“Funny?” I repeated with a frown.
West knelt in front of me and pulled a ring out of his pocket. “You stole my thunder.”
I laughed, putting a hand over my mouth. “You always want to one-up me. This time, I win.”
“No. This was my idea.”
“Let’s compromise and say it was both of our ideas.”
He shook his head. I was a little shocked when I heard Sen shout from the dancefloor. “Just say yes and kiss each other already! It’s like the football field all over again.”
Finally, West broke into a grin. “Fine. I guess I can stomach marrying you.”
“Good to know,” I said before I kissed him firmly.
“I love you,” he whispered against my lips.
The first time he’d said it, I almost cried. Surprisingly, he’d thrown the word out before I did. It still messed up my stomach. He hadn’t changed one bit in the last four years, aside from healing some of his inner turmoil. He kept me on my toes, that was for sure.
The other day, I got home from classes to find him lying completely naked on the island in our house. Let’s just say he was the best meal I’d ever have in that kitchen. We had a freaking duel at least once a month using some fancy lightsabers he bought online. He also bought a goat, which he’d house trained and treated like a dog.
He was insane and god damn, if I didn’t love him for it. He’d be starting his first year in the NFL in just two months and while I’d hate that he would be gone, I was so proud of him. I had a couple more years in my program, then I’d be traveling with him as often as I could. It was a weird little life we’d have together, but it was ours and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, even the wild things. T-rex costumes, endless pranks, being unable to get work done half the time because he was a needy bastard. I wanted every bit of it. Forever.
“I love you, West,” I replied. “And I’m still sorta mad about it, to be honest.”
“Ditto.”
We both leaned forward again, meeting each other in the middle. It was a fitting way to start the rest of our lives together.
