Page 82 of Defensive Zone

Zach’s eyes widen. “Carter…”

With a shaky smile, I begin the speech I’ve been rehearsing for the past week.

“Zach, I was six years old when I bulldozed my way into your life and decided we were going to be best friends. I didn’t really give you a chance to argue, but it took less than a day together for me to realize you were my favorite person, and you’ve remained my favorite person ever since. Over the years, you have always been the first person I thought about when I woke up and the very last person on my mind before I went to sleep. It took me a long time to realize that everything I had been looking for in life had been right there all along. My home has never been a place, but a person.You. You are my home. You’re my life, my soul, andI don’t think I can ever show you how much I love you. You are the Han to my Leia?—”

He snorts a laugh.

“Stop it, I’m serious. I couldn’t use Han and Chewbacca because neither of us are hairy and they weren’t in a relationship, and Anakin and Padmé seemed like a curse.”

We both burst out laughing, then I take a deep, shaky inhale, dragging my teeth over my lower lip as nerves bubble in my chest.

“I want to grow old with you, eat donuts with you, and watchReturn of the Jedievery New Year’s Eve with you. I want to travel the world with you, and ultimately, I want to love you every day. And I wouldreallylove to do it all with you as my husband.”

His breath hitches, and those icy blue eyes turn glassy as his eyes fill with tears.

“Carter…” His voice trembles.

With another deep breath, I ask, “Zach Reid, will you marry me?”

He nods several times, swallowing roughly as a bubble of laughter escapes him.

“Yes,” he rasps. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Carter Lockwood. I want all those things with you.”

I’m unable to contain my grin as he drops to his knees in front of me. He grabs my face with both hands and kisses me. With the ring box in one hand, I wrap my arms around his neck, my own eyes burning with tears that soon fall down my cheeks.

When he pulls away, he rests his forehead against mine, and I stare back into my favorite pair of blue eyes.

“I love you so much,” I whisper.

“I love you too.” He slants his mouth over mine, guiding his tongue into my mouth. We exchange deep, slow kisses to the sound of fireworks over the lake and the movie behind us.

As we ease apart, I take the band out of the box and hold my hand out for his. Zach places his left hand in my palm, trembling slightly as I slide the ring onto his finger before bringing his hand to my mouth and kissing the ring and his palm.

“You said it was on this day twenty years ago that you first realized you were in love with me, but today marks the day you became my best friend, my lover, and my forever.”

Zach’s teeth dig into his bottom lip as a tear falls down his cheek. I hold the side of his face with my hand and wipe the tear away with my thumb.

“I was six years old when you came into my life and became my favorite person. I think even at that young age, I knew you were someone special. You brightened my day just by being in it, and you brought peace to my life by being by my side. But it was when we were ten that I knew you were my soulmate.” His voice cracks, and he clears his throat. “I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but my heart had always beaten a little faster around you. Your laugh was always my favorite sound, and your smile is my sun. I didn’t know it was possible to love you more.”

Tears pool in my eyes. My heart feels so fucking full that I don’t know how to express everything I’m feeling, so instead I give him a wobbly grin. “That’s because I’m awesome, baby.”

He laughs, taking my face in both hands. “That’s because you’re mine, baby.”

I kiss him, then we move to sit back on the couch. Our heads rest on the cushions, our legs locked together as we simply stare at each other, a soft, unbelieving smile on our faces. I trace the ring with the tip of my finger, marveling at how good it looks on him. And how fucking good it feels to know he’s going to beminein an official sense, too.

“I can’t wait to see how this looks when you have your hand wrapped around my cock.” I smirk.

Zach tips his head back and laughs. “What are you waiting for, fiancé?” He gets off the couch and holds out his left hand with an arch of his brow. “Shall we start a new tradition of seeing the new year in with a bang?”

I jump to my feet and take his hand in mine while the other slides around to grab his ass. “I think we need a new pact. One where we alwayscomefirst.”

“Of course you do.” Zach laughs and rolls his gorgeous eyes. “It’s a good thing I love you.”

“I’m all yours, baby.” I grin. “I’m all yours.”

Epilogue

July - two and a half years later

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