“Come on.” I took her hand. “I’ve got something to show you.”
She let me lead her along, even though she looked a little confused, but I had this all planned out. It was going to be perfect. I picked the same spot we’d gone the night we got arrested. Just a reminder of how far we’d come.
“Are we going where I think we’re going?” She giggled, and I glanced over my shoulder at her and shrugged mysteriously.
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” I said, keeping my fingers crossed that everything had fallen into place as I’d set it up. I wanted everything to be perfect for her. My princess deserved it.
We arrived at the shore, and Aria’s jaw dropped when she saw the way I’d fixed up our spot. I’d come down here earlier and set up a bunch of lanterns. The place was lit with the soft glow of at least a dozen of them. I smiled in happy anticipation. I couldn’t have been happier with the ideal temperature, the soft lighting, and the sound of the ocean as the perfect backdrop to our perfect moment. This was exactly how I planned it.
Aria turned to me, and I guessed she knew what I was about to do before I did it. I dipped my hand into my pocket and produced a small box, flicking it open as I got down on one knee. Floundy had helped me pick it out, and I trusted his taste more than I did mine. The ring was pretty, a platinum band with a single pearl placed into the center. Aria smiled broadly before I even had a chance to open my mouth.
“Aria,” I began and savored the feel of her name on my lips. I still couldn’t believe we were actually together, even after all this time, after everything we’d been through.
“Aria, I love you and I want to love you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me?”
“Of course, yes! Yes!” she said, holding her hand out so I could slip the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly, and I let out a sigh of relief and got back to my feet. And then it hit me.
She said yes.
Fuck! She said yes!
I scooped her up in my arms and spun her around, and she tilted her head back and burst out laughing. I joined her, laughing out loud before I set her back on her feet. We stood looking at each other with the biggest, goofiest grins on both our faces. I couldn’t think of anything in the world better than this. Until of course, she jumped on me and kissed me with the kind of carnal intent I’d come to love about her.
“Fuck, I love you so much,” she panted breathlessly into my ear, and a big smile spread out over my face as we sank down into the sand together.
“I love you, too,” I purred, pulling her on top of me.
I was reminded of the last time we were here together. It seemed both so long ago and so recent, the memories blurred together, past and present, and I was having trouble telling one from the other. She ran her fingers through my hair, and the brush of the ring against my scalp was a reminder of what I’d just gained. This incredible woman, a woman I’d had to fight so hard to be with, was finally mine.
And she was mine for life.
We rolled across the golden sands, the ocean breeze fresh and cooling on our overheated skin. And try as I might, I couldn’t think of anything in the world better or more magical than sharing this with the woman I loved. We had so much more to experience together, but for now, this was all I needed.