Chapter 33
Erin
“Ican’t wait for a hotdog!” I squealed, skipping ahead of Jacob to the security gates. I turned to wait for him, anxiously bouncing from one foot to the other. “Will you hurry up, slowpoke?”
Jacob rolled his eyes before his mouth stretched into a wide grin that emphasized his dimples. He gestured for me to go first and then followed me through the metal detector. On the other side, he threw his arm around me, glancing at the security guard that had been staring at me. His arm tightened when we slipped through the crowd, and my stomach fluttered.
“Are you here for the food or the game?” he asked when we got to the gate that would lead us to our seats. His smile didn’t falter, and I swore his eyes sparkled when he looked at me, as if the roaring crowd that pushed past us had disappeared and there was nobody but the two of us standing there.
My stomach flipped and the butterflies raced towards my throat. “I’m here to see you smile like that!” I said, jumping up and throwing my arms around his neck. I stretched on my toes to give him a quick kiss. “And also for the food.”
Jacob swatted my ass when I started to giggle, and my cheeks warmed. People could see us, and when he did that I was sure more than one was watching. Usually it would bother me, but I didn’t care. I wanted to feel his hands all over me all the time, no matter where we were.
He leaned down until his lips hovered over my ear, and when he spoke his breath tickled me. “You’re ridiculous,” he groaned. “Let’s go get our seats, and then I’ll buy you as many hotdogs as you want.”
I followed Jacob through the small tunnel and down the concrete stairs to a row of stadium seating that had several open seats in the middle. We squeezed through, slipping between seated fans and the seats in front of them. I tripped over a foot, falling towards the floor. I could feel the cuts and bruises that would form before there was even impact, but before I met the concrete floor, strong hands gripped my arms.
“Careful, red,” Jacob said, tugging me back against him. He put his arm around my waist, holding me still until he was sure I had my balance. “I thought you already fell for me. Are you trying to do it again?”
I gasped, looking over my shoulder at him. His eyes darkened, and I got lost in them. When I swallowed, he winked, and until the man next to us cleared his throat, I stayed in that place and stared at him. “Oh god, I’m so sorry,” I murmured, quickly taking our seats.
I buried my face against Jacob’s shoulder once we were settled. He was staring at me when I looked up at him, and I giggled. “What are you looking at?”
“You.” Jacob shrugged and brushed my hair behind my ear, and the intensity of his stare made my heart start to beat faster.
Then there was a tap on my shoulder, and the woman sitting in the row behind us leaned forward. She reminded me of my grandmother when she smiled. “You two are a cute couple.” She looked between us, squeezing my shoulder where she rested her hand. “You remind me of me and my husband when we were younger.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling my cheeks warm when Jacob turned his stare to me. “That’s really sweet of you.”
“How long have you been together?” She leaned forward slightly, and my stomach fluttered. I started to giggle, thinking about the way Jacob and I had ended up here.
I grinned at him, turning back to face her again. “Only a couple months.”
“Well, you know true love when you see it.” She beamed, leaning back in her seat and winking. The woman put her hand on the lap of the man next to her, and she stared off like she was remembering her past.
Tears pricked my eyes when the man took her hand in his. “Are you okay?” he asked with a shaky voice.
She nodded. “Just remembering the way we fell in love. Doesn’t this couple remind you of us?” Her eyes glazed over, and her husband tilted his head. He looked confused, and Jacob chuckled under his breath, putting his hand on my thigh. “The way he’s looking at her is the way you looked at me before we got married! So full of adoration. It’s so pure.”
Her husband cracked a smile when he nodded and leaned forward. “You didn’t ask for my advice, son,” he said, clapping Jacob on the back, “but if you love that woman, if she’s your best friend, marry her as soon as possible. Trust me.” When the man took his wife’s hand and sat back, she leaned against him.
“Thank you,” Jacob said with a grin. Then he looked at me, and my chest tightened. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
He winked, putting his arm around me. We turned back towards the ice, but I could feel their eyes on us every time I heard her sigh happily. My cheeks and neck warmed, but I didn’t cover the blush. I looked at Jacob and grinned. Would he look at me like that forever?
When the first period ended, Jacob leaned over. “What do you say we go get a couple hotdogs?”
“Yes! I’m starving.” My stomach growled as if on cue, and he gripped my hand. He squeezed it, tugging me behind him down the row of seats and up the crowded stairs.
There was a line at the concession stand when we got there, and I rested against Jacob, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Are you having a good time?” he asked, brushing my hair back.
I nodded, kissing his cheek. “The best time.” I scanned the line, gaging how much longer we’d have to wait in it, and then started to giggle. I remembered the last game and the way we had eaten junk food until my stomach hurt for two days. He looked at me, lifting a brow, quietly trying to figure out what I had remembered that was so funny. I leaned into him. “If you buy me pie, I’ll let you eat me out.”
I giggled again, and his face got serious, but the smile in his eyes didn’t falter. “What if you just marry me instead?”
“What?” Jacob stepped back, and I was sure I had misheard him until he knelt down. When he pulled a small box from his jacket pocket, I gasped. “Oh my god.”
“I said marry me, red.” He opened the box, revealing a cushion-cut diamond surrounded by a halo. It sparkled when it caught the florescent stadium lights. “I don’t care that we’ve only been together for nine weeks. I saw what life was like without you for three days, and I never want to do it again. I want to wake up with your hair spread onto my pillow, and I want us to burn every meatloaf you make. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, Erin, and I want to spend the rest of my life falling in love with you. Please? Marry me?”
Tears welled in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. “Oh, come on! Tell him yes already!” a half-drunk man behind us shouted, and his friends roared in agreement. From the corners of my eyes, I realized we had an audience, but when I looked back at Jacob, everyone disappeared.
“I’m obviously going to say yes!” I squealed, reaching for him. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
The crowd that gathered around us erupted in cheers and high fives when Jacob stood up and wrapped his arms around me. When he kissed me, I whimpered. “You got that right,” Jacob roared, grabbing my left hand and slipping the diamond ring onto it. It was a little big, and he chuckled. “We’ll get that resized.”
I nodded and wiggled my finger, watching the ring sparkle with tear-veiled eyes. “Do we still get pie?” I asked, giggling.
Jacob threw his head back, laughing loudly. “Yes, red. I’ll still buy you pie.” He leaned in, whispering in my ear. “And later, I’ll eat you out too.”
“I love hockey!” I shouted, and my cheeks hurt from grinning.
He lifted a brow before he pulled me to him and kissed me. “I love you.”
“I love you too, wolf man. More than anything.”