‘He’s stuck with me,’ I tell Gabriel. ‘I’m obsessed. Like a stalker.’
Gabriel grins a little wider. ‘Wonderful. Love a stalker. We should order food now, or we’re never getting out of here.’
Gabriel is well practiced at Deaf goodbyes, so it takes us nearly forty-five minutes after the meal is over to get to our car and go home. Rome is quiet, and I’m a little nervous, like something went wrong. Something I’m oblivious to.
The looks he steals at me while we’re driving are unreadable, and he doesn’t do more than thank me when I point out red lights or that he’s about to miss our turn.
When we get inside the house, the mood is still strange. He’s fidgety in ways he usually isn’t, and he paces when I drop to the couch.
I let him carry on, but only for a few moments before waving my hand to get his attention. ‘Talk to me.’
He blows out a puff of air, then comes around and sits on the coffee table, practically between my spread knees. ‘Do you want to get married?’
I frown. ‘I don’t care.’
‘Tell me,’ he insists. ‘Truth.’
‘Truth. I don’t care. I want to be with you. Rings or no rings.None of that matters. What matters is I love you. What matters is you’re mine.’
He swallows heavily, then pounces, pinning me to the couch, his knees straddling my thighs as I take his full weight. We sink a few inches, and eventually, I have to push him back to breathe.
‘You were worried?’
He shrugs, then nods. ‘I never wanted marriage.’
‘Okay…’
‘But I’m not sure now. I want to make you happy, so if it’s important to you?—’
‘You are important to me,’ I interrupt. I take his hands and kiss each palm before letting him go. ‘Nothing else.’
He relaxes against me, the weight even heavier, but more comforting than I have ever felt in my life. His ear rests against my shoulder, breath puffing along my neck.
“My dad liked you,” he murmurs aloud.
He’s got his eyes closed, so I take his hand and put it over mine when I sign. ‘Sure?’
“I’m sure,” he responds with his voice. “I knew he would, but I was worried. He’s my only family.”
I tap his shoulder until he shuffles back to see me properly. ‘I will spend the rest of my life making you happy. But…’
Rome’s eyes get a little wider.
‘You still owe me an A+.’
He makes a sudden noise of outrage and flips us, pinning me to the couch and kissing the literal breath from my lungs. When he pulls back, his eyes are shining. ‘Just wait.’ The signs are simple, but the meaning behind them is almost like a threat.
But in the best way.
And fuck, I love it.
I lovehim.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
ROME
Because of the fire,the move, and meeting my dad, I wasn’t able to accept Lexi’s offer of aquarium tickets for the event. I was feeling vaguely panicked because nothing in the world sounded more romantic than that.
