Page 111 of Leashed

“Ah, no,” he stammered, stopping long enough to glare at some idiot checking Sage’s legs out. “I was just thinking that I know a guy, and we could maybe go over and talk to him and kind of make things official and—”

Confusion replaced concern and she nodded slowly. “Okay. Babe, we should get you some water.”

He ran his hand through his hair, wishing he’d spent a little more time reading the parts of those damn books he hadn’t deemed “the good stuff.” “Oh hell, I forgot,” he muttered, dropping to one knee and becoming instantly aware the simple action was getting a lot more attention than he’d anticipated. “So, uh, I love you and I’d walk through hell for you.” He paused and frowned. “Again. And…uh…fuck. Marry me?”

*

It took Sage’smind a moment to realize it wasn’t the effects of residual dragon spit that had brought Bo to his knees.

And another moment to process what he’d said.

“Did you say marry?”

He ran his palms over his pant legs and looked up at her. “Yeah. Like, you and me and that guy over there who’s allowed to do it. I picked up the license this morning, but you’d need to sign it and shit.” Running his hands through his hair again, he took her hand in his, the cautious, hopeful look she’d seen only once before in his incredible eyes. “I warned you I was really fucking bad at this romance shit.”

It was probably the most curse-laden proposal that century.

And it deserved the right response.

“Fuck. Yes.”

The guardedness in his eyes disappeared in a flash and he was on his feet, his fingers winding through her hair as he kissed her hard.

With a lot of tongue and a hand that was definitely groping her backside.

And a crowd of applauding strangers.

He pulled back and shot a glare to the onlookers before returning his attention to her. “We don’t have to do this today. I mean, the guy’s ready to go, but the license is good for like, ninety days or something. You know, if you need to think about it more or you want to do it, I don’t know, right.”

Grabbing his shirt collar and tugging him back to her, she brushed her lips over his. “You mean more right than marrying a Greek god surrounded by the Greek artifacts he modeled for?”

“I’m definitely not one of those manipulative gods,” he corrected, lacing his fingers through hers. “So that’s a go?”

“That’s a go.” She took a step back. “Am I dressed for it?”

His eyes darkened as they raked over the fitted bodice of her pewter-colored dress. They lingered on the hemline that had caught his eye in the store and sent it flying over the door of her dressing room. “Definitely yes on that.”

He grabbed her hand and led her through the crowd to a pleasant-looking elderly man standing at the entrance of the Grecian gallery. The man gave her a smile and extended his hand. “Congratulations. The license will require your signature after the ceremony, but other than that, all we need are two witnesses.”

“Oh,” she murmured, looking behind her. “I don’t really know—”

Bo didn’t hesitate. He strode into the crowd and returned seconds later with an old couple gushing their excitement over the event as they followed them into the room.

Sage’s eye caught a row of amphorae on display and she elbowed him as they stood before the justice of the peace. “You were so cute as a pup,” she whispered, nodding to the collection.

“Shame you’re stuck with my old ugly mug now,” he muttered back, snapping to attention when the JP cleared his throat. “Awwww damn,” he breathed, tugging the ancient gold ring from his pinky, shining the image of the man and dog on his shirt. “Rings. I have one we can use for now.”

Another plain wedding ring was thrust forward from the witnesses.

“Those will be just fine for the ceremony,” the JP reassured them, giving Bo a quick pat on the back. “You aren’t going to faint on us, are you?”

“Fu…u…dge no.”

God, she loved him.

*

Sage walked intothe kitchen, kissing Bo on the cheek as he handed her a coffee, his phone tight to his ear.

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