like a very stupid bear. You won my ring. You won my heart. I could never trust it with anyone else.” He pauses for a breathless second. “Sweetheart, will you marry me?”
I think I just died.
It’s so hot I can’t breathe in here, even with the autumn coolness.
Wrapping my arms around Ward Brandt, I give him the only answer I can. I press my lips to his so deeply I’m dizzy. He opens his mouth and I deepen the kiss.
His arms tighten, and he pulls away with dark amusement in his eyes.
“Was that a yes?”
I still can’t form words so I nod. A hot tear runs down my cheek.
He touches my tear with his finger. “Tell me that’s a happy tear? I don’t think I can handle it if it isn’t.”
I nod again so fast my head almost snaps off, and his lips come to mine in this feral, claiming kiss that reverberates through me.
This is a perfect moment.
Balmy and magic.
Everything I’ve ever wanted.
“I need a favor,” he says, breaking away.
“What?” I ask.
“Can you come home tonight? If not, we’re eloping. We can be in Vegas and have fake Elvis marrying us before dawn.”
I giggle, pushing at his chest. “I was ready to come home with you the first time you asked! I just needed to know it was permanent.”
“It’s forever,” he snaps too quickly.
Ah, there’s the adorable grump I want to marry.
I grin at him.
“Fiiine. I’ll come home, but we should think about making the lakehouse more permanent. It’s a better place for kids and dogs. There’s a huge yard to play in.”
“We’re having babies and dogs?” he asks slyly.
My face heats.
“Not for a little while. I just wanted to see what you’d say.”
“I say we start tomorrow,” he rumbles, pushing his forehead to mine.
I laugh and slap his arm, now fully smitten with this man for life.
He pulls me tighter to him and kisses me again.
“What do you think of Fiji for a honeymoon?”
“Wherever you want, Ward. If I’m with you, I’d be happy having it in Death Valley.”
Weeks Later
I knock on the door of what’s been designated the men’s dressing room.
“Hey, baby sister.” Nick opens the door and immediately jerks his head away.
“What’s wrong?” I rush out.
“My brother will kill me if he catches me looking at you in a robe.” He turns his head and yells, “Yo, Ward, your lady’s here!”
“Dude. It’s not like I’m naked.”
“Whatever.” Nick walks away.
Ward comes to the door with a freshly trimmed beard and...what’s that redness under his whiskers?
“...I’ve never seen you blush before.”
“I’m not blushing.” He reaches out and pulls me inside. “I’m just not sure what I think about my wife prancing around the Art Institute in nothing but a bathrobe.”
“I’m not your wife yet,” I tease.
“You will be in half an hour,” he says with pride.
“I didn’t want you to see me in my dress, so I had to get creative. And Merry Christmas.” I hand him a box wrapped in iridescent white paper.
He tears it open and pulls out an aqua-blue bow tie exploding with pale green stars. “I thought our color was silver?”
“Everyone else’s color, yeah. You’re wearing a new lucky tie that matches those eyes. They were the first thing I noticed about you, after all.”
“Really?” He echoes, lowering the tie in his hand.
I nod. “You were one grumpy god with looks made to electrocute.”
“Electrify sounds nicer,” he corrects, then smiles and kisses me. “Thanks, lady. I appreciate it.”
I undo the silver tie around his neck and attach the cerulean-emerald one in its place. “Don’t worry. I’ll appreciate it tonight when it’s all you’re wearing.”
“Fuck, woman, just try to appreciate it half as much as I will.” He smothers my lips so hard I melt.
“This is where we first met,” he says with a lazy realization.
“Kinda why we chose to get hitched here.”
He slides a hand over his face for a second before he gives me that mischievous grin I love so dearly.
Our mouths meet. Our tongues twine. There’s magic in every second today.
Then my phone rings.
“Paige! I have no idea where you are but you need to get back here,” Mom hisses. “We have to get you ready. Your wedding starts in less than an hour.”
Ward takes the phone from me. “Don’t worry. I’ll send her back, but make sure no one starts the wedding without her.”
I giggle.
He passes my phone back as I push the door open to leave.
“Paige?”
I look over my shoulder.
“Next time I kiss you, you’ll be my wife.” His smile—that