“My heart beats for you,” he said slowly.
I couldn’t read his expression at all. “The one you got was the most romantic thing in the world. I know I couldn’t compete with you writing, ‘my life began the day I met you,’ on the side of your ribcage. But I want you to know that you’re never alone, James. That even though you’re there to catch me when I fall, I’m there to catch you too. You know? And when life gets hard and it feels like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders, I’m there to carry some of that weight for you. Forever and always.”
He leaned forward and lightly traced the skin beneath my tattoo. “You got a tattoo for me.”
“I did. I needed you to know how much I cared. I didn’t know how else to show you.”
“You desecrated your perfect body for me?” He finally lifted his gaze off the words and locked eyes with me.
I smiled. “I said those exact words to you on our wedding day.”
“I’ll never forget them.”
“But I liked yours. I meant the desecrate thing playfully. I love yours actually.” There was an awkward silence. “Please tell me you don’t hate it.”
“I don’t hate it.”
“But you don’t like it?”
“I think that you’re missing two dates.” He smiled up at me.
I laughed and put my hands on my hips. “This thing hurt like hell. If I had known that, I wouldn’t have pressured you into getting the other two dates.”
“I love it, Penny.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
“So…that brings me to my next point. Can I please have my rings back? I feel like since you’ve been wearing yours and I don’t have mine that people think I’m your mistress or something. I don’t want there to be any more rumors about us ever again. And technically those are mine. You gave them to me.” I held out my hand out so he could place them in my palm.
“I’ve thought of a lot of ways to do this. Most of them didn’t involve you standing topless in front of me.”
“Oh. I can put…”
“No, this is a lot better than I ever imagined it.”
I smiled at him.
He scooted off the couch and got down on one knee in front of me. “I was going to wait until the end of the week to do this right. Let myself be stressed out and everything over your response. But you’ve made it pretty clear what your answer is going to be.”
I could feel tears welling in my eyes.
“I love you with all my heart. With every ounce of my being. And I don’t need to do this in the coffee shop. I don’t need to recreate the past. Our story was great. But our future is only just beginning. And I’m not going anywhere. No matter what life throws at us, all I know is that I want you by my side. You said it best. My heart beats for you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out my rings. “Penny, will you do me the honor of continuing to be my wife?”
“A million times yes.”
He pulled me down into his arms.
“I’ve experienced life without you and it was a life not worth living,” I said as I nuzzled my face against his neck. “I don’t know how I ever forgot you because everything about you is unforgettable. I’ll love you until the day I die, way way in the future.”
I leaned back so he could slide my rings back where they belonged. I’d never take them off again. They were beautiful. And they were mine. We were finally back where we were supposed to be.
He captured my lips in a kiss that had my head spinning.
“Normally I’d pick you up and carry you to the bed, but I’m doing my best to follow the doctor’s orders.”
I laughed and looked behind me. “Well, how many times do you think Rob had sex on this couch?”
James made a gagging noise. “I don’t want to think about that.”
I laughed. “Me either.” I looked down at the fabric. “It’s been cleaned, right?”
He pulled me back into a kiss, pushing aside any thoughts I had of dirty couches.
Who the hell cared when the hottest guy on earth was right in front of them? I was pretty sure I could make love to him even if we were in a disgusting bathroom in a dingy bar. “I don’t care if it’s dirty,” I said and pulled on the front of his shirt so he’d follow me back up to the couch. “We’re about to make it dirtier, anyway.”
“God I love you.”
We fell together in a tangle of limbs onto the couch. I wanted a million more of these moments. Skin against skin. Sinful things whispered in my ear. I loved James Hunter. I loved himmore than life itself. All the ups and downs brought me to one conclusion every single time. I loved this man. Whether he was my professor, boyfriend, fiancé, boss, or husband. I loved him in every single form. He was my everything. And my heart truly did beat for him.
