Page 32 of A Very Grumpy Navy SEAL

A sob breaks in my throat.“I want you to keep doing what you love.”

“I will.And I’ll love you, too.We’ll figure it out.”

My heart aches in the best way.Because I believe him.“What about when you’re home?

Will we split time?”

“You’ll visit when you can.I’ll fly you out.Your new job is remote, right?”

I nod.

“So you can work anywhere.I’ll rent us a place close to base while I’m stateside.But this”—he gestures around the hotel room, to the town beyond the walls—“this will be home base.We’ll keep a house here.For good.”

I blink at him.“You want to buy a house?”

“I already looked at a few.”He shrugs.“Didn’t feel right making an offer until I knew you’d be in it.”

“You’re serious.”

“I’m very serious,” he says.“And also—I want to marry you.”

My heart flatlines.

“Tomorrow.”

My mouth drops open.“Koa!”

“We don’t have to make it big.Just us.The courthouse.Maybe Cameron can be our witness.Or we can wait until Ledger gets back from his deployment and do it then.I don’t want to wait longer than that.”

I stare at him, trying to catch up.

“This isn’t heat or adrenaline or a reaction to the craziness of this week,” he continues.“This is the clearest I’ve ever felt about anything.I love you, Lula.And I want to start forever with you.Now.”

“I…”

“I’m not asking for a picture-perfect life.I know we’ll fight.I know I’ll screw things up sometimes.But I will never stop choosing you.Every day.”

I throw myself at him, arms wrapping around his neck as I press my lips to his.

The kiss is messy and wet and a little desperate.But it’s perfect.Because it’s us.

“I love you,” I breathe when we break apart.“I love you so damn much.”

He grins, that dimple peeking out like it always does when he’s happy.“You’re mine now, Bunny.”

“Only if you’re mine, too, SEAL.”

“Always.”

We collapse onto the bed in a tangle of limbs and heartbeats.My cheeks hurt from smiling, and my chest feels sore from how full it is.And for the first time in what feels like forever, I’m not afraid of what comes next.

We’ll make a plan together.We’ll change it when necessary, and we’ll continue to choose each other, no matter what.

That’s all I need.

That’s all I’ll ever need.

TWELVE

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