Page 190 of Always You

“Can you close your eyes? I got you something.”

“What?” She screeches, and I try to peek through the screen. “A surprise?”

“Just close your eyes.” I look at her, with my back toward the door, waiting until she holds her hands in front of my face.

“You ready?”

“Yes! Show me!”

A smile splits my face when I push the door open with my back, taking a few steps until I’m right in front of her.

“Can I open it?”

“Not yet!” I blurt, squatting down and placing the puppy right in front of her face.

“Okay, you can open it.”

Her hands move down, then her eyes grow as big as saucers right before she gives me an incredulous look.

“You bought me a puppy?”

I nod, my heart jumping as I watch the priceless look on her beautiful face.

Tears stream down her features when she presses a hard kiss against my lips, then takes the puppy out of my hands, burying her face into the soft fur as she starts to sob.

“You got me a puppy,” she cries.

I cup her cheek, glancing at a beaming Jason and Julie, enjoying this just as much as I am, and I push a lingering kiss to her forehead.

“That’s not all I got you,” I mumble, pressing my forehead against hers.

“It’s not?”

“Nope.” My hand moves to the collar of the puppy, pulling the ring off the bow that was sitting in the middle. I hold it out in front of her as calmness washes over my body. My heart beats steadily, my nervousness completely gone until all that’s left is excitement.

“Charlotte Roux, I know I’m an asshole, and I’ll probably screw up more than once, but I will never stop loving you, so will you marry me anyway?”

She folds her hand in front of her mouth, holding the puppy with the other while she frantically nods.

“Yes! Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you.”

I push out a relieved breath, then give her a longing kiss, feeling happier than I’ve ever been.

Jason and Julie start to clap, and I wrap Charlotte up in a tight hug with our puppy in between as we smile at them.

“Took you long enough, Hansen,” Julie jokes.

“You’re stuck with him now, Charlotte,” Jason chimes in.

“Well, about that,” Charlotte starts, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, then gives me a mysterious grin. “I have something for you.”

“You do? What is it?”

“Well, remember two months ago when we were drunk out here on the porch?”

I narrow my eyes, knowing exactly what she’s talking about. We got wasted, had sex outside in the yard, and it was sexy as fuck, having her ride me under the clear sky as I watched the stars around her head.

“How can I forget?” I reply huskily, instantly turned on.

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