Chapter Thirty-Eight #2
I hide my face in Colt’s chest, and he laughs, pulling my head back and kissing me in front of eighty-two thousand people, not to mention the millions watching at home or in bars.
He winks, then suddenly drops to one knee.
He moves so quickly that I don’t have time to register what’s happening.
The crowd erupts, and I bend down to make sure he’s okay.
“Dee, stand up,” he murmurs, and I shake my head, utterly confused. He puts the microphone down and pulls something from his pocket. I look at the small blue box, and my heart stops and jumps right into my throat. He picks up the microphone, and my hand shoots to my mouth.
Holy shit!
Colt clears his throat as my eyes start to well with tears. He looks up at me and smiles so brightly it must be hurting his cheeks.
“Deliah Norman, my life has never had so many ups and downs since I met you. But I would gladly take every down moment if it means I get to kiss you for the rest of my life. You amaze me, and you inspire me, but most of all, you make me want to fight. Fight for my life. Fight for your life. And fight for our life together. Life’s not easy, and I’ve been a pain in the arse.
But one thing I know for sure… I’ll be in love with you until the end of time,” he says, and I instantly start sobbing.
He opens the small blue box and pulls out a ring.
I extend my shaking left hand, and the crowd cheers.
“Deliah Norman, I… l-love… you. Will you make me the happiest man in the history of the world and become my wife?” he asks, and I nod frantically as the tears cascade so fast I can’t see them.
“Is that a yes?”
“Yes,” I reply, and he jumps up, wrapping his arms around me. Then he lifts, spinning me around. His smile is wide, and happiness shines. I laugh and sob at the same time. He stops and puts me down, showing me my engagement ring.
Bloody hell, it’s huge!
A drop-dead gorgeous diamond ring.
Absolutely magnificent.
“May I?” he asks, and I nod, extending my left hand.
He smiles and places it on my ring finger, and I don’t even hear the crowd as I move forward, taking Colt’s face in my hands and kissing him passionately.
I don’t care who’s watching. He loves me, and even more amazing is that he actually said he loves me, not just to me but in front of the entire world.
Nothing could ever come close to this moment.
I’m immensely happy.
Colt leans me down in a Hollywood-style kiss, and I laugh against his mouth as he pulls me back up.
I open my eyes to his piercing blue orbs, staring right at me with nothing but adoration and love, and that’s exactly how I feel about him.
He chastely kisses me again, then raises my hand above our heads in a ‘we are the champions’ move.
I laugh as the crowd cheers, and Hux plays the first few chords of the bridal march on his guitar.
I look over at him, and he smiles, full of joy.
A security guard walks on stage with a stool and places it beside me. I look back at Colt, and he gestures for me to sit, so I do.
“Thank God, she said yes. It could’ve been really embarrassing otherwise,” Colt says into the microphone, and everyone laughs. He leans in and kisses me chastely again, then strums his guitar.
Dingo starts on the drums and plays the intro for “Until the End of Time,” and I glance down at my engagement ring and smile brightly. I look back up at Colt, who appears the happiest I’ve ever seen him.
The guitars start, and Colt begins to sing soon after.
Then it’s just him and me.
Everyone has faded away.
His voice fills me with want for him so badly that I have to physically restrain myself from jumping up, pushing him to the floor, and ripping his damn shirt off. And throughout the entire song, all I can imagine is him inside me, and I know he’s thinking the exact same way.
The song finishes, and he walks over to take my hand. I bite my bottom lip, and he has that sultry look in his eyes.
“Thanks, New Jersey, you’ve been amazing,” Colt says into the microphone and then places it on the stand. He puts his guitar on the stool, then he bends down and lifts me over his shoulder. I squeal as my face comes firmly in line with his ass.
The crowd erupts into laughter, their cheers still echoing through the stadium.
I look up, dazed, overwhelmed, ridiculously happy, and give a small wave as Colt grins and effortlessly carries me off stage. I’m still laughing when we make it backstage, my heart racing, my cheeks aching from smiling so damn hard.
The second he sets me down, he doesn’t let go.
Instead, he yanks me closer, crushing me against him, his lips crashing onto mine.
