He took her hands in his. “I don’t want to be your end-of-the-world pick anymore.”
She frowned. “Why not?”
“Because—” he smiled and gave her a quick kiss “—I want to be your choice every day, good or bad. I want to be the one you turn to all the time, not just when things fall apart. Your…always pick, I guess. Like you are for me.”
“You are.” This man… God. Could she love him more? “You already are.”
“Then marry me? Please.”
Her heart rose into her throat and she jolted.“What?”He’d agreed to move in, but a small part of her had expected him to keep an escape hatch, just in case. At least for a few more months.
His jubilant expression faltered. “Lindsey, I love you. That hasn’t wavered since the moment I figured it out. If anything, I love you more every second. I don’t just want to live with you, I want to be your husband.”
The wordhusbandmade her stomach do flips. She hadn’t dared dream he’d be ready this soon.
“I want the world to know we’re tied together, committed to each other. I wantyouto know it. Not like a chain, not a burden.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Like a… Something good. I don’t know, a…” He took a deep breath and shook his head, cheeks bright red.“Fuck.”
He was so adorable and handsome, and adorably, handsomely flustered, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes.” She tugged him closer and kissed him. “Yes yes yes yes yes.”
“You will?” His face lit.
She was still nodding when he wrapped her in his arms and kissed the breath right out of her.
When they came up for air, he searched her face, smoothing back her hair. “You’re sure? You don’t need more data?”
This silly man. “There’ll never be enough. But I don’t need it anyway.” She smiled and cradled the face of the man she loved more than life. “This time I’m following my heart.”
