Page 145 of Released from the Sin Bin

“Change of plans,” he sucks in my lip, letting it go with a pop, “I wanted to surprise you.”

“I never want to spend this long apart.” I pepper kisses all over his cheek and jaw. I want my lips on every part of his body.

“Willa,” he groans when I tug at the longer strands of his deep brown hair at the top of his head above the shorter, shaved sides. “If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to let go.”

He smirks and tilts his head to the side, motioning with his russet colored eyes to the cameras pointed at us.

I don’t want him to let me go, but reluctantly I slide my legs off and slip down to stand next to him.

“Carter,” I stop him from pulling away to address the press, “after this year, I’m retiring.”

“What?” He grabs my arm and steers me away with a finger held up for the press to give us a minute. “Why would you do that?”

His eyes wildly roam over my face and down my body, searching for my sanity or an injury. This isn’t how I wanted to tell him, but I can’t keep it in.

“I want to be with you. I hate not seeing you for months.” I let my hands run up and down his thick arms. “I lived this dream, now I want another one. Will you marry me, Carter?”

“Jesus, Willa.” His eyes widen, and he bites his bottom lip. It’s not the response I was hoping for, but it’s a shock. I haven’t exactly prepared for it myself.

I’ve been thinking about it for weeks, but I had no idea I was going to do it now.

“It’s a lot to take in, but I want to start my life with you. I’ve already looked into coaching positions.” I clutch onto his forearms. “Please, I thought maybe you’d be happy.”

“Willa,” he laughs and shakes his head. “I wish you would’ve talked to me first.”

“I’m ok,” I assure him. “I love coaching, and I’ve been miserable without you.” I take a deep breath and ask again. “Marry me, Carter. I want to start our life together.”

“You couldn’t have waited one day?” He shakes his head and pulls away, reaching into his pocket.

“Carter, I—”

He kneels down on one knee, stopping my next thought. Freezing my brain with the small box nestled in his hands.

“Willa, I’ve had this ring for years. For years, I knew I wanted to spend my life doing everything I can to be the man you deserve. I held onto it to let you live your dream, and I’ll continue to do whatever it takes to make all of them come true.” He smiles and opens the box. “I don’t want to waste any more time not calling you my wife. I guess I know the answer, but will you marry me?”

My fingertips are wet against my cheeks, and water clouds my vision.

He lifts his brows, waiting for me to answer or move from my frozen state.

“I love you.” I vigorously nod my head. “You are my dream.” He stands and puts the ring on my finger. “You’re so much more than I deserve. You’re everything to me.” I grab his face and hold it close to mine, mashing our lips and tongues together.

The crowd around us claps and flashes of light snap around us.

“How fast can we get to my room?” I groan against him.

The ring glints, reflecting off the lights in the elevator as we ascend to my room.

I haven’t stopped touching and rubbing myself against Carter since the doors closed, finally getting some privacy. And I can’t stop looking at the ring. I never thought something so pretty and shiny would make me so happy, but it’s everything it represents. It’s our new life starting.

“Willa,” Carter pulls back to look at me, “you can’t retire yet. You love it too much.”

“But I love you more.” I hold his bushy cheek in my hand. I love how much his beard has grown in. He doesn’t trim or shave it until the season ends.

He leans down and kisses me hard and desperate, sucking my lips between his.

“And I love you too much to let you give it all up.” The doors open and he pulls me out, checking there’s no one in the hall before lifting me up over his shoulder.

I squeal and pass him my room key from inside my shirt and tell him the room number.

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