His tongue tangles with mine, hot, desperate, claiming me completely.
His fingers dive into my hair, tugging, anchoring, deepening the moment like he never wants to let go.
And damn, I never want him to.
Laughter bursts from behind us, breaking through the dizzying haze of his kiss.
We finally pull apart, breathless, our foreheads pressed together, both of us grinning like idiots.
Turning toward the sound, we spot Anna and Johnny heading straight for us.
Their faces are lit up, pure joy radiating off them.
Before I can react, we’re tackled into a massive group hug, laughter mixing with the electric energy buzzing in the air.
I close my eyes, soaking it all in.
Because this—this wild, beautiful, completely unexpected moment—is ours.
“See? I told you she’d say yes,” Anna says, winking at Colt.
“You knew?” I ask, and she smirks, as does Johnny. “You both knew?”
They grin and nod.
“Hmm… I don’t know, you guys conspiring behind my back.”
“It was worth it, though, right?” Johnny says.
I look back at Colt and smile. “Definitely,” I reply as they let go of us. I hold my hand out for Anna to look at the ring. She squeals and jumps on the spot, then frowns.
“Don’t jump when you’re pregnant. Gah. I pretty much just had a little bit of wee come out,” she says, and I crack up into a fit of laughter.
She frowns. “It’s light bladder leakage. It’s normal.”
Colt wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and make love to the woman I love and intend on marrying,” he says, giving me goose bumps.
I don’t think I’ll ever tire of hearing him say that.
“Say it again,” I say quietly.
He looks me in the eyes and smiles. “I love you, Dee,” he says, and my lips crash back to his.
Eventually, I pull my lips away from his and back away, taking his hand. He looks at me curiously, and I smirk.
“Now that we’re official, we have to make some time for you to meet my mum. When I got out of rehab, I promised I’d introduce you, and life seems to have gotten in the way of that promise.”
“I would love to meet your mum, babe,” I answer.
“Great, I’ll set it up. But for now, we have to wait for the rest of the band, then we can go and celebrate,” he says excitedly.
“We’re not waiting for the rest of the band. We’re getting a cab back to the hotel… right now,” I tell him, leading him toward the nearest exit. He chuckles, and we start to run hand in hand.
The crowd is still enjoying the game, so if we hurry, we can get out before anyone knows we’re gone. I laugh as I run alongside Colt with his hand in mine, and when we get to the exit, he stops, pulling me to him.
“Just in case you’ve forgotten. I love you, Dee,” he says, leaning in to kiss me.
“I love you, Colt,” I reply, and he smiles.
Holding hands, we open the door and step onto the sidewalk right by the taxi queue.
He smiles, tightening his grip on my hand, and looks at me briefly before his eyes shift over my shoulder.
His smile quickly turns into a frown, sharply pulling me to him.
I turn around—there’s a massive wave of fans running toward us.
Oh shit! Fear cripples me, and I can’t move.
“Baby, c’mon, we gotta go,” he says, pulling me, but the evil minion fans are back and are upon us before I know what’s happening. They’re screaming and clawing at Colt while he’s trying to keep his grip on me.
“Dee, don’t let go,” he yells, but I can hardly hear him over the screaming.
The crowd has swarmed us, and my grip on Colt’s hand is slowly being torn apart. Girls are pulling at him in every way possible, and they’re pulling at me, too, to get me away from him.
I’m scared.
I actually fear for my life, and as I look into Colt’s eyes, he also looks terrified.
“Colt, I can’t hold on,” I scream as they pull us further and further apart.
“Dee!” he yells as my hand is pulled from his, and the crowd surges between us.
Colt is taken further and further away from me.
“Colt!” I yell as the assholes pull at my hair and claw at my skin.
I start to cry, and I can’t see where I am going.
I’m fighting them off as best I can, but I simply can’t see or hear anything other than screaming.
The girls push me, and I stumble into a clearing away from them.
My veins fill with relief as I look up and see them standing on the side of the road, all yelling and waving for me to return to them.
I shake my head and realize I’m on the road.
“Dee!” I hear as I look up at a white van with metal tubing strapped to the roof.
Oh shit!