Epilogue
Arthur raised the longneck to his lips, sipping the bitter brew as he stared at Maren sitting in the bow of his boat, reading a book while Shasta slowly thumped her tail. The sun beat down on the calm ocean, his vessel rocking gently with the rolling waves. The last six months had been the best of his life. His career was perfect.
And he was lucky enough to have the love of the perfect woman.
“I can feel you staring at me,” Maren said. The sweet timbre of her voice floated across the air, blanketing his skin like the stars did the sky.
He chuckled. “That’s because you’re the prettiest thing out here.”
“Flattery will get you whatever you want.”
“Whatever I want?” He cocked his head.
She peered over her book. “Why do I feel like I’m being baited?”
“You said anything.” He tipped his beer.
“What’s on your mind?”
He waggled his finger at her. “Come here and I’ll show you what’s on my mind.” He patted his lap.
“We are not having sex on this boat in broad daylight. Besides, it would traumatize the dog.” She pushed herself to a standing position, and holding on to the side of the boat, she slinked her way to the center console, then straddled his lap. “Don’t get any ideas. I’m just here for the beer.” She took the bottle from his hand, her lips covering the glass opening, and chugged half of it. “Mmmm, that hit the spot.”
“You’re such a tease.” He curled his hands over her hips.
She smiled.
“I love you,” he whispered. He’d felt those words for longer than he’d been saying them, but it still humbled him every time he spoke them.
“I love you too, but now I really know you’re up to something.” She glanced around. “Usually means a prank or some weird, wicked joke.”
“You’ll never learn to be quiet, will you.” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I was thinking.”
“About?”
“Us.”
She tilted her head. “What about us?”
“I think we should get a dog.” Not how he planned on starting this conversation, but it would work.
He hoped.
“We have a dog.”
He laughed. “I mean a dog that lives with us full-time.”
“We don’t live together, and Shasta does live with me full-time.”
Shasta’s head popped up as she yelped.
He arched his brow.
“You’re serious?”
“I hate sneaking out of your mother’s house and getting caught nine times out of ten, and I hate it when you leave my apartment. I just think it would better all around if you moved in with me.”
“I’ll move in with you.”
He coughed. “Really?”
“On one condition.”
“I bet I can guess what that is.” Though he had no idea, but if he didn’t do this now, he might lose his nerve.
“I doubt that,” she said.
He patted her ass. “Get up.”
“You’re being bossy and you know how I feel about that.”
He flipped open the compartment on the console and pulled out a small pouch. “I bet your condition on shacking up is that we get married.”
“That’s not what I was going to say.”
He dumped the engagement ring into his hand and got down on one knee. Might as well do this right. “Marry me.”
“Is that a demand? Because you know I can’t stand it when you get all controlling and shit on me.”
He growled. “As your future husband, I will just warn you that I will be demanding on a regular basis.”
She took the ring in her hand. “What caramel candy popcorn box did you get this from? Is Rex out there taking a video somewhere? The things you think are funny are really just weird. I mean, come on, if this is one of your silly jokes and?—”
“You really need to learn to stop jumping to conclusions and just listen to me.” He snagged the ring as he stood up and wiggled it on her finger. “Real ring. Real proposal. So, what’s it going to be? Marriage and a dog? Or shall I just jump in the water and put myself out of my misery?”
She glanced between the ring and him with wide eyes. “Really, real? As in a real diamond ring?”
He let out an exasperated sigh and nodded.
A slow smile drew across her face. “What I was going to say was that if you want me to move in, we’ve got to get a bigger place than your apartment.”
“That’s a no-brainer. They don’t allow large dogs.”
“Well, future husband, looks like you’re going to get your wish.”
He kissed her hand. “Good. Now let me get back to fishing.”
“That’s not the wish I was talking about. I mean, yeah, I’ll marry you, but I was agreeing to have sex with you right here, right now.”
Thank you for reading Arthur’s Honor. Next up is Rex’s Honor. If you’d like to know more about Darius Ford, please check out: Darius’ Promise
Grab a glass of vino, kick back, relax, and let the romance roll in…