He covers the last few steps, stopping right in front of me. “I saw your letter. You asked me to meet you. How could I say no to you?”
His eyes sparkle with humor. I’m still petrified. I make a promise to myself that I wouldn’t cry.
Instead, I climb to my feet, looking up at him. “I should’ve written a speech. I didn’t get past the point of you showing up.”
He smirks. “I think we’ll manage.”
Reaching out a hand, he gently touches my shoulder. I don’t know what comes over me, but I jump onto him, climbing his big body like a tree.
Stellan chuckles, the reverberations vibrating his chest. “I guess it wouldn’t be real if you didn’t make it awkward, would it?”
He slides his hand along my cheek and cups the back of my head, lowering his mouth to mine. I make a soft sound as his lips touch mine; he tastes sweet and clean, like fresh mint. When his mouth opens and his tongue touchesmine, sweeping the inside of my mouth, I put my arms around his neck and plow my hands into the back of his hair.
I’ve missed this so badly.
He groans against my mouth. “I’ve missed your scent.”
My lips curve upwards. “Is that all?”
He pulls back, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “No,” he says quietly. “I’ve missed everything about you. Your smile. Your sense of humor. Your moral outrage. My body craves yours,skatter.”
I’m left breathless and wide eyed at his openness, his vulnerability in this moment. His ice blue eyes are so earnest that it almost makes me cry.
“Stellan…” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I love you so fucking much.”
He presses his lips to mine with such passion and intensity that I feel stunned. “I love you too, Margot. I know that my life is complicated, but I don’t think I can go on without you.”
I draw in a breath that turns into a hiccup. “I meant what I wrote to you. If you need me to, I’ll move heaven and earth to be yours.”
He exhales a shaky breath. “I think you know what I have to do, right?”
I arch a brow. “What?”
Pushing me back a step with gentle hands, he clears his throat and digs in his pocket. Then he kneels down on one knee. My hands fly up to my mouth.
He pauses for a second, lowering his dark head. When Stellan looks up at me, he gives me a tense smile.
“Fuck, I’m so nervous,” he admits.
My eyes well up at that. I brush my hand against his shoulder. “Don’t be.”
He bites his lip and holds up his offering, a small darkblue velvet box. When he cracks it open, a dazzling diamond and sapphire ring sits cushioned there.
Oh god. Is this really happening?
Stellan reaches for my hand. “Margot Keane. You are the most challenging, most wonderful, most amazing woman I’ve ever met. When I think of the future, the only one I can see clearly is one with you by my side. Will you please do me the enormous honor of being my wife?”
My heart beat drums its rhythm in my ears. I dash away tears from my eyes, nodding. “I will.”
His expression is glorious. He beams as he pries the ring from the box. Setting the box aside, he takes my hand and slides the ring onto my finger.
I reach down for him as he stands up. He kisses me and slips his arms around me, lifting me up in his arms. He’s marking me for the whole world to see: I’m his now.
His, and his alone, until the end of time.
I finally pull away with a giggle. “Is this real?” I wonder. “I feel like I’m high on something.”
He sets me on my feet, grinning. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
