“I’m upstairs. Can you come here for a second?” she yells down.
I finish stacking the groceries on the counter and walk upstairs toward our bedroom. I push the door open and my jaw drops.
“I thought maybe we could start with dessert,” she says, her clothes on the floor.
Lyla’s tan skin fills my eyes. Her perfect body is on display as she lies on the bed, her posture inviting me in. I step into the room and close the door behind me because Mack shouldn’t see this. I swallow hard and realize even after more than eight months of this, she still makes me just as excited, just as hungry.
“Fuck,” I say as I pull my shirt over my head. My eyes take in every inch of her body like I’ve never seen her before. I press my palm to her thigh.
She sits up and unbuckles my belt, taking everything from my waist down off in one motion, freeing me. I’m already hard for her and she licks her lips. She reaches for me, but I grab her hands.
“Wait,” I say. “Not like that.” I lay her back gently onto the bed and part her legs with my knee, holding the weight of my body over her. I lean down and kiss her softly on the lips.
“Not like what?” she asks.
“I want to take my time with you,” I say, before kissing her again.
And I do. I make love to her slowly, tenderly. Her moans give me life. I kiss every inch of her. Her jaw, neck, between her breasts. Her stomach, hip bones, and all the way down. I push into her slowly, fill her up over and over again until she comes for me. And then I come for her.
“I love you,” she says.
The light in the room is nearly gone but I know she’s smiling. And I know it’s time.
“That’s good,” I say. “It makes this next thing easier.” I reach down over the edge of the bed for my pants and fumble with the pocket until the ring is loose.
“What are you doing?” she asks, and I know she has no idea.
I prop myself up over her, my chin even with her chest, and she’s trying to look down at me through the darkness.
“Lyla Whitney,” I say, “I love you. In some ways, I think I’ve loved you since the moment I met you. I want to spend the rest of my life waking up next to you, slow dancing in parking lots with you, eating sushi with you, and making love to you. Will you marry me? Please?”
Her ragged breathing turn to laughing. “Yes,” she says as her voice cracks. She’s laughing and crying at the same time now. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she says again, and I realize I’ve been holding my breath since I stopped speaking.
I exhale and my forehead dips to her chest. Her hands are reaching for me, trying to pull me up, but I’m frozen.
“Give me your hand,” I say, and we feel our way toward each other until our hands meet in the darkness. I slide the ring onto her finger and she gasps.
“Oh my god, turn on the light—any light,” she yelps.
I reach for the side lamp and click it on, then look back at her.
Tears are streaking her cheeks and she’s staring at her hand.
“Do you like it?” I ask.
“It’s perfect,” she says.
I bring my face to hers and kiss her tears away, then her lips. “You realize you’re going to be stuck with me forever pretty soon,” I tease.
She sighs and nuzzles my neck, sending a wave of goosebumps down my spine. “You promise?” she asks.
“Oh, baby, with all my heart,” I whisper.
She shivers. “Say it again,” she says. “Please.”
I lean in close to her, pressing my cheek to hers as I put my lips right against her ear. “With all my heart,” I whisper.
Her body arches toward me, her hands reach for me—and I know.
Thisis how love is supposed to feel.
And I will fight every day to keep it.
THE END
