Page 96 of Shea's Hero

In the dining area, a bottle of Cristal is chilling in a silver bucket, the same champagne Shea and I had to celebrate our first anniversary. Beside it sit two elegant glasses and a platter of strawberries, so big and lush I can almost taste them from here.

Past that, the living room is filled with arrangements of pale pink lilies in all different sizes of glass vases. In the fireplace, low flames cast a golden glow around the room, the warmth offset by the cool summer breeze floating in through the open windows. Even in the summer, the Adirondacks can get chilly at night, so there’s a fuzzy blanket draped across the couch, perfect for snuggling in.

And then the last part, which I thought might be over the top when I asked about it, but now I’m glad I did. On the floor, there’s a trail of pink petals leading into the living room and over to the gas fireplace, ending by another blanket set in front of it.

Turning to me, Shea whispers, “Oll? What is this?”

“It’s a surprise.” Taking her hand, I lead her over to the dining table, where the champagne is open and waiting. I pour two glasses and hand one to her, clinking mine against it. “I wanted to do something special for you.”

“Oh.” She looks at me, surprise still evident in her gaze. “It’s beautiful. But how?—”

“I had an idea of what I wanted it to look like,” I reply. “So I asked the staff if they’d help set it up. I would have done it myself, but I wasn’t sure how to do that without you noticing.”

“Of course.” A smile tugs at her lips. “I suppose it would have been tricky.”

“Come over here.” I head over to the fireplace, relieved that the small fan of flames isn’t making it uncomfortably hot in the room. Having the fire seemed like a romantic idea, and Shea’s been so excited about having a fireplace, but with it beingsummer, I wasn’t entirely sure it would work out. But with the windows open, and the sun now below the horizon, it’s actually perfect just as it is.

“Oh, the fireplace.” She beams at me. “It’s so pretty. Maybe we could get an electric one for your place. For the ambiance. They make really nice ones.”

“If you want.” Or we could just buy a house with a fireplace already in it. That would be okay, too. I’d do literally anything to make Shea happy, and if having a fireplace will do it, I’m fully onboard.

“Oll. The flower petals!” Shea nearly steps on the trail of petals and takes a quick sidestep to avoid them. “How romantic is this? The champagne, strawberries, all the flowers, and this… I love it.”

“Good.” My heart accelerates to double speed. “Because… I wanted to do this for a reason.”

Hope flickers in her eyes. “Why?”

Now in front of the fireplace, I gently tug her down onto the blanket beside me. “Well. I…”

As Shea adjusts her dress, the skirt lifts, exposing a glimpse of her slender leg. She catches my wandering gaze and smiles. “Are we going to make love in front of the fire? I brought some of that special dust, you know. So this would be the perfect time.”

“After.” My chest squeezes. “After, definitely.”

“After what?”

Oh, please.

Reaching into the inside pocket of my jacket, I pull out the small box I’ve been hiding for weeks. “After I ask you something.”

Shea sucks in her breath as she sees the robin’s egg blue box.“Oliver.”

Shifting around, I kneel on one knee and flip open the box. Inside, a heart-shaped diamond catches the light from the fire, bursting to life in a shower of glowing sparks.

“Shea. I—” My voice catches. Cracks. Swallowing, I try again. “Shea. You’ve had my heart since the first day we met. It’s always been yours. And I’m hoping… you’ll agree to keep it. Not just for now, or for a year or two, but for the rest of our lives.”

“Oh—” Her chin wobbles. “Oll.”

“I love you, Shea. So much I can’t find the words to explain it.” Lifting her hand, I press my lips to the back of it as I work to keep the emotion from spilling over. “I will do anything for you.Anything. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen. I’ll spend the rest of my days trying my absolute best to make you happy. To keep you safe. Just—” Another crack. “I’m probably messing this up. But I want you to be my wife, Shea. So much. Will you? Please?”

She meets my gaze with a sheen of tears in her eyes. Her lips twitch. “Will I marry you? Is that what you’re asking?”

“Yes.” My ears warm. “Yes, I guess I forgot the actual question. Will you marry me, Shea? Be my wife? As soon as possible, preferably? Because I don’t want to wait to be married to you. Not unless you want to.”

“Oliver, of course.” Flinging her arms around my neck, Shea peppers kisses all over my face. “Of course I’ll marry you.” Then she pulls back and looks at me with a quivering smile. “I can’t wait to marry you, either. I’ve already waited too long. And Oll… I love you. All the things you said, it’s the same for me. I want to make you happy. And I want to keep you safe. Maybe I can’t do the physical part of it as well as you, but I’ll still protect you. Yell at anyone who’s mean to you. Take care of you when you’re sick. And when you’re feeling down, I’ll be there, whether it’s to talk or just keep you company. I’ll do anything?—”

“Shea.”Framing her face, I capture her lips with mine. I nip her bottom lip and suck away the small sting, then tease her mouth open to dip inside, tasting a hint of champagne and that unique flavor that’s only Shea. She presses closer, her soft scent wrapping around me, and her silken hair falls forward to brush against my cheek.

It’s so perfect, so magical, my heart threatens to explode with sheer joy.

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