Page 61 of Never Always
I nod. “Sure. If you’re ready.”
“Come here. I have to show you something.”
My stomach spins, because since we’ve gotten home, he’s done a million romantic things for me. Flowers. Breakfast in bed. A spa day. A rom-com movie marathon with all of my favorite candy. We didn’t make it halfway through the first movie before I was on top of him naked, but I think that was also part of his plan. There was a picnic on the beach when I got cleared from the doctor. He had a whole tent set up to block the wind and cold. All of the gestures were tailor fit. Me. He gets me.
“Grange, you don’t have to keep doing things for me. You know I love you.”
He walks me into the living room. “I love you, too. I’m also a man who has a million things to apologize for.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “I’ve forgiven you a million times.”
“You never gave up on me. I think that’s what strikes me the most. Your love for me was unconditional, Fire. I was never so alone as I was in the hospital. After knowing what loving you felt like and thinking I’d never have it again. Unconditional love like I’ve only experienced one other time in my life.”
“I mean, not when I was tripping on my skirt while running away from you. It probably wasn’t unconditional that day.”
Grange chuckles, flicks on the light and guides me by the shoulders to look at the picture he has replaced the ocean diptych with. It’s one large canvas, bigger than all three of those photos were.
“Is that us?” Craning my neck, I move in for a closer look.
Grange kisses the back of my neck. “That’s what took the most time that night, why I was running late meeting you at the gate. I was setting up the underwater camera in that fucking pool. It’s cool, isn’t it? I wasn’t sure it would turn out this good, but I had my suspicions.”
It’s us. Kissing for the first time. The glow sticks in the pool look like specks of neon light and the water surrounding us is black. Our bodies are only lit by the sparse light of the sticks in sections. We’re shadows, wearing flippers, kissing underwater. My red hair looks like a flame. I cover my mouth with my hand. It’s peaceful, a magic moment captured so perfectly.
“It’s so striking. I can’t believe you did this. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Who has a captured moment from their first kiss? No one, that’s who.
“I wanted this to be our home. Not just mine. But mostly I wanted to remember this moment for the rest of my life.”
“Our first kiss?” I ask, turning to look at him, but the pull is too strong, I look back at the stunning canvas. The photo was taken from deep, so our bodies look small, and we’re centered perfectly. He planned it so perfectly and executed it without me knowing. “This is so epic. Literally, I didn’t know anything like this was possible.”
“Well, yeah, that moment because I had to comb through a ton of GoPro footage to find it, sure, but mostly I want to remember this. Here.”
Spinning me to face him, he’s extending a wishbone, a glittering sapphire and diamond ring on one side. “Here’s the thing. I borrowed this idea from him, too. But I hope you’ll appreciate the tweaks I made to it. There’s no grease, and your parents aren’t hovering over us. I also really fucking hope you’ll marry me and make me the luckiest son of a bitch in the world. I’m no good. I’m awful, but you even me out, Fire. Marry me?”
“You’re proposing?” I lose my breath and stare at the ring on the V-shaped bone. Unexpected doesn’t cover it. I’m flabbergasted.
He grins, hopeful. “You know what they say? Your comeback has to be sicker than your throwback.”
“Who says that? No one says that. Is that what I am? Your comeback?”
He shrugs. “You’re my life. So, what do you say? You were destined to be my wife from the second I saw you in the park. Go with it. Love me forever. Let me love you insane for the rest of my days.”
I pull the ring off the bone, never taking my eyes off his. The excitement reverberates off his body when I touch the sapphire. “This is beautiful.” He takes it from me and pulls my left hand from my side and slides the ring on. He keeps his fingers on mine after the ring is placed. “That’s a yes. I’ll marry you. Not because I feel sorry for you, either. Because I said I’d never give up on you and I meant that.” He pulls me into a bear hug. I speak with my face smashed against his pec. “Also, because I want you to love me insane for the rest of my life. That is a promise I could never turn down.”
“I knew it!” he exclaims, pulling away, he presses gentle lips against mine. Grange pushes his body against mine, widening his stance so he can get down on my level. It’s how I know the kiss will be a long one. He’s adjusting his feet. The fire blooms from my chest and my core clenches with desire. His tongue is probing and warm and his hands cradle me like I’m fragile. I’m not glass any longer. Life hardened me. Gave me new tools, broadened my world view, made me untrusting. What life also did was forge a woman worthy of Corrick Granger.
Twining my hands behind his neck, I break our lips. A mortal sin in our world. I try to never do it if I can help it. “You’re practically naked.” I slide my hands down to his grey sweatpants. “Want to make this super official. Seal the deal?”
He’s tugging off my shirt, his mouth ajar, and his eyes mid mast. The face he gives when he’s about to turn on ravage mode. I squeal, a giddy peal of laughter. He picks me up and brings me to the bedroom. When I’m on the bed and disrobed, he pulls off his pants. “You’re really mine forever,” he whispers. “I love you so much it makes my stomach hurt.” And I know why.
I crook a finger at him and my engagement ring sparkles in the low light. “I’m never going anywhere, Grange. I’m here forever.” He lands with hands on each side of my body. “Forever is a long time.” His eyes go dark when he looks at my ring, understanding what it means.
“It is. I hope your stomach doesn’t hurt so bad you’re nauseous and we have to postpone making this official.” I take him under his arms and wiggle out from underneath. “I want to be on top.”
“I would vomit continuously the whole time if it meant making this official.”
I wrinkle my nose, straddling him. I’m confident now, with him in all arenas of our relationship. We’re a team. “Wait,” I say, holding my breath as the head of his dick barely enters my body. “I need to ask something.”
“I’d give you anything you want right now if it meant you’d sit down all the way.” His words are a rushed, hilarious plea. “Ask me. Try it.”
