Page 75 of More Than a Blind Date

Reading my mind, Dallas chuckles. “Food will be delivered shortly, but there is something I want to show you first.”

Excited, I bob my head.

In a move I am not expecting, he reaches for the buckle on his belt. After unfastening it, he undoes his jeans. Is he going to take off his pants?

I’m stunned because I’ve never even seen him in his boxer briefs. “What are you doing? Should I give you some privacy? Did something crawl up your pant leg?”

“Crap.” He blinks. “When I planned this, I didn’t think about how this would look, but I promise, I’m not being creepy.”

I laugh, even more curious than I was before. “Okay.” I didn’t think he was because this man has never been anything less than a gentleman with me.

He pulls down the waistband on one side of his jeans, revealing his hip.

But before I can see what he’s trying to show me, a van pulls up.

“You ordered from Jeffrey’s?”

“Yeah. Hopefully he doesn’t see me buckling my pants. That would be awkward.”

He hurriedly fastens his jeans. “What I was going to show you will have to wait.”

I’m laughing that he was caught with his pants undone, but I’m curious about what he plans to show me. It must be his tattoo. That thought makes me impatient. “But not long, I hope.”

He laughs. “Hold your horses.”

After tipping the driver and getting our food, he sets it on the table. “We have salads for a first course, then steaks and some sort of vegetable, and for dessert, cheesecake.”

“I don’t care about food right now. Slide those jeans back down.”

He smirks. “Months ago, you were very interested in knowing about my tattoo.”

My heart starts to race. “Every time you have your shirt off, I’m looking. When we’d swim during the summer, I was sneaking glimpses, hoping to spot it.”

“I wanted it in a place where most people wouldn’t see it. That’s why I chose my hip.” He tugs down his waistband on one side, but his untucked shirt falls over the hip, blocking my view. “You’ll have to lift my shirt to see.”

I lift the shirt and see the small tattoo on his hip. Then I meet his gaze. “A rose.”

He quickly puts himself back together. “I was in a dark place after my parents died, and I was so afraid I would forget them, that their memory would fade. Then one morning, I woke up and knew that I needed to move on with my life. That their memory would always be with me. That day, I got this tattoo. I’d heard a song about a rose tattoo and decided that was going to be my reminder. My reminder of all the years of love I enjoyed before they were taken from me. I had no idea it would be a sign of the love waiting for me in the future.”

“You have a rose tattoo.” My chin quivering, I restate the obvious.

“I do.” Dallas drops to one knee and slips a small box out of his pocket. “Rose Potts, I love you. I want you in my life, my bed, my arms. You’ll forever be in my heart. Will you make me a happy man and become Rose Busch?”

Ugly crying, I huff out a laugh. “With a name like that, I think we were meant to be.”

“You’ll marry me?” Tears brim in his eyes. "Please say yes."

I drop to my knees and wrap my arms around him. "A thousand times yes."

After I answer, we take Mason’s wise advice for a few minutes.

Dallas runs a hand over my hair. “I’m so happy, Rose. My aunt loves me and my friends love me. I knew that before you showed up. And they made it more obvious when I messed up. But the way you love me is different. I thought I’d live my whole life without knowing true love. My tattoo has a double meaning.” He slides the ring out of the box. “I hope you like this.”

I don't even look down because I can't tear my gaze from Dallas's face. “I know I’ll love it.”

I glance down as he takes off the rose-shaped ring I’ve been wearing since the night of the fake proposal and slips on the new one.

“Oh, Dallas!” I wipe fresh tears off my face.

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