Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 363(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
He’s just my person.
My love.
My other half.
And someday soon, we’re going to be a family.
I truly couldn’t ask for more. Well…except maybe one thing.
Lifting my head from his chest, I whisper, “Is it wrong that I need ice-cream from Corner Creamery? Caramel swirl and raspberry sorbet? Since both sound really good right now, and I’m not sure which I want most?”
He pats my ass. “Nope. I’ll buy you ice-cream anytime.”
“But Corner Creamery doesn’t deliver,” I remind him.
He smiles. “I know. What do you take me for, Teach? A slacker too old and worn out to get his ass out of bed and jog a few blocks to get ice-cream for his sexy pregnant fiancée?”
I smile. “I told you, I don’t think we need to get married.”
“Yeah, but I’m going to keep hinting anyway,” he says as he slides out of bed, reaching for his track pants on the floor. “Maybe one of these days, you’ll say yes.” As he pulls his pants up, he nods toward the bureau. “The ring I bought you last weekend is in my underwear drawer, by the way. In case you decide you want to take a peek at it.”
I shake my head at him as my jaw drops. “What? How dare you? You know I can’t handle waiting for surprises. You know I have to know.”
He winks as he reaches for the bedroom door. “I know. Be back in fifteen. Text me if you change your mind about flavors.”
“Tank, don’t you dare leave,” I call after him, sitting up in bed. “Or talk to me about ice cream at a moment like this! Don’t make me look alone!”
“You can always just wait. I’ll be right back,” he says, the front door closing behind him.
“As if I can wait fifteen whole minutes. Maybe longer if there’s a line,” I mutter beneath my breath as Mr. Snuffles and Piggie gambol in, happy to see the bedroom door open again. “What do you think guys? I have to look, right?”
Piggie barks excitedly, but Mr. Snuffles blinks worried eyes, as if cautioning me to be careful. If I really don’t want to get married, I shouldn’t look at that ring.
“Don’t be silly,” I say, sliding out of bed and pulling my robe from the hook on the closet door. “Seeing a pretty ring isn’t going to change my mind about something as important as a binding legal contract. Because, that’s what it is, boys. It’s a contract, one that can be hard to get out of if things don’t work out. It’s not something to be taken lightly.”
Mr. Snuffles chuffs in agreement before plopping his round bottom down on my bare foot as I pull open Tank’s underwear drawer.
Where I find not just a ring box, but a hand-written note…
My Love,
If you find this before I have a chance to ask you to marry me in the most romantic way, possible, I just want you to know, there’s no pressure. I’m happy to live in sin with you for the rest of our lives. Any way I get to spend a day with you is a miracle by me, Steph, and something I’ll always be grateful for.
But I would also be so honored to call you my wife.
You really are my angel, Teach. You’re my light and my lady and the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, inside and out. You’re my teacher and my friend and so wise and smart and kind, sometimes I can’t understand what you see in me. But fuck, am I glad you see it.
I can’t imagine a better purpose on this planet than spending the rest of my days loving you the way you deserve. And I want to help make all your dreams come true, just the way you have for me.
I am a lucky man to get to love you, Love, no matter what.
Every piece of the heart you healed, and then some,
Tank
p.s. I’ll take your last name, if that makes a difference. Love is a way better name for a family than LiBassi anyway.
By the time Tank gets back, I’m sobbing in the middle of the bed, flanked on either side by two very worried and devoted pugs.
Sobbing…and wearing the gorgeous ring he picked out on my left ring finger.
“But you’re not sad about the way I asked?” he asks again half an hour later, after we’ve made love in the closet to spare the puppies’ innocent eyes, and are finally fetching ice cream from the freezer. “You promise?”
I turn to him, resting a hand on his cheek as I lift my chin for a kiss. “Not even a little bit,” I murmur against his lips. “It was the best proposal ever.” I pull back, grinning up at him, “And now I have hard, written evidence of how crazy you are about me, in case you ever forget.”