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That’s when I notice him reaching for his pocket. All at once, in a blink, I’m back in the dressing room where he first did this, in the gown I wore to meet his siblings, as he pinned me back against the mirror. But this time, there’s no fancy gown, and we aren’t in some rich boutique. I’m still standing in the middle of the airport, with people glancing at us strangely from all sides now, probably because Xander’s been kneeling at my feet for minutes now.
I don’t care. Let them look. My gaze fixes back on him as he withdraws a familiar box from his pocket.
When he opens the lid, my breath catches. The ring. He must have found it where I tossed it out in front of his father’s house a few hours ago.
“I want you for real this time, Melanie,” he murmurs. “No more tricks or lies. No games. I love you.” His eyes bore into mine as he says the words I haven’t even dared to hope I might hear from him one day.
My heart beats so fast it feels like it could punch its way out of my chest. But I swallow it back, press my right hand over my chest like I’m holding it in place, as I extend my left hand to him.
“I love you,” he repeats, softer now, with feeling. “And I’ll love our baby, too. Will you marry me, Melanie?”
I can’t make myself speak. I don’t trust my voice right now. My throat feels so thick it’s a wonder even oxygen can make it through. So I just bob my head, feeling the stinging tears from earlier now slip down over my cheeks. But these are happy tears. Tears of genuine joy.
Xander takes my left hand and slides the ring over it once more. Just like before, it fits perfectly, nestled against my skin, the metal warming at my touch. Then, finally, he lets me grab his hands and drag him upright, until he’s on his feet.
“I love you,” I say, flinging my arms around his neck. His arms go around my waist, holding me up, bracing me. Just like I know he’ll hold me up through all the years to come, through whatever we have to face.
“You are the best lie I ever told,” he whispers, grinning, right before his lips find mine. I sink into the kiss, my arms wrapped tight around his neck, my hands buried in his thick, full hair, as he draws me up and against him, our bodies pressed so close together that I can feel every inch of his strong, muscular body.
Applause breaks out somewhere. I don’t even really register it until we break from our kiss, breathless and laughing. Only then do I glance around and realize that all of the staring people from earlier are cheering now, whistling and shouting their congratulations.
I burst into laughter, which gets even harder as Xander grasps my wrist and hoists my left hand into the air like he’s cheering me on.
“She said yes!” Xander calls, and the cheering intensifies, makes me nearly double over. He leans in to kiss my cheek, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “I could get used to this,” he murmurs, his voice low and sultry beside my ear. “Making sure everyone in the world knows you’re mine…”
I flash him a sly grin. “And just what do you plan to do with your lovely future bride, now that you have her in hand?” I whisper in response, my eyes sparkling.
His light up with desire, and his hand slides a little lower, from my waist to my hip, before he grips my ass just once, tightly. “Oh, I have a few ideas… but we’ll need to head back to my place in order to test them out.” He tilts his head to peer past me at the airline counter. “Unless, that is, you have a flight to catch.”
I suppress a smirk and pretend to consider the idea for a moment. Beside me, Xander tenses, nervous at being denied what I’m sure he wants just as much as I do. But finally, I shake my head, a smirk playing on my lips. I can text Devan from the car, let her know what happened. I’m sure she’ll understand. Besides, it’s not like I’ll be needing my old job at Bob’s back anymore. Not now that I’ve got my whole life here ahead of me.
Not now that I have Xander.
“I’m pretty sure my old life can wait a while longer.” I flash him a wink. “I’ve got a date with my new fiancé, first.”
14
Xander
We barely make it through my apartment door. The whole car ride from JFK, Andrew strategically swerved in and out of traffic every time we got a little too hot and heavy. Probably as retribution for the fact that we made him drive all the way out to the airport twice already in one night. I can’t blame him—even if it is frustrating as hell to be sitting next to the most gorgeous woman in the world, a woman with my engagement ring on her finger, who has promised to be mine for the rest of our lives, and being unable to properly show her what I’m feeling.
