Page 91 of Lodged

I murmur my thanks, and Ruin buckles her seatbelt. I do the same. She squares her shoulders, and after a few deep breaths, she presses the ignition button, and the car purrs to life.

“I got this,” she murmurs to herself, and I give her hand a gentle squeeze. When she looks up at me, I say, “I’m so proud of you.” Right on cue, my girl blushes a pretty shade of pink.

“Oh wow. This is nice,” she says when the console lights up. I have to admit, it’s a cool car. I might have to get one for myself.

“Whenever you’re ready,” I tell her gently, and she shifts the gear to drive. She drives us out of the showroom, and once we are on the test drive road, she takes one more deep breath and starts driving faster. The more laps she does, the more comfortable she gets.

After twenty minutes, she parks the car, turns to face me, and says, “I’m ready.” A huge grin spread across my face as I lean closer and kiss her.

“I knew you could do it. I’m so damn proud of you Ruin,” I tell her, my voice thick with emotion.

“I’m not going to pretend it was easy, or that I almost didn’t back out in the showroom. But whenever I’m with you I feel invincible, and all of my sad memories don't scare me as much when I know I have the best man in the world cheering me on.”

I kiss her again because I can’t believe this is my life. I’m in love with the most amazing woman on Earth, and she loves me back.

“Now there’s only one more thing you need,” I say, removing my lips from hers, and she frowns.

I take a small velvet box out of my pants pocket. Ruin gasps, and I move my chair back as far as it can go to kneel.

“Ruin, you are the reason I wake up in the mornings and the reason why I go to bed with a smile on my face. You have changed my life for the better, showing me the importance of following my dreams without compromising my happiness. I want to build a safe haven for others with you; I want to help students reach their full potential. But most importantly, I want to build a home and a family with you.”

Tears begin to run down her cheeks, and I smile at her while gently wiping them away.

“Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and be by my side for the rest of our lives?” I ask as I take out a four-carat diamond in an oval cut, mounted on a simple white gold band from the box.

We’re still inside the car, and if Ruin says no, it’ll be the most uncomfortable moment of my life—not to mention the saddest. I watch her expression shift from surprise to understanding, then awe. And when her gorgeous lips part and she begins to speak, I hold my breath.

“Yes, Gio Bianchi. I’ll marry you and be the happiest woman in the world with the most amazing man by my side,” she says, tears streaming down her beautiful face. Her hands come up to frame my face, and we share a silent moment, letting our tears flow freely—happy tears, this time.

After a few beats, I place the ring on her finger and hold her neck with my hand, bringing her lips close to mine. I kiss hergently, unhurriedly, showing her all the love and adoration I feel for her.

“But how? When did you get this?” she asks, admiring the big rock that fits perfectly on her finger.

“I got it last year, after our trip to New York.” Her mouth drops open and she wraps her arms around my neck. I wasn’t sure the ring would fit, and I was ready to have it resized, but my guess was correct. The ring fits her perfectly.

“Thank goodness you found me, Gio. Thank you for never giving up on me. On us.”

I breathe her in, thanking my lucky stars and my guardian angel, because the only ruin in this life would have been to have to walk this Earth without her.

“Are you ready to head home?” I ask, trailing kisses down her neck. I know this is a big step for her—not only did we get her a brand-new car, but we also got engaged. I’m such an ass for overwhelming her with so many things at once, but I couldn’t help myself. I want her to have everything her heart desires, and I want her to know she’s mine. The least I can do is distract her with kisses and caresses.

“Keep going, Professor Bianchi. Your ministrations are calming my nerves.” I smile against her skin—she knows me well.

“I’m glad it’s working.” I say as my hands travel down her back and grab her delectable ass.

“Okay, okay. I think we’re done here.” She tries to get away from me, but I don’t care if anyone sees us. We just got engaged, after all. I don’t think anyone would blame me for wanting to be all around this woman.

“Are you sure?” the smirk she gives me makes my dick twitch.

“I mean, I’m ready to drive back home.” She rolls her eyes at me and motions for me to head to my car.

“Yes, ma’am.” I give her one more kiss before getting out of her car.

We drive back to Azalea Creek, and I follow her the entire time. I think she was going forty-miles an hour for the first mile or two, and then she started feeling more comfortable. We cruised down the highway and made it home right before dinner.

She called me from the car and asked if we could share the good news with the family. I chuckled but, of course, agreed—I was just as excited to marry her and tell the entire world that she had said yes.

“Hello, dear Gio. What a pleasant surprise,” Jossie says as she opens the door. Ruin raises her left hand instead of hugging her mama, and Jossie immediately shrieks. Everyone comes quickly to the foyer.

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