Page 98 of The Cruelty of Thorns

“Just remember, you started it.”

“Well at least I’ll die happy.”

I grabbed the roll of paper towels from his drafting table and pulled off a few then handed him the roll so we could clean ourselves up.

“I guess a shower is out of the question?” he asked.

“If we get in the shower, we’ll never get on the road today.”

He flashed a sly grin. “Fine. We’ll just show up at my parents’ house smelling like cum.”

“Ron!”

He laughed. “Don’t worry. I’m sure it will fade by the time we get there.”

“You’re incorrigible.”

I turned and started out of the room and he grabbed my hand, pulling me back. “Hang on a minute, there’s something I want to ask you.”

Something in his tone caused my heart to stutter. “What is it?” I asked cautiously.

“Nothing bad,” he assured me. “At least, I hope not. I was going to wait until this weekend, but I think I’d rather do it now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small blue velvet box, holding it up for me to see.

I felt my heart catch in my throat. “Is that what I think it is?”

“I don’t know,” he teased. “What do you think it is?”

“Ron.”

He laughed and opened the box. Inside was a diamond ring. It was small and understated and…perfect. He pulled it out and held it up, dropping to one knee in front of me.

“Myra Anne Landon, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

I blinked at the tears suddenly clouding my vision. I thought of everything that had happened between us over the last year and how we had finally come to a place in our lives where we were both able to put our past traumas behind us in order to embrace a future. A future I never thought I’d have with someone like him. He was light to my dark, yin to my yang. The first person since Poe I’d been able to completely open up to and know he accepted all of me without reservation. And I did the same for him.

“Yes, Ron. Yes I’ll be your wife.”

He grinned and grabbed my hand, slipping the ring on my finger. “Just think. One of these days we’re going to be married.”

“One of these days,” I agreed, seeking his lips again.

“I love you, Myra.

“I love you, too, Ron.”

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