Chapter 17
seventeen
JAKOB
I used to think I’d never be able to trust someone new to come into my and Dafni’s life. As usual, I was correct. Because it wasn’t someone new who completed our lives. It wasn’t someone new who brought so much happiness to both our lives. She’d always been there, and I plan for her to be there forever. Even if I don’t deserve her, my daughter does. I love the way those two are together. I love the way the three of us are together.
Nicole has been living here for half a year now, and I have no doubts about where I want our future to go. I told her she has all the control of when we take the next step, but telling her may not be enough. I need to show her. Prove to her that I’m fully committed and she owns me.
My heart is pounding so loudly in my ears that I’m afraid if I don’t calm down, I won’t even be able to hear her answer. It’s fine. I still have a few minutes to get myself under control before she arrives home from work. Miss Owens has agreed to take Dafni out for ice cream so we’ll have the afternoon to ourselves. The only two people who know of my plan are Dafni and Miss Owens. I needed Dafni’s blessing, and I needed Miss Owens to watch Dafni. I couldn’t ask anyone in my family to help babysit for fear they’d tell Nicole before she got here. They mean well, but something would’ve happened. I’m typically not a nervous person. I suspect how tonight will go, and I hope it goes that way, but life is unpredictable. This could be a colossal flop.
Nicole’s voice comes from the doorway. “Jakob? Dafni? Where is everyone?”
“I’m in the bathroom!” I call out and then cringe. “I’m in our room!”
Nicole’s silhouette appears in the doorway a moment later, the light shining from behind her. Our gazes lock. I’m shirtless and wearing only my slacks.
“What’s going on?”
“I thought about having you shave me as a trust exercise. It’s also where we first crossed a few lines.” I inhale deeply. “Every idea I had was either weird or cheesy. Good thing you like both. Unfortunately, I couldn’t be satisfied with any of them.”
Nicole looks concerned but with a hint of excitement. “Why do we need to do a trust exercise?”
She’s so sexy without even realizing it. I want to grab her and kiss her with everything I have, but I won’t act on that urge yet. She’s perfection yet so humble. This woman is loving and loyal. Fun and hilarious. Quirky and awkward. She’s so darn cute and she doesn’t even try.
Fuck it.
I rush over and grab her by the shoulders. “I love you. I’m going to propose to you, even if you say no. This is me showing my full commitment, and this is a proposal that’s open for eternity.”
Her eyebrows leap up. “Eternity?”
“Yes. Because there will never be a time when I don’t want to be with you, even when you’re being a smartass.”
She startles when I drop down to one knee. I hold up two ring boxes, and her head tilts to the side, confusion evident by her pinched brows.
“This ring is for when you’re ready to be my wife. You can wear it now and tell me when.” I pause to gather myself. “Or you can put it away and pull it out when you’re ready to wear it. But I want you to have it to know I’m serious. You’re still in control. No pressure. I love you. ”
“Oh my gosh, put it on. Yes! I love you!” Tears slowly stream down her face.
I remove the ring and gently slide it onto her left ring finger. My smile splits my face in two. She bends down and we’re both still smiling as we try to kiss. Relief floods my soul as I see she’s as deliriously happy as I am at the idea of spending the rest of our lives together.
“Wait, what’s the other box? Is that for if I’d said no?”
I can hardly contain my excitement as I open the little velvet box. “This ring, sweet one, is for your middle finger.” The ring is platinum with a blue sapphire. The stone reminds me of the color of the Mediterranean Sea.
She gasps and asks, “Why? This is as stunning as my engagement ring.”
Before I slide the ring onto her finger, I take her right middle finger—the one she loves to throw up—and wrap my lips around it. I slowly suck her finger. She moans and the sound goes straight to my groin. I pull her finger out and then take the ring. It easily slides on.
“Now,” I tell her, “every time you raise that finger, it’ll remind you of me. It’s also a sign that you’re mine and everyone else can fuck off.”
She giggles, her eyes alive with excitement. “You’re crazy! ”
“You use this finger more than any other one anyway. I feel like this one is more important to put a ring on.”
I’m surprised to find hot tears sliding down my face. What the hell? I wasn’t expecting to be emotional about this. Obviously, I am emotionally invested.
Her lips collide with mine, and I lift her up and take her to the bed, not releasing her sweet mouth. I spend the rest of the night touching, caressing, and lingering on every curve and dip of my fiancée.
When Dafni returns home, we share the good news. She’s beyond excited. Then we invite our families over for dinner to tell them. Of course, everyone wants the date and wedding location. It’s all annoying. I feel like I was lucky enough to just secure the fiancée.
“Jakob, are you so possessive you had to put a ring on both hands?” my sister taunts.
“Doesn’t hurt. In case they don’t see it on one hand, there’s another.”
However, after all the prodding and nosy questions, I become curious on what Nicole’s thoughts are about where to get married and what kind of ceremony she wants. While we’re sitting in the living room and everyone else is distracted in their own conversations, I ask. Her smile is shy, which only intrigues me more.
“I feel we have to get married in the church where we lit the candles. Think we could do another weekend in Greece?”
I’ve never been so happy. I give her a nod because I know how much it annoys her. “We can do that.”
She narrows her eyes and chews on the inside of her cheek. “Really?”
I pull her closer to me and kiss her forehead. “It seems we both were praying for the same thing, huh?”
“Do you think God answered my prayer because I caught a woman’s hair on fire?”
I can’t help but laugh. “Somehow that feels like blasphemy.”
“Maybe I made Him laugh! That’s not blasphemy. I’m genuinely curious.”
Dafni looks up from playing with her dolls and says, “It was my prayer He answered. I get sweet Nicole as my mommy.”
The End.