Page 107 of Subbing For Santa

I throw my head back laughing this time, hoping like hell that his family doesn’t ask what the significance of the key in a condom is. That’s not really a story I want to share with anyone but Griff. Sucking my lips in to calm my giddiness, I tug the ballooned condom free and look up to Griff.

“What’s the key for?”

“Take it out and have a look.” He smiles, gesturing to my hands.

Grinning, I untie the greasy latex and slip the key free, turning it over to see something engraved in it. I hold it up closer, squinting to see the fine message.

Key to my home.

My brows shoot high as I look from the key to Griffin.

“Your house?”

“Yes.” He nods, and I giggle as the clue for this gift begins to make sense. He’s telling me I can go to his house whenever I please.

Heat bursts inside my chest as my emotions start to play havoc with me. No one has ever given me a key to their home before.

Taking a moment to inhale the ocean air, I steady my emotions and shoot Griffin a smile before opening the new note.

Now that you have the key to my house, and you already know you have my heart, it’s time to decide if you can handle answering one more question.

Think long and hard about this, because if you meet me up on the top deck at the strike of midnight, I’ll ask it, and this time, you can’t run.

Tears begin to blur my eyes as I comprehend what the note means, and I glance up at Griffin as he slides off the couch and onto one knee.

Gasps and faint giggles sound around us, and even the telltale sniff of someone crying, but I don’t take my eyes off Griffin. Not even for a second.

“Would you have come to the top deck at the strike of midnight, Aggie?”

My bottom lip trembles as I study this man’s face, so consumed with love for me as he asks me the tough question I would have run from a few days earlier.

“Yes.” I whisper as a tear rolls down my cheek.

Griffin reaches up and wipes it away, his fingers a gentle caress on my searing skin.

“I know we only just met. I know this is totally crazy, but I don’t see the point in delaying it just because society says it’s too soon. If I have to have a one week engagement or five-year engagement with you, I don’t care, as long as you wear my ring and stand by my side. I’m in love with you. No one has ever set fire to my soul like you do Agatha Marie Fiera. Marry me. Be mine and let me be yours.”

He shifts and pulls out a small box from the bigger box on the table, easing the lid open to reveal a ring with a large diamond set on a gold band.

A sob escapes me as I nod my head, my eyes darting from the ring to Griffin’s face. “Yes.”

His face lights up. “Yes?”

I nod again. “Yes. Yes. Yes.”

I leap forward, wrapping my arms around his neck, and we nearly tumble backwards as Griffin struggles to keep us upright. When he pulls back, his eyes are alight with excitement and love, and he claims my lips right there in front of his family.

Cheers ring out around us, and as the Marx family begin to celebrate, I break our kiss and press my forehead to Griffin’s.

“I love you, Griffin Marx.”

Atta Girl (epilogue)

Agatha

Nervesracethroughmeas I stare at myself in the mirror, taking in my caramel brown eyes that are framed with dark lashes, a little thicker than they usually are. I look beautiful, made up like this. My skin is flawless, and my hair is a waterfall of golden blonde curls that cascade down my mostly bare back.

“He’s going to shit a brick.” Ben laughs as he comes up behind me.

---