Page 138 of That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss

“Who knows?” Hudson shrugs. “Maybe they will elope. Your brother and Brooke did, right?”

“Oh, yeah.” I chuckle. “But that was for Daisy’s sake. They wanted to start adoption proceedings as quickly as possible. And they were madly in love, of course.”

“Of course.”

“They ended up having a big formal wedding reception that summer anyway,” I say. “Brooke’s mom basically forced them.”

“Huh.” A dimple presses into his cheek, making my heart flutter. And what he says next, makes the whole organ sprout wings. “I’m more of a get-married-once kind of guy.”

“Hmm. Sounds like a plan.” I tilt my head. “Got anyone in mind?”

He wags his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Yes, I would, as a matter of fact.”

We both lock eyes and end up in yet another one of our staring contests. Except instead of blinking, we compete to see who will crack up first. We do this at least once a day, when we probably should be concentrating on other things, but I don’t want to stop because I win at least seventy-five percent of the time. Plus we’ve got The Beachfront running so smoothly, Hudson can afford a little break every once in a while.

And did I mention I win at least seventy-five percent of the time?

He flares his nostrils—a dirty trick—and my jaw twitches, but I’m resolute. “You’re toast, bossman,” I say through clenched teeth.

“Not this time, hotshot.” He’s got his pupils glued to mine. “What if I asked you to marry me right now?”

My stomach plummets like an elevator in free fall, but I just gulp. No outside reaction. “If you’re joking, that’s a pretty mean trick.”

“Maybe I’m not joking.”

“Well, maybe I don’t want to win so bad this time. You lose an awful lot, you know. I could always let you take this one.” My mouth quirks, but just barely. “If you were really proposing.”

He arches a brow. “What would you say if I were?”

“You’d have to ask to find out.”

“So you want me to propose right now?”

“Go on.” I widen my eyes. “I dare you.”

Hudson slowly pushes back his chair, keeping his gaze lasered on mine. He slips his coat from the back of his chair, moves around to my desk, and spreads it out on the floor. Then he drops to a knee.

My internal organs drop along with him.

“Wait.” I suck in a breath. “Are you serious?”

“I don’t see anyone laughing,” he says. “So, yes. I guess I am.”

“You guess?”

“No. Actually I’m sure.” He digs in his pocket and pulls out a ring.

“Hudson!” I gasp. “You don’t have to do this. Me saying ‘I dare you’ was just a funny callback to our humble beginnings. I didn’t mean to force you to?—”

“I know I don’t have to propose,” he says. “I want to propose.” A round brilliant diamond sparkles on a simple gold band. It’s pure. It’s perfect.

So is the man on his knee in front of me.

He clears his throat and takes my hand. “I was going to ask you to pass through life at my side—to be my second self, and best earthly companion—but I decided I shouldn’t try to copy Rochester anymore. That guy really is one of a kind.”

Tears gather in my eyes. “Have I ever told you how much I love that you read that book?”

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