Chapter 37
thirty-seven
I silently curse the nail gun in my hand for not being quieter.
But this is the last thing I need to get done before Daisy wakes up. Then I can move on to making her breakfast.
When I got in, I soundlessly snuck into her room, thinking I’d wake her with some much-needed morning sex.
But given the condition of the apartment and how she was sprawled out on the bed, it was obvious she needed her rest.
I don’t know how she did it, but the place looks fully furnished.
Gotta love living in New York City, because where the hell else would she have gotten same-day delivery for the deep brown leather couches, coffee table, and dining room table? I smile at how similar these couches look to the ones at our cabin.
She had artwork leaning against walls I assumed she wanted them hung on.
The kitchen island was stacked high with empty cardboard boxes for every pot and pan imaginable.
A light rug now runs through the kitchen and I’m currently nailing a large piece of rolled up corkboard material to the spot she pointed at when we walked through the place half naked a couple of nights ago.
I hear her shriek from her doorway and turn. She’s wide-eyed, hair in a cute twist of curls at the top of her head, and she’s wearing my hoodie.
I manage to turn off the nail gun and place it safely on the ground before she’s running my way and leaping into my arms.
I bury my face in the crook of her neck and exhale deeply for the first time since I left her.
“What are you doing here? I thought the team wasn’t getting in until this afternoon!” She wiggles in my arms, placing her hands on my cheeks, pulling me into the sweetest kiss known to man.
“They are. I got on a two-a.m. flight and landed around five. Been busy and trying to keep quiet so you can rest.” I nod at her living room, and it’s then that she finally takes in my handywork.
Her brand-new TV is mounted on the wall, her artwork is hung up, and the corkboard wall by her front door is secured. I walk her to the kitchen island and set her there, staying between her open legs as I reach over and pick up the small bright yellow Polaroid camera.
“I don’t know if this is the right brand or kind you had in mind, but I thought it might be what you needed to take pictures of your friends and pin them to the entry wall. It had the best reviews, and the yellow reminded me of you.”
She takes another slow perusal of her place, her eyes welling with tears. When they land on the camera, I think I may have severely overstepped. She’s made it very clear that she wants a hand in everything she does with her apartment, and maybe in my haste to surprise her I went a little overboard.
“Luke.”
“I’m sorry. I can take it all down if I got it wrong, and we can—”
“You got on a plane in the middle of the night instead of flying with the team so you could see me. You managed to put up a TV and a million other things while I slept. And you—” She hiccups, two tears streaming down her face.
“And you put up my crazy wall idea and bought me the cutest camera I’ve ever laid eyes on. You—you listened. You know me. You…”
“I love you, Daisy. And if you’d let me, I’d love you for the rest of my life and consider it an honor.”
I don’t even realize I’m holding her left hand and stroking her bare ring finger until I hear a soft gasp escape her sweet lips.
In this moment, I realize what it looks like. All I need is a ring and to drop down to one knee. But the last thing I want to do is rush Daisy when she’s rebuilding her life brick by brick. All that matters is that she knows how I feel and that I plan on sticking around.
Her forehead rests against my own. “I love you so much, Luke. To the point where sometimes… I don’t think I deserve you.”
I squeeze her hand, lowering my head until her eyes meet mine. “Please tell me that’s some kind of sick joke.”
She shakes her head softly. “You’ve lived a drama-free life these past few years. And here I come with the world’s biggest baggage while you come to the rescue every single time, even when I don’t realize I need it.”
“Correction, Daze. I was practically the walking dead for five years. And you stepped into my life and made it worth living again. So if you think for one second that any of the turmoil you’re experiencing right now is a deterrent for me, then I’ve done a shit job of proving otherwise.
” She bites her lip and I nudge her chin up higher.
“If you’d let me, I’d tell the entire world that you’re mine.
Let them write a million articles until their fingers bleed.
I don’t give a damn. Because all that matters to me is that you feel safe and loved. ”
“I do,” she says shakily. “With you, I do.” She loops her arms around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss.
I wrap one arm around her hips, pulling her closer while sneakily grabbing her new camera with the other and lifting it up toward us. “Smile, Daisy.”
And she does, while I place a kiss on her temple.
The photo slides out of the camera, and we watch the film come to life with our happy faces on it.
I scoop her off the counter and walk her over to her newly installed photo wall. “Care to do the honors?”
She takes out one of the colorful pins I added to the wall and sticks our picture in the very center. “Perfect.” She sighs as she looks at what I know will be the first of many happy memories on her wall.
“I agree,” I say as I keep my gaze firmly planted on the woman of my dreams.