“Then I’ll tell you more than once a day to make up for that,” I teased. “You’re right. It’s time for me to let go of the past and appreciate everything I have right now.” I stretched my arm out until I could put my empty wine glass on the side table before I turned around and kneeled between Cole’s legs. “I have a ton of Remingtons who are like family to me, and I’m grateful for every one of them. But the one I’m looking at right now is the love of my life. You’re my person, the man I thought I’d never find. I’ll try to never take that for granted because that’s a pretty huge gift.”
He reached out, wrapped a steely arm around my waist and put his other hand on the back of my head. “You’re my wholedamn world, angel. That scares the hell out of me sometimes, but I wouldn’t change it if I could.”
My heart stuttered as he pulled my lips down to his.
The embrace was one of devotion and promises, and it was so damn sweet that I never wanted it to end.
However, it did end, and Cole reached for the drawer on the bedside table right after it was over.
“This isn’t the way I wanted to do this,” he said hoarsely as he pulled something out of the drawer. “I wanted this to be romantic and something you’ll always remember since I’m generally not a romantic kind of guy.”
My heart started to hammer as I realized that he was holding a red velvet box.
Our gazes met and locked, and I knew exactly what he was going to do.
“Unfortunately,” he continued, “I can’t wait another second to do this.” He flipped the box open. “Maybe it’s only a symbol, but I need my damn ring on your finger. I need another way to make you mine.”
I gasped as I saw the ring nestled in a bed of velvet.
It was absolutely spectacular.
As usual, Cole hadn’t done this in half measures.
The diamond was enormous, and the two sapphires that lay beside the huge center stone on both sides were breathtaking.
The gold and gemstones definitely had some bling, but the ring was a classic style that I fell in love with instantly.
I knew it was an outrageously expensive ring, but that was exactly the way my man did things.
“Marry me,” Cole said huskily. “I know it’s quick, and we can have a long engagement if that’s what you need, but I know exactly what I want.”
“We talked about moving in together, but we haven’t talked about marriage,” I said in a stunned voice, my heart pounding so fast that I was almost breathless.
“Your fate was sealed the second you told me that you loved me,” he answered. “You not loving me was the only way this wasn’t going to happen. The ring was finished two weeks ago. I knew I was going to have to wait, but I was hoping I wouldn’t have to wait long. Tell me you’ll marry me, angel. I’ll take you somewhere romantic to celebrate.”
My heart squeezed inside my chest.
Cole liked to think he wasn’t romantic, but I thought he was the most romantic guy I’d ever met.
He wasn’t overly sappy, but when he said something sweet, it came from his heart.
I reached out and reverently touched the diamond. “It’s so beautiful. You know I’m going to marry you. I already told you that I love you.”
He grinned, and my heart started to do a happy dance as he pulled the ring from the box and slipped it onto my finger.
I had no idea how he knew my ring size, but it fit perfectly.
“We can make adjustments to the ring if you don’t like—”
“No,” I interrupted firmly. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
Cole tossed the box aside, kissed the ring on my finger, and then pulled me into his lap.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he kissed me.
Long.
Slow.
