I had kept up my investment in the resort, and while there had been no definable returns like a regular investment, it was still worth it. Many of the people I had seen when staying there eventually found recovery and returned to the real world. And more followed them. With the money, Arete had brought in more people, upped their treatments, and allowed for more guests.
All the while Luka had been there, he had something to report that excited him daily, from a normally quiet guest having a brief conversation with him to a new treatment program they were developing. For a man who had doubted he would be of any use to the resort, he had proven as effective as he was passionate.
“I could, but unless I’m spending time with you or your family, I don’t know, I don’t really want to leave. That’s probably going to become an issue for us one day,” he said with a frown.
“Not really,” I said with a shrug. “I already spoke to Marc and Reggie. Visitors are restricted, but there are exceptions. I might be able to visit you more often without you having to leave.”
“Is that so?” he asked, peering up at me with a smirk. “Did you wave more money at them?”
“No,” I said with a shake of my head. “There are other ways to get what you want without waving money.”
“Such as?”
“The same way I can make my sister and parents happy. The same way I can give you another family...if you want.”
He frowned. “What do you mean?”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ring box, carefully setting it in his hand, and watched as his eyes went wide. Carefully, he opened it, looking at the simple band with small jewels set along its circumference. Nothing flashy or overly expensive, but it was colorful, just like him.
“Is this...” he began, hastily setting his glass down and turning to stare at me.
I was never going to be completely free from pain; that much was true. But there had been new treatments, and the plan I was on now meant I didn’t have to live in constant terror of the flare-ups or of having to dull my senses to dull the pain. It was a lot more work than popping pills, but it was worth it. And even if it meant being in pain, nothing was going to stop me from getting down on my knee in front of him, especially when I saw the explosion of emotions over his face.
“Marry me?” I asked simply because romance and large gestures had never been my thing, but I tried never to say anything I didn’t mean, and I meant this.
“Holy fuck,” he said, the box shaking in his hand. “I mean, yes. Fuck, holy...yes!”
I slipped the ring onto his fingerbutdidn’t manage to get up before he crashed into me, wrapping his arms around my neck and squeezing me tight as he kissed me hard enough our teeth knocked together. His eyes were wet when he pulled back, and I remembered the flushed, embarrassed look on his face the first time he had run into me by accident. He had been handsome then, but he was breathtaking now as he stared at me in a mingled confusion of love, happiness, embarrassment, and worry.
“You sure?” he asked softly.
I stood up, taking his hand, and felt my heart skip a beat as the metal of the ring pushed into my skin. “You’re damn right I am. You know I never do anything unless I’m certain, and I’m confident in this, beyond words.”
His lip trembled, and he sucked in a breath. “Spousal visitation, huh?”
“Spousal visitation.”
“Sneaky.”
“I have my moments.”
“Wanna go tell your family?”
“Actually, I was planning on showing you my old bedroom first.”
“I’ve already seen it.”
“I wanted to show it to you again.”
“Oh.Oh. Right, yes, let’s do that...then tell your family.”
“Soon to beourfamily.”
“You’re already getting a blowjob, you don’t have to oversell it,” he said with a laugh, letting me guide him back into the house, our drinks forgotten as we took steps down a new road together.
