But the thing I’m really hoping to see her in is currently secured in a little velvet box, burning a hole in my pocket.
Sheruns her eyes down the length of my body, a saucy little grin curling her lips. “Oh, yeah. You clearly like. Now, let’s hit the beach.”
“Ready whenever you are.”
“Justgottaget my bag.” Sheproceedsto throw on a sheer cover up before throwing things into her beach bag—a water bottle,a scrunchie, sunblock, lip balm, a hairbrush, somesortof spritz bottle, and finally her e-reader. “Okay, let’s go catch some rays, Sunshine.”
“That was delightfully nerdy,” I say, sliding open our door. We lucked out, and they upgraded us to a beach-walkout bungalow. We even have a private lap pool.
“You must be rubbing off on me.”
I rub my hands together like an evil genius. “All part of the plan... more or less.”
“Now who’s the dork?”
“If I’m a nerd, you’re a nerd,” I say, riffing on the iconic line fromThe Notebook.
“C’mon, Wilder. We’re burning daylight.”
I snort. “It’s barely eight in the morning.” We’ve been here three days, and she’s been up with the sun every single one of them.
I keep telling myselftoday’s the day—today I’ll pop the question,but I keep losing my nerve. It’s not that I think she’ll say no. It’s that she deserves the best of everything and—fuck, I don’t even know that is.
If not now, when?My dad’s voice—or at least the way I remember it—filters through my brain, and I decide to say fuck it. Because he’s right. If not now, when.
I slide the box from my pocket and drop to one knee right in the middle of the sandy path. “Scarlet.”
“Yeah?” She whips around to face me. “Oh my god.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too,” she whispers, fingers covering her mouth as tears fill her eyes.
“No, like,I love you.So much so, that the intensity of what I feel for you shocks me sometimes. You’re every good thing in this world. You make me a better man. You challenge me.You intrigue me. You complete me. And I know this might seem fast, but you’re it for me. I know it. I’ve known it for a while.You’re end game. The woman I want in my bed for the rest of mylife. I want to share more than my name with you—I want to build a life with you. To start a family. I want you to be my forever. So...”
I carefully flip open the box revealingthe ring I painstakingly selected after scouring her Pinterest board for days on end. It’s aradiant cut pink diamond nestled in a hidden halo on a diamond encrusted white gold band.It’s both modern and timeless and will look absolutely perfect on her slender finger.
Assuming she says yes.Please let her say yes.
“Will you do me the immeasurable honor of being my wife?”
“Yes!” she shouts, kicking up sand as she runs to me, tackling me to the ground. “A million times yes.” She peppers kisses all over my face and despite there now being sand in mouth, all I can do is smile.?
“Love the enthusiastic reply, Princess.” I brush her hair away from her face and draw her lips down to mine, kissing her deeply, fully, like we aren't laid out on a resort walking path. Thank fuck it's adults only, so at least no children will be scared for life if they stumble upon us.?
Not that we're actually doing anything—not really. Just some celebratory kissing. But...?
“Let's get my ring on your finger, yeah?” I ask against her lips.?
She scrambles off of me and sticks out her hand. “Yes, please.”?
I retrieve the ring box from where it landed next to us. It’s now coated in sand, but a quick blow and shake, solves that problem. I pluck the ring from the box and slide it onto herfinger. She turns it this way and that, watchingasit glistensin the sunlight peaking in through the palms.?
“I love it so much. It's perfect, Ellis.” She kisses me again. “Thank you.”?
“If anything, I should be thanking you. You have, no lie, made me the happiest man on earth.”?
Scarlet's blinding grin somehow grows brighter. “Wanna be even happier?”?
