Spiked by Love (Bellevue Bullies #6) - Toni Aleo Page 0,122
kisses and loving when I get home. The tattoo goes quick, and soon it’s Ally’s turn. She holds my hand as he gets started, and I inspect mine. “Yup, mine is cooler.”
“He’s not even done with mine.”
“True, but my handwriting is shit compared to yours.”
She rolls her eyes as she takes a picture of me pointing to my tattoo. “I’m sending it to your mom.”
“You’re such an ass,” I accuse, but then I take one of her. “I’ll caption it, ‘Her first tattoo is of my face and my name.’”
“I’ll kill you dead.”
I snort as I tuck my phone between my legs and watch. She leans on my shoulder and says, “We should go to Disney World.”
I bring my brows together. “What? We’re not kids anymore, Ally T.”
“I know. But we can make it, like, a yearly thing.”
“A yearly thing?”
“We can go as pirates.”
I give her a dry look. “You’re not funny.”
“But, Ash, you’re the Jack Sparrow to the Black Pearl.”
I wrinkle my face at her. “Can a pirate bone a boat?”
She blinks. “Why are you so horny?”
“Because it’s you,” I say, waggling my brows at her, and even Aaron thinks I’m hilarious.
She sighs loudly. “Hear me out. We can go, and when you propose, you can do it in front of the castle. And we can go back when we get married, pregnant, and the kids graduate. It would be sweet. We can decorate our house with all the pictures. I think it would be awesome.”
“I think you think I’m rich.”
She snorts. “Hey, my sugar daddy takes good care of me. Look at my new tattoo!”
I make a face. “I thought you were paying for these?” When Aaron glances between us, she giggles. “I’m joking, dude,” I reassure him.
It’s pretty obvious he’s tired of our shit.
“So, Disney World?”
“No, I have other plans for our big life moments.”
“Life ruiner.”
I laugh as Aaron wipes down the finished product. Ally’s phone chimes all of a sudden, and she looks at me, and I look at her phone. I fully expect her to open the new email since that’s what that notification means. But instead, she hands her phone to the artist. “Can you take a picture of us?”
“For sure,” he agrees, and as I wanted, when we put our wrists together, it’s perfect. I never thought, all those years ago, one day I would be telling her I loved her through a can on a string, but here we are. I lean in, kissing her just as the dude takes another picture.
When we part, her eyes are hooded as she whispers, “I love you, Ash B.”
“I love you, Ally T.”
She kisses me again, and when he hands her back her phone, I hold my breath. She opens her mail and looks up at me. “It’s them.” I’m still holding my breath as she opens it. When the brightest, most gorgeous smile fills her beautiful face, I exhale gratefully. “I got it.”
“Of course you did!”
She jumps up and down until I catch her, lifting her up into my arms. “I can still come back and help with the volleyball team.”
“Yup!”
“And we don’t have to move!”
“I know. Best part.”
She snorts. “And we’ll still be with our families.”
“That’s good too, but we’ll need to stay clear of the girls.”
Her laughter tickles my stomach as she wraps her arms and legs around me. I hold her close, kissing her neck and her jaw. “I’m so proud of you,” I say, kissing her once more. “You finished what you started, and now you’ll have the job you want.”
“And I have you.”
I kiss her neck. “I mean, like Chandler, you’re winning at life.”
She laughs loudly, and I nuzzle my nose in her neck. My heart is exploding for her, and everything seems just right. Perfect, even. “Hey, Ally.” She pulls her head up, cupping my face. “Since you got the job, you wanna do me a favor?”
“Sure,” she says brightly, so giddy.
“Move your ring to your left hand.”
It takes only a split second for it to click, but unlike the reaction I thought I was going to get, she brings in her brows. “And if I had chosen Vancouver?”
I keep my face hard as stone as I say, “I would have asked for it back.” She smacks me hard in the chest, and I laugh loudly, holding her closer. I nip at her nose as she glares up at me. “I kid! I kid!”
She somehow gets out of my arms, smacking me again. “You’re such a brat! And your other plan was asking me in a tattoo shop?”
I grab her hand, pulling her to me as I laugh. She comes into my chest, her eyes burning into mine as I hold her hand, slowly sliding the ring off her finger. “Yes, because I have planned this,” I say as I transfer it to her other hand. “Because every day, I can’t believe this is real. That you’re mine.”
“Oh, Ash.” Her lip starts to wobble as her eyes fill with tears. “I am.”
“I know, and I swear, I’m still scared out of my mind…that this is all a dream.”
Her brows are basically touching. “I thought you were going to say something else.”
I nod. “I know. I planned it that way.”
“I dislike you—greatly.”
“I know. Now, shut up and let me propose.”
“You guys are the weirdest couple I’ve ever tattooed,” Aaron informs us, but in this room, it’s only her and me.
“It’s crazy that I never thought I’d find someone who would complete me so fully. But not only did I find you, you’re my best friend,” I say, cupping her jaw. “It’s bittersweet because you have not only given me someone to love, but someone to lose.”
“You won’t lose me.”
“I know. I put the ring on your left hand.”
She gives me a sly grin. “True. That locks me down.”
“Exactly,” I say, and I can’t stop smiling. I pinch her chin before dropping to my knee. “So, best friend, wanna be my life?”
“You mean wife?”
“Nope, because you’re more than that. You’re everything.”
“Oh, so smooth.”
“I know. So, say yes so I can kiss the living hell out of you.”
She cups my face, running her thumb along my bottom lip. “I’ll never forget this moment, just as I never forget any that include you.”
I kiss her thumb. “Let’s make all the memories, Ally T.” A tear rolls down her face, and I grin up at her. “Say yes, woman. Stop leaving me hanging.”
Her face breaks into a wide smile before she wraps her arms around my neck. “Yes, Asher. It’s only ever been yes for you.”
I stand, lifting her off her feet as our lips meet. I can’t believe I’m so lucky to be in love with the one person who knows me better than anyone else. My best friend. I love her in every way possible, and I know she loves me just the same. As our lips move together, I am certain as long as we’re together, we will have it all.
And that’s all I’ve ever wanted.
The one person to make me feel entirely whole and comfortable.