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I reached under the table for him, but he stopped me.
“Huh-uh, that can’t happen yet either.”
“Not fair,” I whispered. “You already have me squirming.” I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Good. Keep it up, woman. Just keep that up.”
“What? Are you gonna spank me?”
He arched his brows. “Now you might have an idea there.”
“Pearce!”
He laughed at my admonishment.
They came and cleared our plates and refilled our champagne glasses.
Pearce took a sip of his and then took my hand in his and kissed each of my fingers.
“The other day in the hospital, when I asked you to marry me, it was really the spur of the moment and not the most romantic thing I wanted it to be. So …” He moved in front of me, got down on his knee, and continued, “Alexia, you’re the only woman I’d ever want to spend the rest of my life with. When I tell you you’re beautiful, I don’t just mean your physical presence. I mean your heart and soul. It’s what I fell in love with. I want you by my side always, for better or worse, in difficult times and in good times, to share laughter and grief, to have a family together, but most of all to stand next to me day and night as my best friend. Will you do me the greatest honor of all and become my wife?” Then he pulled a black velvet box out of his pocket and opened it up. He took the ring out and slid it on my finger.
I gulped when I saw it. It was huge. I should have expected it but seeing it sitting on my finger was quite a shock. It was an odd-cut diamond surrounded by pave diamonds that ran down the band. It was a real stunner.
“It’s an Asscher-cut diamond. If you don’t like it, you can exchange it,” he quietly said.
“It’s perfect, Pearce. But will you do me the honor of becoming my husband because I’m not sure I deserve someone like you.”
“I will and you do. You still didn’t answer me though.”
“Yes, I will be your wife. I would love nothing more.”
“Do you like the ring? Really, Alexia, because it can go back if you don’t?”
How could I possibly not like this? “Pearce, it’s amazing. It’s much more than I deserve.”
“Babe, if you asked for the world, I’d find a way to give it to you. You ought to know that by now.”
“I really love it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful ring in my life. Now please kiss me before I cry.”
His kiss was thankfully interrupted by our next course of she-crab soup, and it was probably a good thing, or I’d have had him stripped down to nothing by now. My hands itched to yank his pants off and rip his shirt open in order to run my hands all over his luscious body.
The dinner was delicious, and by the time dessert was served, I wanted to take it home in a to-go box. I was dripping in anticipation of what was in store next. I knew there was something because Pearce kept fingering my bracelet, and every time he did, he’d raise his smoky grays and I’d shudder.
The drive home, even though it was only a half mile long, was pure torture. Pearce kept touching that bracelet, and then he’d slide his hand up my leg, but stopped right before he got to the place that drove me crazy.
“You love to torture me, don’t you?”
He gave a throaty laugh but didn’t answer.
By the time we hit the living area, he was half undressed. Strangely enough, I wasn’t. He kissed and touched me, but my clothes had been left intact.
He pulled me upstairs until we were out on the widow’s walk. I don’t know when he had time to do it, but the whole roof was decorated with tiny lights, and they twinkled everywhere. He’d also brought up a bed and it was draped in gossamer, giving it an ethereal appearance.
“Oh my God. When did you do this?”
“I didn’t. A couple of people did it while we were at dinner.”
“It’s lovely. Perfect.” It was the most romantic thing I’d ever seen.
