Page 59 of Holiday Friend Zones
It takes a split second, but Davis wraps his arms around me, pulling me impossibly closer, the wetness of his clothing seeping into mine as he takes control of the kiss.I shiver from the sudden change in temperature, but am too lost in him to care.Because he’s here now, and that is all that matters.The taste of him is sweet, familiar, and somehow new.The answer to everything that’s been missing.
My past, present, and future.
“You’re my home, Kyra,” Davis whispers, pulling back and sliding his hands to my hips, giving them a squeeze.“You always have been, you always will be.Nothing will ever change that.”
“Jail…” I chuckle.
Davis shakes his head, sending water droplets flying.“I was not trying to get us sent to jail.As sexy as you look in Volunteer orange, I don’t think prison orange would have the same effect.”
Damn straight…
“Yes, getting married was playing a little fast and loose with tax law, but I could have asked anyone if all I was doing was looking to avoid paying taxes.If all I wanted was something on paper.But I wasn’t.I asked you because you are my best friend.I love you.Like, honest-to-God in love with you, Kyra, and have been for so damn long I don’t even know.I asked you because it was my fantasy and I wanted it to be real.”
Tears prick at the corner of my eyes, my heart ready to burst.I wrap my fingers in Davis’s wet T-shirt, trying to contain my emotions, even though I know I can’t.It’s useless.I’ve waited so long to hear these words from him, so afraid that I never would.
“Why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I was convinced you didn’t feel the same way.”He squeezes my hips again, resting his forehead against mine.“And I couldn’t risk it.Until I could.”
I scoff laugh, because that’s the most Davis non-answer there ever was.And yet, somehow, it makes sense.At least to me.To anyone else, it probably wouldn’t, but that’s how I know it’s meant to be.How I know that he’s mine.Because that answer doesn’t need any more of an explanation.
“I love you too.”The words come out strangled, despite how I intend them, fighting for front billing with the tears that are making their way down my cheeks.Davis gently wipes them away, letting me have my moment.“In case that wasn’t clear.”
“Good.”He steps back, kicking the still open door shut behind him.“Makes this next question a little less crazy.But only a little.”
Dropping to one knee, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a little blue box.The butterflies inside me take flight, my breath getting caught in my chest.Is he really…
“Kyra, I know I did this wrong the first time, and this probably isn’t the most romantic way either, but you are who I want to spend my life with.Making one crazy decision after the next.Marry me?”
“Yes,” I shout, a laugh tumbling out with it.
Reaching down, I yank Davis up to his feet and leap into his arms in one swift move.I wrap myself around him, arms and legs holding on for dear life, and bury my face in his neck, letting my happy tears flow and wishing I could crawl into him.He returns my embrace just as tightly, stroking my hair and letting the moment surround us.
“One condition,” I say, lifting my head to look at him.
“Name it.”
“You save whatever is in the ring box for the Tinsel Tangle tonight, and we do this all over again, putting on a great big show for everyone to see.Especially Mikayla.”
Davis laughs, shaking his head like a puppy and spraying my face with water.“Don’t you even want to see it first?”
“Nope.I trust that it’s perfect, so I want to be just as surprised as everyone else who sees it for the first time tonight.”
Laughing again, he adjusts his grip on me, stealing a kiss.
“Deal.Anything else?”
I scrunch my nose.“You smell like wet boy.And you’ve made me all wet.”
“In a good way, I hope.”
He thrusts against me, waggling his eyebrows.Laughing, I wiggle against him, trying for some friction that might kick this to the next level.
“Maybe…”
“Then maybe I should rectify that.”
“You definitely should.”
