Page 131 of The Pucking Wrong Guy

And I’d never meant something more.

CHAPTER28

ARI

We lost in the first round. And even though I’d expected it, it still hurt like hell. I’d stressed for days, waiting to hear if Dallas was interested in getting me back. And when the call came from my agent, assuring me that the Knights were ready to do whatever it took to bring both Walker and me on board, it felt like a million pound bowling ball had been lifted off my chest. Now I just had to do the long wait until July to make it official when free agency kicked off.

I felt guilty that the Cobras would be losing us both, an unfamiliar feeling to be sure. They had been good to me, and I knew they wanted me to sign a contract to stay on—they’d been hounding Remi’s phone every day.

My path was set though, just like it had been all those years ago when I’d met Blake. Some things were just meant to be.

And me playing with Linc in Dallas was one of them.

But there was a lot of time between now and July, and today, I only had one thing on my mind…proposing to Blake.

Yes, she was already my wife. And no, that was never going to change.

But I hadn’t exactly proposed last time, so I’d planned something special tonight at the Griffith Observatory.

I didn’t know why I was so fucking nervous. There was only one answer she could give me tonight.

I already had that girl locked down.

But I wanted to do this for her, and I wanted it to be perfect.

* * *

Blake

Ari was always surprising me, so when he mentioned he had something special planned for the night, I hadn’t thought twice about it. Or at least he hadn’t given me a chance to think twice about it. We’d been in bed all afternoon, and I’d had so many orgasms I was having trouble remembering my name.

We drove through the winding roads, finally heading up a steep hill before I realized where we were going.

”The Griffith Observatory?” I asked, sitting up in my seat to stare at the scene in front of us. It was one of those tourist things that I should have done already, but I hadn’t ever set aside time. The observatory itself was a majestic sight, perched atop a hill, commanding a breathtaking view of the city below.

We parked the car and made our way up the steps to the entrance. The architecture was awe-inspiring, a blend of Art Deco and modern design that was both elegant and timeless.

Inside, we explored the fascinating exhibits, all about astronomy and the universe.

“You know a lot more about astronomy than I would expect,” I mused as Ari pointed out pictures of various constellations and celestial objects as we strolled through the halls.

“Mmmh, for some reason, I caught the stargazing bug when I was young…and it never quite went away,” he said with a wink.

I raised an eyebrow, but then a shot of a black hole caught my eye and I forgot what he’d said.

But the real surprise awaited us outside. As we reached the observatory's rooftop, the night sky stretched out above us, its velvet glory sprinkled with a million twinkling stars. Ari had arranged for someone to set up a cozy little spot with blankets and cushions, complete with a high-quality telescope pointed at the heavens.

I turned to him with a curious smile, my heart skipping a beat. "Are we going stargazing?"

Ari's eyes sparkled in the moonlight as he nodded. "We are,” he said quietly.

As I settled down on the cushions, Ari adjusted the telescope, and I took everything in. The soft glow of city lights below us, the serenity of the night, and the promise of countless stars above painted a picture of sheer perfection.

He laid down beside me and we stared into the night sky, our fingers entangled together.

“I loved you from the moment I saw you,” he murmured suddenly, and my breath skipped as I turned my head away from the sparkling heavens, and towards his face…where the view was even better.

“Really?”

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