Page 94 of Bull Riders Don't Swoon

Then Jamie is next to me doing the same thing, and we laugh when we both reach for the same shell and knock our hands together. Our pockets are full when we walk back towards the beach, and the shells shift in pockets that are only big enough to hold room keys.

I’m so happy I could burst, and Jamie leans down to kiss me. “I love you, you know. Thank you.” He lingers like he wants to say something else, but kisses me again and takes my hand as we walk the path back to our room. “Think we can test out the pineapple theory before supper, or should we wait a little longer?”

His dimple pops as he grins at me, and I bark a laugh.

“We’re here for another four days. I think we have ample time to test several theories.”

He stops at the door to our room and swipes the key while I hold my breath. I hope they had enough time to set up what I asked. Jamieson steps inside, and I follow close behind until he stops, and I run into his back.

“Griff…what is this?”

Our room has multiple vases filled with birds of paradise, and the housekeeping staff made hearts out of towels on our bed with our initials inside. I wasn’t sure how far they would go with my request since we were two men, but I guess money talks.

Or rather, kiwi does.

Jamieson walks over to the tray of fresh fruit and stares at it without a word. Too many beats pass, so I launch into my speech.

“Um, you know I love you more than anything, Jamie. You’re the one constant in my life, and some days, I don’t know how I can breathe without you around. I want to spend the rest of our lives together, not just sharing a house. I want for us to share our names.”

Jamieson finally turns to look at me, biting his lip, and I reach out to pull it away with my thumb. “Please say something.”

He points to the plate of fruit. “I think they ran out of kiwi slices or couldn’t read your writing.”

When I glance at the plate, it doesn’t sayMarry Melike I hoped. It just says ‘Merry?’ and I burst out laughing.

“I guess that’s my fault for asking kiwi to do the talking.”

“I honestly couldn’t figure out why fruit for someone named Merry was here.” He cups my cheeks in his palms. “But you need to clarify the question, Griff. Say it.”

“Will you marry me, Jamie?”

He closes his eyes with a small laugh. “Will you spell it in blueberries next time?”

I laugh softly. “I’ll write it across the sky if you want me to.”

“Yeah, I’ll marry you. There’s no one but you, babe. It’s always been you.”

I run my fingertips over the tattoo on his chest. The one over his heart with my initials inside a bull’s hoof.

I don’t wear a tattoo for him on the outside, but he’s tattooed on my soul and at some point, I think the universe knew that or it never would have put me in his path all those years ago.

Fate is a funny thing. We like to celebrate it when it brings us good things, and curse it for the bad. Every trial I endured brought me closer to Jamie in ways neither of us processed in real time.

The past few years have still thrown us bad things, but it’s easier now. Soulmates are a thing, and he’s mine in every way.

“It’s always been you, Jamie.”

With his lips on mine and my heart in his hands, I know we can take on whatever fate throws at us next.

Jamie’s stomach growls, and we break apart, laughing.

“Dinner first and naked hot tub later?”

“Sounds perfect, Jamie.”

And it really is.