Circling around you
Because for me you are the one
You make me whole
You fill me up
Will you stay with me
Because we’re meant to be
He leans over and gives me a kiss before handing the mic off to one of the guys. The rest of the band leaves the stage, leaving me alone with Connor. He’s holding both of my hands now, and kisses me again before he begins.
“Alex, we’ve been circling around each other since we were kids, and even when we were apart, there were parts of our lives that remained intertwined. We’ve nearly reconnected so many times over the years, but the fates must have decided that the timing wasn’t right yet. Then the most amazing thing happened; I saw you in the dressing room backstage after a show.”
“When you passed me that whiskey bottle and our hands touched, I knew instantly that this was something special. It was like a bolt of lightning coursing through my body, telling me I was finally home. Because you are my home, Alex. I’ve been lost for so long, but then you walked back into my life and I knew where I belonged. With you. Forever.”
Connor pulls a small box out of his pocket and kneels down on the stage in front of me.
“Alex, I love you. I’ve never stopped. All these years I’ve been missing you and I didn’t realize it. But I know it now, and I never want to miss you again. I want you to be my home, my wife, and my life, forever. Alex, will you stay with me? Will you marry me?”
He opens the ring box to reveal a stunning black diamond ring in a simple rose gold setting. I can barely see it through the happy tears that are now pouring down my face. I stand up, put my hands on either side of Connor’s face, and pull him in to kiss me. I hold his face to mine and kiss him deeply, then I pull away slightly, looking into his eyes.
“Yes,” I whisper against his mouth, the grin creeping up to take control of my cheeks. “Yes, I will marry you. I love you Connor, you’re my home as well.” Then I pull him in to kiss me again.
He wraps his arms around me and lifts me off the floor, deepening the kiss. I pull my legs up to wrap around him, wanting to get closer, to get him inside of me, and then I hear it. Rustling and movement at the sides of the stage.
“Ahem, ahem.” Pops clears his throat. “As much as I’d love to stand here and watch y’all get down to business, I believe I need to congratulate my granddaughter now.”
I quickly lower my legs and end my kiss with Connor. As I’m looking around for Pops, some of the bar lights come on and I can finally see something other than Connor and candles. Everyone is here: all the guys in the band, Becca, Pops, Marcus and Domenic, Denise and her boyfriend Andrew (even though I thought they broke up?), and Devon.
All the people I care about are gathered here. It makes me wonder where Connor’s family is. Not for long though, because soon I am getting hugged and kissed and loved on by all these people, as they congratulate us on our engagement.
Pops comes over and gives me a huge squeeze and a kiss, then he shakes Connor’s hand.
“This ups the stakes, kid.” He tells Connor. “If you hurt her now, you won’t get off with just a beating. Don’t think I don’t know how to make a man disappear, for good. You’ve been warned.”
“POPS,” I gasp. “Don’t threaten to kill him. We’ve only been engaged for a few minutes.” I smile over at Connor. “At least wait until tomorrow.” I’m sure Pops isn’t serious. At least, I think he isn’t.
Pops wanders over to the bar and everyone takes their turn to come and congratulate us. Becca and Ryder confess they were in charge of distracting me today.
Ryder apparently didn’t actually ask the waxing technician out. I’m glad about that since he’s just finally come to terms with his feelings for Denise.
Becca did have something to shoot though, she’s been taking photos of the proposal this entire time. We make a plan to schedule some engagement photos and then she goes off to mingle with the rest of the band. Johnny moves over to let her sit and passes her a drink before they all start laughing and joking again. It’s so nice that all of our friends get along as well as they do. Even Marcus and Domenic are here. After grilling Connor over dinner one night, they determined that he is, in fact, not a scumbag.
Connor has been standing with me throughout all the congratulations, and now that we’re finally alone, he leans over and whispers in my ear.
“You look so beautiful.” he breathes against my neck. “I need to get you home and taste you, and I don’t know how long I can wait.” His fingers stroke my back just above my belt line and he peppers kisses down my neck to my shoulder. I tilt my head to the side to give him better access.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” I whisper back. “Time for my fiance to take me home and fuck me.”
He grabs my hand and begins pulling me to the door while I laugh at his eagerness.
“Not even going to say bye?” Devon yells out from the other side of the room. “Fine, have fun then.”
“Love you guys, bye.” I flip him off as Connor continues leading us to the door.
* * *
