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I cut her off with a kiss. “Yes.”

“What?” Rory replies, breathless.

“Yes, I would marry you right now. We’re in Vegas. If you want to get married tonight, I’ll make it fucking happen.”

And honestly? Now that she’s said it, I hope she does. Tonight was hard, but the thought of her becoming my wife gives me life again.

“Cole… we’ve only been together for a few months.”

“And we’ve been falling for four years, haven’t we?”

Rory looks me over, trying to see how serious I am. And when she doesn’t find any hint of dishonesty, I can feel her heartbeat quicken.

“You want to marry me? Right now?”

“Right fucking now,” I say, taking her hand in mine. “Maybe tonight isn’t under the best of circumstances, but I can’t think of anything I’d love to do more than make you my wife.”

“You’re not saying that to get back at my dad, right?”

“No,” I answer softly. “I’m saying that becauseI love you. I am never going to love somebody the way I love you. I’m saying that because Iwantto marry you. Two years from now or tonight. I don’t care when because my answer will always beyes.”

Rory’s smile morphs from disbelief to pure, genuine happiness. She kisses me desperately as if to make sure this is all real. When she’s satisfied that it is, she says the sweetest words I’ve ever heard.

“Then let’s get married.”

fifty-one

Rory

“I can’t believe we’redoing this!” I say happily, hand in Cole’s as we walk through the bustling crowds.

“And you’re still sure this is what you want?”

“I did say yes, didn’t I?”

Cole smiles widely, staring at the metal on my finger as he brushes his thumb over the stone.

He pulls me in for a kiss, murmuring against my lips. “You did say yes. Best moment of my life so far.”

I just grin as I recall the past hour.

“Do we have everything we need?” I ask, going through my mental checklist.

“Well, I grabbed myself an outfit. You grabbed a dress that you won’t let me see.”

“You’ll see it soon enough, Cole.”

He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me in tight as he kisses my forehead. “And you’re going to look incredibly beautiful, I’m sure.”

I smile against his chest, fisting the fabric of his shirt. “I love you.”

He tilts my chin up, softly kissing my lips. “I love you, too, baby.” He brushes his hand over my cheek, and the simple touch sends warmth coursing through me. “Do we need anything else?”

“I grabbed the makeup I need to get ready and a pair of heels. You grabbed yourself a pair of dress shoes. And we went to the jewelry store and got rings because you insisted we not use the ones they provide for us.”

The best part about Vegas is that you can find anything you want whenever you want it. The city never sleeps, so a number of stores are open twenty-four hours, and you can find whatever you need, including wedding bands at two in the morning.

“You’re worth more than silicone or cheap metal,” he laughs. “You deserve the best.”

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