Page 72 of Not Over You

He opened the box and she gasped again.

Even in the dimming light of the evening, she could see the enormous sparkly diamond. “Jordan … that’s too much.”

He shook his head. “It’s not. Trust me.” Pulling the ring from the satin bed, he held it out for her. “Will you marry me, Rayma?”

All she could do was nod. She was sobbing too hard to form words. But her head nearly snapped off her neck she was nodding so hard.

His smile of relief made her buoyant as he slid the ring onto her finger. A perfect fit.

“I may have measured your finger with string while you were sleeping,” he said. “I had to be sure.”

She didn’t even bother to look at the ring—she’d do that later—but rather she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and peppering his face with kisses. “A million times, yes,” she finally said, her words choked and forced out between sobs.

He squeezed her back, his big arms around her waist, hands at her back, their bodies pressed tightly together. “Good, because since we live together now, the ride home and subsequent days to follow would be really awkward if you’d said no.”

She swatted his shoulder playfully, but with his ninja skills, he grabbed her hand, laced their fingers together and took her mouth possessively with his. They kissed until they were both panting, until all she wanted to do was tear off his clothes, and hers and get freaky under the stars.

But they couldn’t. Not in such a public spot. They’d wait to get freaky and do some naked celebrating at home. The home they shared. They’d lived together for a little less than a year in her basement suite, and although it sometimes felt cramped with two of them and all their stuff, more than anything it was cozy, homey and just perfect.

Still both on their knees, locked in an embrace, they turned their gazes outward toward the city and the blinking lights. Her head rested against his. “So this is what it feels like, huh?” she said, sighing with pure contentment and joy.

“What does?”

“Being so utterly happy you feel your heart might burst from just how full it is.”

“Yeah, baby, this is what it feels like.”

“Then why didn’t you propose sooner? We’ve been missing out on the dopamine.”

Chuckling, he turned and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Good things come to those who wait. But I think we waited long enough.”

“You and your delayed gratification bullshit,” she murmured.

He laughed low and raspy. “Something like that.”

“I love you, Lassie.”

“I love you, brat.”

“Thank you for letting me in. For sharing your darkness with me.”

“And thank you for being the light I need to see through that darkness to the other side.” Then he turned, she turned and he took her mouth once more, claiming her as his, because she was, finally and forever.