Page 140 of Lies Like Love

She presses her lips together and tears brim in her eyes. “Really?”

I nod, and love the smile that stretches her cheeks as she soaks it in. She’s my fiancée now, there’s no way I’ll accept her living across the city with Maren. She hasn’t left my apartment since the night at her grandparents’ house anyway, so there’s no point still pretending.

“Can we really afford it?” She looks around again. “My jewelry is doing well, but probably not this well yet.”

“Wecan.”

At least,Ican for now. I’m more than willing to pay for her to live in a nicer area if it means she’ll be safer. Plus, with the sudden boom in her business and the fact that she’s currently laying out plans to open her own jewelry shop, it won’t be long before she’s probably bringing in more money than I am.

Financial independence is important to Fel. Even more so after everything that happened. So even if I’m more than capable of supporting both of us, I’m well aware of the significance of her carving out her own path.

“So you like it?”

“I do.” She saunters up to me and wraps her arms around my shoulders. “Want to know how much.”

Her hands make a trail down my chest, heading for my pants, and as much as it kills me, I have to take a step back.

“What’s wrong?” Her face pinches, first revealing confusion, before the slightest hint of fear flashes.

“Nothing’s wrong.” No matter how much time passes, there’s still a flash of worry she carries around. “It’s just, I’m not done with the surprises. Come here.”

I lead her across the room. The sun is starting to set, and it casts a warm haze through the windows. The glow illuminating the apples of Fel’s cheeks.

“I have one more surprise for you.” I lead her to the bedroom and pause, turning to catch the look in her wide blue eyes. “I’m done waiting to marry you. It’s already been too long, and I’m not waiting another fucking minute.”

Reaching for the handle, I swing the door open and breathe a sigh of relief. Maren held up her end of our deal, proven by the bag hanging on the closet door. I might not understand Fel’s relationship with someone as flighty as Maren, but at least she’s loyal.

“What is that?”

“Maren said it’s the dress you picked out.” I guide her over to it. “Don’t worry, she dealt with the logistics, I didn’t look at it.”

“Since when are you traditional?” Her eyebrows pinch with her small smile.

“I’m not. But if we’re doing this, we’re walking into this without superstitions or bad energy.”

We’ve carried around enough of that already from our past.

“So what do you think? I’m done waiting.” I grab her hands and don’t care if I sound like a totally whipped punk because this girl is it for me.

“Wait, when?” Her eyes dart between me and the dress bag. “Why is it here right now?”

“I guess I lied, there is one more surprise.” I lean down and kiss her forehead, breathing in her sweet strawberry scent. “Meet me on the roof in an hour.”

“Jude.” Her gasp teeters the line of surprise and shock. “You want to get married right now? Like today? Are you sure?”

“Never been surer about anything.”

“But it’s so fast. You don’t need time to think about it?”

I lift the hand that’s home to the emerald ring I gave her and hold it between us. “I thought about it when I met you as a teenager. I thought about it when you walked into my shop eleven years later. I thought about it when I put this ring on your finger. I’m all in. When I take my last breath, it better be filled with your scent. And if I’m going to feel heaven, it’ll be between your legs. I’m ready for you to be my wifenow. No more waiting.”

Fel presses her pink lips together, and when they pop open, they’re brighter from the blood rushing to them.

“There’s no going back. Don’t even consider it.” I wrap my hand around her jaw and pull her face to mine.

“I wouldn’t.” She relaxes in my grasp. “I want this too.”

The best words to ever leave her mouth besides my name and the day she saidyes.

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