Page 32 of Canvas’ Muse

"Eat first." He sits across from me, and now I can see it, the way his hands are slightly unsteady, the way he's not quite meeting my eyes. "While it's hot."

I eat, watching him the whole time. The alfredo is perfect, creamy, garlicky and exactly what I needed. But Davis barely touches his food, pushing it around his plate like a kid who doesn't want to eat his vegetables.

"Okay, that's it." I set down my fork. "What's going on? You're freaking me out."

Davis takes a deep breath, sets down his own fork, and stands up. My heart starts pounding because I know this stance. I've seen it before, when he's about to do something important, something that matters.

He walks around the table and drops to one knee beside my chair.

Oh my god.

"Eden Cross." His voice is steady now, sure, his dark eyes facing mine. "Two years ago, you walked into my studio for a dragon tattoo. I had no idea that day would change my entire life."

My hands are shaking. I press them to my mouth, tears already starting to blur my vision.

"You stayed when you should have run. You chose me when I gave you every reason not to. You became part of my family, my world, my everything." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. "I've known since that first night that I wanted forever with you. So, I'm asking you now, officially—"

He opens the box. Inside is the most beautiful ring I've ever seen. A dragon wrapped around a deep blue stone, the design so intricate it could only be Davis's work. Custom made. Designed specifically for me.

"Will you marry me, Eden? Will you be my wife, my partner, my forever?"

The tears are falling freely now. I'm nodding before I can even speak, my whole body saying yes before my voice catches up.

"Yes." The word comes out choked, emotional. "Yes, Davis. Of course yes."

He slides the ring onto my finger. It’s a perfect fit, because of course it is, and then he's standing, pulling me up with him, kissing me like he did that first time in the clubhouse. Desperate and full of passion.

"I love you," he says against my lips. "God, Eden, I love you so much."

"I love you too." I'm crying, laughing and kissing him all at once. "I can't believe you were nervous. You had to know I'd say yes."

"Hoped you'd say yes." He holds me close, his forehead against mine. "But you could have come to your senses at any point in the last two years and realized you're way too good for a tattooed biker with a violent past."

"Stop." I pull back enough to look him in the eyes. "You're everything I've ever wanted. Everything I didn't even know I needed. You're my person, Davis. My forever."

"Forever," he repeats, and this time there's no question, no uncertainty. Just us.

I look down at the ring on my finger, the dragon wrapping protectively around the stone. So beautiful and fierce.

Two years ago, I walked into a tattoo studio looking for art. I found so much more. I found family, found purpose, found a man who would take bullets for me, cook me dinner and design me the perfect engagement ring.

I found home.

"So," Davis says, grinning now. "Mrs. Beckett has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"It does." I kiss him again, softer this time. "But Eden Beckett sounds even better."

"That it does, baby. That it does."

We stand there in our kitchen, holding each other, the candles flickering, the dinner getting cold and neither of us caring about anything except this moment.

Tomorrow, I'll go back to the ER. Davis will go back to his studio. Life will continue with all its chaos and challenges.

But tonight? Tonight, we're just two people who found each other against impossible odds and chose forever.

And I wouldn't change a single thing.

Thank you for reading it!