He gets down on one knee before I can respond. My mouth drops open. “What are you doing?”
“Asking you to marry me.”
“You did that already. And I said yes.” Isn’t this a done deal? We decided just the other day to have the ceremony at Hunter’s place since it’s big enough for everyone, and we’re not going back to our old apartment—not for more than a few minutes at a time to grab stuff we need. Eventually, we’ll hire some movers to empty the place. Spencer has already told the real estate agency he won’t be renewing his lease when it’s up in four months.
“I didn’t do it properly last time, and you deserve better than that. So shut the fuck up and let me do this.”
He sounds so serious I can’t argue with him about it. If it’s what he needs, then he can have it. “Okay. Woo me.”
“I’m not wooing you. I’m just asking you to marry me. Properly. Again. Both.” He puts a hand on my knee and caresses right where he knows the scars are underneath my slacks.
“So… no big speech?” I don’t want a speech, but the glare he’s giving me is all kinds of adorable. Darkens the brown and emphasises how long and soft his eyelashes are.
“No, I’m not doing a big speech. I just wanted to do the knee thing.”
“You had to get dressed to do the knee thing?”
“I’m not doing the knee thing with my dick hanging out.”
I wouldn’t mind if he did.
“Also, naked bodies don’t have pockets.”
A major oversight, really. We should all just be born with pockets to save a lot of time. “What do you need pockets f—”
Spencer pulls out a small black box and holds it up. “I picked these up today.” He flips it open. “Kendrick Ryan Fischer, will you marry me?”
Two black titanium bands are snuggled in the case, right next to each other, the same way we’ll be for the rest of our lives.
This doesn’t feel like the right time to make a joke to put him at ease. That’s not what he needs from me. He needs reassurance that I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere. The therapy is helping him deal with everything that’s happened and the fear that he’ll lose me, but I know that hearing it from me, as often as possible, makes just as much of a difference. And I’ll happily hold him and tell him how much I need himevery day for the rest of our lives. “Yeah, baby, I’ll marry you.”
He pulls one of the bands out, looks at the inside of it, and then puts it back.
Uh. “Changed your mind?”
“That one’s mine.”
How can he tell? They’re identical. “We didn’t get them engraved.” Did we? No, I’d remember that.
“I called back after we got them and had the place add it.” He pulls the other one out and lifts it so that I can see. Right there, etched on the inside, is “Property of Spencer.” Well, that’s hotter than I thought it would be.
“I was thinking we could get another tattoo,” Spencer says.
“Mmm?” I rotate the ring in my hand and then give it back before presenting my hand. If we’re doing it this way, he can put the ring on me. We’re probably supposed to wait for the ceremony, but I don’t care. There aren’t any rules, and we get to do whatever we want.
“Right on the curve of your hip. Property of Spencer.”
My eyes meet his. I should say no. It’s a ludicrous suggestion. I’ve already branded myself with his name, which most people would agree is a terrible idea. “Okay,” I say instead. “Same parlour?”
“Yeah. I like Britt.” Spencer slips the ring on my finger and then stands, pulling me closer. He kisses the back of my hand and then slants his mouth over mine. “I love you,” Spencer whispers, “and occasionally, I even want to sleep with you.”
“This is so romantic.” I’m not even lying. He always knows how to get my heart racing, in so many ways. “I love you too.”
“I want the world to know you’re mine, in every way. They so much as look at you and think they can have a piece, and I’m throwing them in front of a train.”
I smile against his mouth and then slip my tongue inside to lick at him. He moans and leans against me, arms moving to twine around my neck. I can’t do much more than this, not yet. But I have some plans for after I’m healed properly. Ones that don’t involve edging myself.
Spencer pulls back, face serious again. “I want to establish some rules before I agree to marry you.”
