Chapter 12
Sabrina
I wait.
My head is spinning and my heart is pounding, but I wait. I’ve never seen him so determined. That’s saying a lot. Few people are as controlled and resolute as Dexter Whitby.
He comes in with a folder, which he puts on the nightstand. Dex sits beside me and holds my hand.
“The fireplace downstairs. You noticed it right away. Why?”
Huh? I’m about to quibble about his question. What does a fireplace have to do with this urgent and important conversation? However, the seriousness of his expression stops me from complaining. I answer instead.
“Aside from the fact that it’s gorgeous?” I sigh, deciding to elaborate. “Remember when we played in the finals at Denver? Sixth grade, I think. There was a fireplace in the hotel we were staying at. Do you know what I’m talking about?”
“I do. In fact, I remember exactly what you said: If I ever have a fireplace like that at home, I’ll make s’mores every day.”
“I did not say that!”
“You absolutely did.” His grin stuns me. “Watching you sit in front of the fire with a book and a cup of tea is a major highlight of my day.”
“What’s your point?” I ask lightly. “That you have really boring days, or that you thought about me when you bought the house?”
He lifts a brow in a wordless what do you think. My mouth gapes open because that can’t be right.
Dex continues his mysterious line of questioning. “Whenever we vacation together in the summer, what’s your favorite place to eat at?”
“For real, Dex? I’m freaking out about your family wondering where we are. I’m anxious about how the future will pan out. You, however, decide to quiz me about our vacations.”
“Answer me.”
“I don’t know. Anything with a view outdoors. Preferably a brewery with a patio.”
He smirks, handsome and smug. “I rushed to build the patio when I first bought the house, right at the beginning of fall. I wanted you to have it on the first sunny day next year.”
“What?” I rasp. My breathing turns shallow and my eyes prickle. “You are not making sense, Dex. Why would you do that?”
He opens the folder and shows me a document dated in October, weeks after my surgery and around the time he—
“You bought the house around the time we talked about . . . about getting married. You came to Buffalo and spent two days convincing me and my parents that marrying you was the only solution.”
He nods. “After my first visit in the hospital, a few days after the accident, I called a realtor to help me find a place. Nothing was fully planned in my head, but I knew that if you gave me a chance to take care of you, I couldn’t do it in a high-rise building.
You’d fucking hate not having a backyard. ”
“Dex.” It’s the only sound I can make as I choke on emotion and awe.
“The second I saw this place, I saw us here together.”
I’m shaking my head. It’s too much to take in. He got this place for us? Even before there was an us?
“I can’t wrap my mind around what you’re saying. We said one year. I’d get the necessary medical care and then we would split up.” Even as those last two words leave my mouth, they sound so wrong.
He shrugs. “I never said that, Sabrina. You did. For some reason, you required an end date, so I went with it. If I couldn’t convince you to stay after one freaking year, I didn’t deserve you.”
My body moves before my mind catches up. I throw myself at him to kiss his perfect mouth. “Don’t you ever say that, Dexter Whitby. Don’t you ever say you don’t deserve something or someone. You deserve the world.”
He buries his nose in my hair before planting a kiss on my forehead. “You always do that.”
“Excuse me, I don’t think so!” I exclaim, suddenly self-conscious. “I never threw myself at you. Well, till recently.”
A chuckle, low and sexy, accompanies his words.
“I mean whenever I doubted myself, all these years, you always said some version of that. Jumped at every chance to provide confidence when I needed it. Made me feel seen as a person and not only as a hockey player. You’ve always been there for me, Baby Brie. ”
My heart is in a vise and my nose is prickling. I can’t decide if I want to cry or swoon or jump up and down. Maybe all three at once.
This man has always been the most amazing person. It turns out—I can now admit wholeheartedly—he’s also the person I love the most.
“You are my everything,” he says with searing blue eyes.
“When I thought I was going to lose you to that accident, I realized how much you’ve always meant to me.
More than a friend. More than anyone. All that mattered was keeping you near.
I knew in my heart I didn’t want this life if you’re not in it. ”
“But Dex, why didn’t you just say that?”
“Would you have heard me? You were too busy worrying about everyone else and too shaken by the situation,” he explains. “I was willing to be whatever you needed. At the time, you needed a fake husband.”
“Instead of telling me how you feel, you married me. That’s some strategy.” I chuckle at the delightful weirdness of it. “Was last night part of the plan?”
“I’ll remind you I wasn’t the one wearing a red fuck-me outfit.”
“Excuse me, it’s called a teddy! Or maybe a babydoll? I can’t remember.”
His features soften with affection. “I honestly didn’t expect anything last night. Just wanted to take care of you, Sabrina. Figured everything would fall into place once we spent time together. Because it’s always been you.”
I swoon without restraint. “I’m glad it didn’t take us all year to figure things out. Last night wasn’t planned, but it was perfect.”
He hauls me over his lap so I’m straddling him, my hips rubbing against his thick erection. Large hands grab my ass and squeeze hard. “I’m a patient man, but no saint. There’s no way you were going to keep flashing this fine ass and expect me to stay away.”
“I’m happy you didn’t stay away.”
The guests enter the house, making a ruckus so as not to catch us by surprise. I scramble to go downstairs.
However, Dex holds my hand and prevents me from turning away. He puts a blue box in my palm. The Cartier logo at the top is partially hidden by a small bow.
“I never got you a typical diamond engagement ring. I’m hoping this will make up for it.”
There’s a hint of uncertainty in his voice. Dexter’s determined gaze—so masculine and in control—mixes with the slight hesitation of his sweet offering. Like he’s not sure I’m going to like his gift.
There’s no reason to worry on that front. He could have a candy cane in that box, and I’d still count myself the luckiest woman in the world.
How did I go from someone who felt like an interloper to the person with whom he wants to share his life?
“A ring didn’t even occur to me when we eloped. You kissed me in that courtroom, and I don’t think I would have noticed if you put a crown on my head.”
He chuckles. “I wasn’t going to pass up the chance to kiss you for the first time. Gotta impress my wife.”
“Is that what you were doing?”
“It’s what I’m always doing. Now open your Christmas gift so you can be impressed, already!”
With shaky hands, I open the box. The diamonds on a tennis bracelet sparkle.
“Oh, Dex, it’s beautiful. Thank you. It’s the most amazing thing anyone has ever given me,” I gush. And then I add, “Except for a beautiful home with a fireplace and patio. This is definitely a close second.”
He laughs and runs a finger over the back of my hand, urging me to wear his gift. He secures the elegant bracelet around my wrist.
I notice a detail. “What’s this?”
“I had the clasp custom-made.”
“Two connecting hockey sticks? Oh my god, that’s incredible!”
Just when I think the moment can’t get any better, Dex falls on one knee.
“What are you doing?”
“Proposing to my wife.” His smile is wide and his eyes are sparkling. “Sabrina Ramirez Whitby, I love you. Will you marry me, knowing I want to spend the rest of my life with you?”
I fall on my knees in front of him and grab his hands so we’re linked.
We’re two people proposing to each other after we already got married. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Yes, Dexter Whitby. I love you so much. I would marry you every day for the rest of my life.” I scoot closer to wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m yours forever, if you’ll have me.”
We share a hot, greedy kiss.
When we finally part to catch our breaths, Dex speaks with his mouth still against mine.
“I’m yours, too. It’s always been you.”