Page 130 of Every Bit As Perfect
I indicated my negligee and winked.“I would but I can’t go downstairs like this.”
“You win,” he ceded, climbing from the bed.“I’ll be right back.”
Turning onto my hands and knees, I set up our pillows and straightened the covers.Snickered to myself as I wondered if we could continue this routine at home.
In less time than should have been possible, he was back.
I grinned at him as I tucked myself back in and pulled back the covers on his side.Instead of getting in, he rounded the bed to my side and placed the tray on my lap.“See if that meets your expectations,” he murmured, his eyes serious.
The smile fell off my face at the look on his.“Are you okay?”
He jerked a nod toward the tray with its covered dome.
No flower, juice, or coffee today, just the silver dome.
My hand shaking, I lifted the lid to uncover a beat-up black velvet box that had seen better days.I tilted my head.This was obviously not what I thought it was, but by the look on his face, it was important.
In any case, we were in no rush.
I glanced up at him.“Can I open it?”
“You can’t see what’s inside if you don’t,” he murmured.
Placing it into my palm, I held the bottom steady while I popped the top.
An enormous princess cut diamond solitaire engagement ring winked at me from its tiny nest.
“Daire,” I gasped.“What is this?”
He dropped to one knee and held his hand out for mine.
Shaking, I gave it to him.
“This is the ring my father gave to my mother when he asked her to marry him.When I turned twenty-five, my mother gave it to me for my future bride.I gave it back to her for safe keeping.I can’t begin to tell you how happy she was when I finally asked her for it.”
My hands trembled, and tears came to my eyes.
He squeezed my fingers and raised them to his mouth.Breathing deep, he kissed my fingers before pressing my hand to his heart which was doing its level best to beat out of his chest.
I rubbed a soothing circle over his chest, falling ever more desperately in love with him with every passing second.
“Harley,” his voice caught but he cleared his throat, “I had a simple dream for my future.I thought you could fulfil it, instead you turned it on its head.Because now the dream is nothing unless it fulfills you.”
I pressed my palm to his heart.
“I never cared much for money until I looked into the repairs for the carousel.I was terrified I wouldn’t have the funds.For the first time in my life, money was important.
“My dream was to have two kids.Now when someone asks me, the answer is however many Harley wants to give me.
“Buying a house, traveling, investing money, having kids, the point of all of it, is you, Harley.You’re the dream.
“You’re the reason for everything.”
Tears streamed seamlessly down my face like two tiny rivers with no beginning and no end.
He brushed them away with his thumbs and plucked the ring out of the box in my hand.
“So,” he sucked in a breath and smiled, “I’m asking you to wear this.To have me and be mine to hold.Will you marry me?”
