“Lainey said I needed to up my proposal game…” he sheepishly replied to the unspoken question I’m sure was written all over my face. “Jessica Bradbury, will you marry me?”
****
Alan
Jessica was quiet so long, my stomach felt queasy. Had she changed her mind?
“We can exchange the ring if you don’t like it…”
Finally, she touched my shoulder and smiled. “No, I love it. And, yes, Alan Callahan. I will marry you.” She leaned closer and first I thought she was going to kiss me before she whispered, “You didn’t need to go to all this trouble, though.”
I stood up and pulled the ring from the box. “Sure I did. You deserve for this to be done right.”
“Why? This is all just pretend.” She giggled. “Now you’ve set the bar high for my real husband.”
Iwas going to be her real husband. She just needed to let me prove my worth.
“Good,” I said as I slipped the diamond on her left ring finger. “You deserve someone who’s going to cherish you.”
She gave me a sad smile as she admired the ring. “Maybe someday.”
No, baby—startingnow.
I regretted promising her I wouldn’t kiss her again.
The cheek didn’t count though, right?
“Can I hug you?” I asked with outstretched arms.
I took it as a good sign that she didn’t even hesitate to walk into my embrace.
“Always.”
I held her close and briefly shut my eyes as my cheek rested against her hair. The smell of her floral shampoo filled my senses, and I let out a contented, “Mmm.”
Before letting her go, I leaned down to kiss her cheek. I felt her smile before she whispered, “I think I’m going to like being married to you.”
Then she looked up at me with those trusting brown eyes, and I couldn’t help myself.
I kissed her again, and it was as good as our first kiss. Maybe better when she pressed closer and whimpered against my lips.
Wait.
Was that a good whimper or a bad one?
Fuck.
I’d promised I wouldn’t kiss her if she came inside, and we hadn’t even been in the house ten minutes before I went back on my word.
How was she ever supposed to trust me?
I pulled back with ragged breath, then touched her face when I noticed the red on her cheek from where my five o’clock shadow had scraped her delicate skin.
“I’m sorry!”
Her breathing was also uneven when she replied, “For what?”
“I assured you that you’d be safe, and I wouldn’t kiss you again.”
