Page 15 of Lock 'em Down

On the seventh try, I get it. A purple plastic princess ring with a glitter crown. I leave the other toys on the countertop. “Thanks, my man. Give these to some kid passing through!”

Then I run out of the gas station, cross the street, and skid to a stop in front of an amused Cami. “Mission accomplished.”

She giggles and takes my hand, pulling me into the chapel.

But I’m not nervous. I know in my bones that this is the right call. This is having stakes and I fucking want them. Our night—our story—is still young and I’m not done collecting pieces of it with her.

“Hold up.” I pause as I swipe some flowers from a table and pass them to Cami.

She’s giddy, bouncing from one foot to the next. “Now, we’re stealing?”

“Borrowing,” I shush her.

“Let me freshen up.” She indicates the women’s bathroom.

“You look beautiful.” I mean it too.

She smirks but enters the women’s room.

While she’s fixing her makeup, I make the necessary arrangements and pay for our marriage license. Then, I take a second to fix my hair and straighten my shirt.

I never really gave a shit about having a wedding; it was always the marriage I was more interested in. I’ve seen my dad quietly revere my mom in his own way—he’s not showy or overly affectionate as much as he’s steady and reliable—my entire life. He’s never faltered in his support for her. He’s never tried to tame her streak of wild or question her when she dives into a new project headfirst. The time she decided, on a whim, to remodel the guest bathroom or start a pie-making business come to mind. Not to mention this past year, when she traveled between my brothers’ places, meddling in their lives and becoming a matchmaker. Dad has always been her rock.

And in turn, she loves him with every fiber of her being. She supported his career as an NHL player and now a juniors coach. Often, she would wake up at four thirty AM just to share a first cup of coffee with him, the two of them sitting at the kitchen table with their heads bent together, as the snow of a Minnesotan winter fell softly outside the window.

That’s what I want. Deep down, I want the steady and the wild to come together and work. I want what my mom and dad have. Laid-back Leif would be laughed out of fucking town if anyone knew all those details. But I’ve already admitted it to Cami and she…asked me to marry her.

I pull out my cell phone and text my brother, Jensen.

Me: I’m about to do something crazy.

He doesn’t answer and I’m not surprised. Since he’s fallen for his girlfriend, Hollywood sensation Bailey Walker, he’s stopped spending late nights gaming and started spending them with her. I want that, too.

Slipping my phone into my pocket, I wait for Cami. She steps out of the bathroom and looks around nervously. As soon as her eyes latch on mine, she relaxes, smiles.

“You’re like no one I’ve ever met,” I tell her the truth. “Gorgeous. But it’s more than skin deep.”

“You’re unexpected,” she replies, her tone even. Her words are strong but her voice is soft, almost hesitant. “Exactly what I hoped for and nothing like I deserve.”

Her words are cryptic but then again, so is she. It’s part of her charm.

We enter the chapel and Cami sucks in a deep breath. I pause, turning toward her.

“I should kiss you before we do this,” I decide, stepping closer.

Surprise colors her eyes. “We’ve kissed before,” she reminds me.

“Not like this,” I confess, needing to kiss her softly. Reverently. Not in a sweaty club on a dance floor. “You can still change your mind.” I place a hand on the small of her back and pull her into my frame until her hips line up with my thighs.

“I won’t,” she promises, lifting her face.

I shrug one shoulder, feigning more casual than I feel. Then, I dip my head, take her mouth, and kiss her sweetly.

And then, fiercely. Protectively. Thoroughly.

My surroundings cease to exist. The world quiets.

And there’s this fucking moment. When everything I ever wanted is right before me and I’m as desperate to claim it as I am terrified I’ll lose it.

---