Page 90 of Please Remember

"Jax," she gasps, tears in her eyes.

Her silence makes me nervous, and I start to panic. Maybe it's too soon. Maybe we're not where I thought we were. Maybe—

"Yes," she says and nods. "Yes."

Sighing in relief, I slip the ring on her finger and stand to kiss her. "God, I love you."

"I don't want to ruin the moment, but I have to ask... This isn't Laura's ring, right?"

I laugh and kiss her. "This is your ring. The one I bought years ago and never got to give you. Laura never even saw this one."

"Thank God," she says and kisses me back. "I want to wear nothing but this ring for the rest of the night."

The image of her completely naked except for the engagement ring has me straining against my jeans. "We have to meet everyone for yourparty," I say, grinding my hips against her to show her how much I love that idea.

"When are they expecting us?"

"Fifteen minutes ago."

"Damn, it’ll take too long to use my tardiness as an excuse."

Smiling, I bite my lip. "I think we're going to have a little fun at your party."

"Why do you say that?"

"Your parents are going to be there," I say, holding her hand and toying with the engagement ring.

Her jaw drops before smiling brightly. "My mom is going to faint."

"She's nothing if not dramatic."

"Okay, I want to see that. Plus, she'll already be annoyed having to be around everyone while we run late."

"We?"

Crinkling her nose, she sticks her tongue. "Okay, fine. Me."

"But when we get home, I plan to make good on our promise of wearing only this," I say, continuing to toy with the ring on her finger. "And I think we should test out your candlelight theory."

She slides her hand over the fly of my jeans, and I buck my hips as I groan. "It's probably terrible of me to say, but I kind of wish we weren't the hosts of the event. We could make an appearance and leave."

"Sorry, baby, but that's what you get for being so loved."

I take her hand and blow out the candles before heading out to my pickup. Pulling her to me, I kiss her, my tongue sliding into her mouth while she cups my face with both of her hands.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave," she whispers against my lips.

"This is why you're the brains of this relationship."

"Oh, whatever." She laughs and puts on her seat belt.

Her hand takes mine as we drive, and I can't stop focusing on the way the lights reflect on the ring as we pass under streetlights and various business signs. Even though I know it should have happened long before now, I'm focusing on the happiness I feel having her. Like my therapist says, dwelling on the past only takes away the joy of the present. And I want to enjoy this.

Allie takes my hand as we walk into the bar, and she hides the ring. I think she's more excited to see her mom's reaction than anything else, and I laugh.

"Did you tell anyone you were doing this?" she whispers.

I shake my head as we walk up to the large table with my parents, my brother, her parents, and our friends. Drew and Sage are officially a couple now, and Sage all but sits on Drew's lap. It's an interesting dynamic shift, but they both seem happy.

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