Page 115 of Sexting the Single Pakhan

A while ago, Leonid asked, what kind of car I’d buy if money weren’t an issue. I’d said Mercedes, offhand, never thinking he’d actually do it.

With the amount of money he’s deposited into my account over the past months, I could probably buy this car five times over. And it’s easily over three hundred thousand.

I pull back into the garage. Leonid opens the door for me before I can reach for it. He offers his hand, helping me down.

“So?” he asks, eyes searching mine.

I step into him, rising on my toes to kiss him. “I love it. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Leonid’s thumb strokes slow circles over my knuckles as we stand by the car, Alexei still bouncing with barely contained excitement beside us.

“I have another surprise for you,” he says, voice low and warm.

I raise an eyebrow, laughing softly. “After this? You’re spoiling me.”

He rubs the back of his neck like he’s nervous. “Well… not exactly a surprise. More like a request.”

“A request?” I tilt my head, confused. “What is it?”

Alexei can’t hold it in anymore. He jumps up and down, grabbing Leonid’s sleeve. “Ask her already, Dad!”

I blink at him, then at Leonid. “Ask me what?”

Leonid shoots Alexei a fond, exasperated look. “Calm down, buddy.” He takes my hand and leads me out of the garage, Alexei skipping ahead.

“What’s going on?” I ask, half-laughing, half-nervous as we step into the open driveway.

That’s when I hear it, the low, rhythmic thump of rotor blades cutting through the air.

I look up.

A helicopter circles overhead, low enough that the wind tugs at my hair and dress. Painted across its belly in massive white letters against the black fuselage:

WILL YOU MARRY ME?

My breath stops.

I turn slowly, heart slamming against my ribs, and find Leonid already down on one knee in front of me, a small velvet box open in his palm. The ring inside catches the sunlight, platinum band, an emerald-cut diamond flanked by two smaller ones.

His eyes, those blue eyes that see straight through me, are little vulnerable in a way I’ve only seen a handful of times.

“Laurel,” he starts, voice rough, “I’m not good with words. You know that. But I’m going to try… you changed everything. You walked into my life when I didn’t think I deserved anything good, and you stayed. You saw me, the real me and you loved me anyway. You gave me a family when I thought I’d never have one.”

He swallows once, thumb brushing the ring box.

“I know my world is dangerous. I know I’m not easy to love. But I swear to you, every day for the rest of my life, I will protect you. I will love you. I will choose you, over everything, every single time. I want forever with you. I want mornings waking up beside you, nights holding you, years watching our children grow. I want you to be my wife. My partner. My everything.”

His voice cracks just slightly on the last word.

“Will you marry me?”

Tears blur my vision. My hands fly to my mouth.

“Yes,” I choke out, voice breaking into a laugh-sob. “Yes. Yes. A thousand times yes.”

Alexei whoops, jumping up and down. Leonid rises, slips the ring onto my finger; perfect fit, and pulls me into his arms.