stupid arena.
“Let’s do it.” The man turned to me, leaning into my space. “Just a quick one.”
Suddenly, the guy was pushed away from me, and warm hands were pulling me to stand. The crowd cheered wildly as a grinning Duke pulled me close, his hands encircling my waist. My arms wrapped around his neck as I breathed in his cologne, the distress over the past thirty seconds gone in an instant. I hadn’t had time to think when my face was suddenly on a TV with twenty thousand people watching, but something about this had my Duke suspect meter pinging.
“What is it with you and kiss cams?” he mumbled, both of his hands on my cheeks, breathing me in. “I can’t leave you alone for two minutes to get you food.”
“If you did this, I’m going to—“
His lips were on mine, asking and taking all at once. My heart sighed as my body melted against him. His strong arms locked around me, my fingers toying with his shirt. The hostile environment around us had quickly turned into roaring enthusiasm. The crowd finally had their show, and by the sound of the excitement, it had been worth the wait.
He pulled away for a brief second, his warm eyes meeting mine. “I had to make sure you wouldn’t kiss just any good-looking guy sitting next to you.”
“You set it all up?”
“It’s all in who you know.” Duke reached out a hand across the empty seat to my neighbor. “Hey, thanks, Jim.”
Jim grinned, his white teeth gleaming as he nodded toward me. “Sorry about that, Nora. I was beginning to think Duke just wanted to punch me in the face on camera.”
“Sorry, man, I wasn’t supposed to be gone this long. The line for the pretzel was crazy.”
He laughed and stood, shuffling past us. “Well, I’m going to go back to my seat.”
After he left, I turned to Duke, cradling his face in my hands. “How do you know Jim?”
“He’s my electrician. He’s got season tickets to all the games.”
“And you knew the camera guy?”
“I knew how to get ahold of the camera guy.”
“Why are you whispering?”
His voice was low as he leaned close to my ear. “Because I have something else to ask you.”
He sat down in his seat, pulling me onto his lap. His chair was next to the aisle, and my feet dangled that direction while I curled into his chest.
The stadium had moved on, another kiss-cam moment stealing the show, leaving Duke and me lounging together in his seat. I was being cradled on Duke’s lap, our foreheads pressed together, and the entire arena reduced to a muffle of noises. While inside this cocoon, we had our own private show. My entire world held me on his lap with such a look of tenderness that my eyes filled with moisture. My breath caught as he removed one hand from around my waist, reached down in his pocket, and pulled out a small box. Immediately, my hand covered my face as my eyes welled up with tears.
“I fell in love with you the night we met. I tried to forget you, but it was impossible. And then, when I saw you again, I knew my life’s mission would be your happiness. But in all actuality, you’ve made me the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m just trying to keep up.” A warm hand began brushing at the tears spilling down my face. “Will you marry me?”
If tenderness had a color, it was the deep, rich brown of Duke’s eyes. If sweetness had a flavor, it was his kiss, soft and hot against my mouth. It was a timid thing, opening my heart up enough to fuse it to another. To give someone the very thing I’d guarded so closely. But there was freedom in it as well. Without movement forward, we become stagnant. I didn’t know where our love might take us. But I had chosen hope over fear, and so far, hope felt like a warm wind in my face, looked like smiles that wouldn’t stop coming, and a feeling of pure happiness that was all-consuming.
And then he pulled away. I growled in outrage at his mouth, which was no longer kissing mine.
“Are you going to answer me, woman?” he demanded, laughter in his eyes.
“Yes.” I nodded, smiling up at him as I added, “I love you too.”
I only caught a glimpse of his grin before he kissed me again.
