“Why are you crying?What have I done wrong now?”he cried out, frantically pushing her hair back from her face.
“Because…” She hiccupped, “I’m happy!”she said and kissed him all over his face.
“Oh.”He sighed, obviously relieved.“I’ve heard about that.”He pushed her back on the bed.“Sit over there, I’m not done yet,” he said and looked around again.
“What are you looking for now?”she asked, wiping her eyes.
“I…can’t talk to you if you look like this,” he said through clenched teeth and, grabbing a corner of the sheet, he draped it over her body.
Smiling, she crossed her arms over it.Her heart was beating frantically, her mouth was dry, and she wished she could have recorded all of this.But looking up into his face she realized—that wasn’t necessary.She would never forget this day, this moment, here with Darryn.
*
Darryn stared downat Hannah’s lovely face.He knew the answer to his question already.She had said yes hours earlier.
But, within seconds, she was going to put his ring on her finger, and then she would be his fiancé—he never even thought he’d wanted one of those.But standing here, with absolutely no clothes on, he had literally and figuratively nothing more to hide behind—he’d run out of excuses to be with her a long time ago.He wanted this, yes, but much more than that, he needed this, needed her.His heart had surrendered to her over two years ago already.
He sank down on his knees at the side of the bed and opened the little box.
“Hannah Sutherland, you stole my heart two years ago on a beach on Mahé, and I’ve never been able to get it back.Now, I don’t want it back.Ever.I love you with every fiber of my being, with every breath I take.And I know this is going to be crazy.You work long hours in various cities around the world and so do I.I’ll figure out the logistics if I know you’re by my side.”
He inhaled deeply and took her hand in his.“Will you marry me and be my wife?”he asked and held the little box out to her.“That’s it.There are no other stipulations.You don’t have to quit your job; we’ll figure something out.Hell, if need be, I’ll quit mine.Exactly how this will work, I don’t know yet, but I do know I never want to be without you again.”
She stared down at the ring for long minutes.Oh, hell.Maybe he should have waited and asked his mother or one of his sisters-in-law about the ring.
He opened his mouth to tell her they could exchange it, but she sniffled, wiped her cheeks, and took the ring out of the box with great care.
Again, she stared at it without saying anything.
“If you don’t like it, we can exchange it, but I thought…”
She lifted her eyes up—emotion had darkened her blue eyes.“It’s exquisite,” she whispered.
“The blue of the sapphires reminded me of the color of your eyes when we make love,” he whispered and took the ring from her.
Gently, he pushed it over her finger, praying it would fit.It slid easily over her long finger—it was a perfect fit.
She stared at it, tears streaming down her face.“What’s with the damn tears?”he finally asked and lifted her onto his lap.He never could stand a woman crying.
She put an arm around his neck.“We Sutherland women cry when we’re happy, and I’m so, so happy.”She smiled through the tears and held up her hand.“It’s perfect.”
“Look, it’s very plain, but I didn’t think you’d like an ostentatious ring.But if you want something more—”
“You’ve been paying attention,” she smiled.“I don’t like flashy jewelry.”
“I know,” he said.“But if you want a different ring…”
She put a finger on his mouth.“I love it,” she smiled.“Let me show you something.”She bent forward and picked up her phone.“I’ve never been one of those girls who started planning her wedding even before she could walk, but when Caitlin got married, she started this wedding board on Pinterest and she pinned all things wedding,” she said while scrolling down her phone.“And then Zoe and Dana got married and made boards.”
“Boards?”Darryn asked, not quite following her.
“Yes, on Pinterest.Anyway, then I…” She smiled self-consciously while still scrolling.“Well, I’ve been thinking about weddings and dresses and rings and on the flight over, I found myself creating my own board.”
She clicked on her phone and a picture opened up.Wordlessly, she handed him the phone.It was a picture of a wedding ring—almost the exact ring he had just given her.
He stared down at his ring on her finger and was amazed to realize his throat was clogged up.
“Darryn?”she said.
