Page 33 of A Shifter Disaster Thanksgiving

“No, it doesn’t.” He was smiling. “Not at all.”

She blinked at him.

“I want you, Diane,” he told her. “Do you understand me?”

“I… I just—”

Before she could complete her sentence, he suddenly dropped to one knee. At first, Diane feared his legs had given out. Then she realized what was happening.

Her eyes widened. “Sylvester, what are you—?”

“In Pine Gap, we men simply ask for what we want. We do not kneel.” When he looked up at her, she thought she might melt on the spot. In the firelight, his eyes gleamed. He tilted his head to one side. “That matters little to me right now. I want you, Diane. Not as my prisoner, not as a means to get to my brother, but as a wife to spend the rest of my days with.”

An uncomfortable silence ensued.

Diane’s heart was threatening to explode now. “Sylvester…”

“What will your answer be, Diane Garrick?”

He smiled at her, and her heart melted.

“This Thanksgiving dinner was a disaster,” she said, with a shrug. “But hopefully, next year’s will be much better.”

The look he gave her was one of pure confusion.

“What I’m trying to say is”—she felt herself blush to the roots of her hair—“yes, Sylvester Stormbringer. Iwillbe your wife.”

With that, she threw her arms around his neck as he rose to his feet. Sylvester put his arms around her, lifting her off thefloor and kissing her, and in that moment, Diane thought it was the most wonderful thing she’d ever experienced.

Things did turn out great, after all. No matter the situation, no knew it wouldn’t be easy being the wife of a dragon, much less a Stormbringer, but this was one romantic adventure she was more than willing to embark on.

A thought occurred to her just then, and she broke the kiss.

“What’s wrong?” Sylvester asked, frowning at her in concern.

She pouted. “You haven’t put a ring on my finger. A ring makes it official.”

His eyes twinkled. “I am a blacksmith. I will make you a ring out of the strongest metal I can find.”

“It’s not a diamond ring,” she replied, “but I’ll take it.”

He threw his head back in laughter. And then he kissed her again.

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