body, and I don’t know how to verbalize what I’m feeling. But if I had to narrow it down to one word, it would be joy.
“You soften me. At first, I thought that was a bad thing, but now I know it’s exactly what I need. You’ll never let me become him. I need you with me, always, so I can love and protect you. I was drawn to you back in high school and it’s no different now. I’m not willing to let you walk out of my life again.”
He drops to one knee in the snow and I gasp, my hands falling out of his and to my chest. Garrin reaches into the pocket of his coat and pulls out a small black box. My eyes widen and meet his. He’s so calm and my heart races.
“Isla Flores, I refuse to live the rest of my life without you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” He opens the box and sitting inside is a huge cushion-cut diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds with a thin gold band encrusted with diamonds.
“Oh my God, Garrin. We haven’t been seeing each other that long.”
“I’m in love with you, Isla. I don’t need years to pass to know that. I also know that feeling is not going to change. Do you love me?”
My heart beats a million miles a minute and I struggle to catch my breath. “I do love you.” I drop to my knees in the snow in front of him.
“That’s all I need to know. We wasted so much time apart. Let’s grab ahold of this happiness and love between us and make it permanent. I can’t live without you. I won’t live without you.”
Tears fill my eyes as I rethink my mother’s words about grabbing hold of my happiness with both hands and not letting it go. No, we haven’t been seeing each other that long, but neither had my parents when they got engaged and they’re still madly in love with each other.
“I don’t want to live without you either,” I say, the first tear rolling down my cheek.
“Does that mean you’ll become my wife?” His hopeful expression makes my heart flip- flop.
“I will!” Laughter bubbles up inside of me as Garrin removes my glove and pushes the stunning ring onto my left ring finger. Then he scoots before me on his knees and pulls me in for a kiss.
Our tongues meet and he cups my face as if I’m the most precious thing in the world to him.
He pulls away and locks gazes with me. “I promise I am going to make you happy. I’ll protect you at all costs and treat you like a queen.”
“This is crazy.” I shake my head, still overwhelmed at the sudden turn of events.
“This is love,” he says and leans in to kiss me again.
34
Chapter Thirty-four
Garrin
I kicked the chef out as soon as we returned home, anxious to eat and get my fiancée naked.
I’d thought I’d be nervous proposing to Isla, but nothing I said at that lookout was bullshit. I do love her, as scary as it is to think I’m capable of feeling that emotion again. To put someone’s needs above my own. But Isla’s always been that one anomaly for me. As sick as it sounds, I normally would not give a shit if a girl went with my friend. As fucked up as it was, me releasing that tape showed how much I fucking loved her. If I could only shake the vulnerable feeling that accosts me.
Yes, this decision had to come sooner due to my father, but that’s not why Isla is wearing my ring on her finger. That only has to do with my feelings for her. It’s clear to me that I don’t want to be with anyone else. Isla is it for me.
“That was so good. I’m stuffed.” Isla smiles over at me from across the table and sets her napkin down beside her plate.
I’ve gotten to see another side of her this weekend, one I want to see more often. She’s relaxed and carefree, lighthearted and fun. Her dad’s illness is eating away at her, but I’m glad I’m able to remove her from the stress of the situation, even for a short time.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” I push back from the table and walk behind her chair, pulling it out from the table slowly. “Now it’s time for me to enjoy you.”
She accepts my hand and