Page 158 of Commander in Briefs

My heart speeds up, banging against my chest in almost a painful rhythm. My fingers brush over the delicate material before I close my fist around it. Tears prick my eyes. Why? I don’t know. Hormones, I guess.

With shaky hands, I pry apart the little black box. Inside, a rose gold band nestles a huge, round diamond.

An engagement ring.

He threw me a fastball engagement ring!

It starts to rain, droplets falling on my shaking hand.

Wait, no. That’s tears.

I swallow back the lump in my throat before I look to the mound. Theo’s not there. I panic, but before it can get out of hand, I hear him clear his throat behind me.

He’s on one knee.

Just breathe, girl. You can handle Theo on his knees. Yes. Yes, you can.

“I’ve thought of a thousand ways to do this—” He clears his throat again. “But the truth is, no way would ever be what you deserve.”

More tears fall from my eyes.

Theo’s voice takes on a rasp like it usually does when he’s nervous or upset. “I don’t deserve you,” he admits with a sad smile. “You deserve so much better than me.”

I disagree, but I don’t want to interrupt.

“But, I can promise you that I will never stop trying to be the man you deserve. I love you. I have always loved you.”

A quiet, ugly sob erupts from my lips. I can’t help it. Theo on his knees confessing everything that I have always wanted to hear is absolutely breathtaking. I glance out onto the field, wondering where the guys went, but they are there, all on one knee with their hats over their hearts.

It’s too much. Seriously. I don’t think I can bear to hear the rest of his proposal.

“I love your strength. Your defiance.” When I look back, he’s standing and he fingers the piece of hair that escaped my hat. “I love your love of baseball. I love your passion to right the wrong. I love that you think you know everything.”

He chuckles after that last one.

“But most of all, I love how you love me.” He meets my eyes. There is a timid, humble glow emanating from his pupils…like he’s scared I will burst out laughing at his declaration. “Let me love you like you love me. Let me be your biggest fan.”

He reaches for my hand, which I give over willingly.

“Be my teammate in this game of life. Be mine, and only mine. Marry me, Ans. Marry me, and make me the happiest pain in the ass alive.”

Before he can even take a breath, I tackle him to the ground. Tears are streaming down my face, mixing with the red dirt on the field. I’m sure I look like a total wreck but I can’t give a fuck less at the moment. Theo squeezes me tight, burying his embarrassed face in my catcher’s gear.

“Please tell me, that’s a yes,” he mumbles.

Laughing, I pinch his side. “You had me when you threw the fastball. It was perfectly on the corner.”

His chest rumbles against mine in the sweetest laughter.

“Yes, Von Bremen, I’ll marry you.”

Cheers ring out as all the guys pile on top of us like this is some championship win. Maybe it is. It kind of feels like I just won the whole damn world.

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