Page 182 of Off Season
I twist my lips. “I’ve got a legitimate reason though.”
He smirks. “What is it?”
“Bailey is about to have her fourth kid. She’ll never be available. I need a newIn Case of Emergencycontact in my phone.”
He chuckles. “I can’t argue with that logic.”
I take a deep breath. “This isn’t an emotional decision. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. I’ve talked it through with Dr. Pearl a lot in the past few months as my feelings about marriage began to change. I’m ready, Cruz. I want forever with you.” I grab his face. “I love every single thing about you. I no longer see marriage as a death sentence. I see it as a promise of great things. Thank you for waiting. Thank you for loving me exactly how I am. Crazy and all.”
His dimples make an appearance as he wraps his arms around my waist. “I dig your brand of crazy.”
I nod. “I know you do.” Running my fingertips through the back of his hair, I say, “Our marriage will have to be a fifty-fifty partnership.”
He rolls his eyes. “Obviously.”
I smile. “You’ll give me your last name, and I’ll scream your first.”
His smile widens. “Is this for real? You’re not fucking with me?”
“I definitely want to fuck you, but I’m not fuckingwithyou.”
“We don’t have to get married. It’s not something youhaveto eventually get to. I know I’m going to spend my life loving you; I’m confident in that. I don’t need a piece of paper. I just need you.”
I love him so much for saying that. I kiss his lips. “Why don’t we try being engaged for a while and see how that sits with me?”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “So you’re moving from my live-in doggie mama bitch to my fiancée doggie mama bitch?”
I nod. “Exactly.”
“Evan might cry tears of joy. He’s going to be very excited.”
I giggle. “I aim to please Evan in all my life decisions.”
“Mamá probably won’t let up.”
I sigh. “I can handle her. She’s all bark and no bite. She knows I love you and that I make you happy. That’s all that really matters to her.”
He nods as his face turns serious. “It’s all that matters to me too.”
Yep, because in my fairy tale, it’s the prince who cares about making the princess happy.
He tugs on my red Team USA hooded sweatshirt. “You look like Little Red Riding Hood.”
“I guess that makes you the Big Bad Wolf.”
He roughly grabs me by the waist and brings his lips close to mine. “This Big Bad Wolf is going to kiss Little Red Riding Hood.”
I shake my head. “No, kitten, in that story, he eats her. Get to work.”
THE END
