16. Linda #3
"I met you," he answered, his voice serious, a register that held zero calculated defense.
He stopped speaking, his eyes locked onto hers with an unyielding intensity that made her feel almost hypnotized by the sheer, raw emotion shining in his face.
"You've changed my world," he whispered, his thumb lightly tracing the line of her jaw.
"I know exactly how you feel," she admitted, her voice carrying a steady certainty as she met his gaze. "Because you changed mine, too."
"I love you," he whispered, his head leaning down slowly as his lips found hers in a gentle, lingering kiss that sent an immediate, thrilling tingle straight through her nervous system.
Linda's mind went thoroughly blank, the distant music and the sound of the waves vanishing into nothingness. She leaned into his strength, her hand rising to rest against the back of his neck as she deepened the embrace.
"I love you too," she whispered back against his lips as they finally parted just a fraction.
He leaned in to kiss her a second time, a deeper, slower kiss that made her toes curl against the cool grass before he slowly pulled back, a faint, nervous chuckle escaping his lips as he ran his free hand through his dark hair.
"I don't have anything on me," he said, his expression turning slightly sheepish.
She frowned, looking at him in confusion. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
"I want to ask you to marry me," he explained, his voice carrying a vulnerable strain. "But this time, I want the moment to be beautiful. I don't want to just present you with a box. I thought that I would ask you to come with me, and we'll choose our wedding rings together."
Linda stared up at his handsome face, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to process his words. For a long second, she couldn't even form a coherent thought.
Did he just ask her to marry him? She thought about the clumsy, unpolished way he had phrased the question, and a hilarious realization struck her. That was easily the worst, most unromantic marriage proposal she had ever heard in her life.
"Gosh, I'm sorry," he said, his cheeks turning a faint pink as he ran his hand through his hair again, his executive confidence vanishing.
Linda burst out laughing, the bright, musical sound echoing off the stone walls of the terrace. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling his head down to press a passionate kiss against his lips to silence his apology.
"No, you are not terrible," she told him, her eyes shining with pure, unadulterated happiness as she looked into his face. "You're honest, and I actually like the fact that you want me to choose my own ring."
He looked down at her, his eyes shining with a massive relief. "Is that a yes? To the worst marriage proposal probably in history?"
"Yes," she told him, her lips curving into a beautiful smile as she reached up to kiss him again. "I'll marry you and go choose rings with you."
He didn't hesitate, pulling her close against his chest as his mouth claimed hers in a deep, lingering, and toe-curling kiss that made her head spin with a dizzying happiness.
"I promise you, once we have the actual rings in our hands," he murmured against her ear, his voice rich. "I will execute the most romantic, elaborate proposal you've ever seen."
She smiled, leaning back slightly to look at his face. "I think this was incredibly romantic. I don't want you to propose to me again. This moment was unique, honest, and very special to me."
"Are you sure?" he asked, his eyes searching hers with a tender concern. "I think it was clumsy. If I had to grade the execution, I'd give my landing about a 3.5."
"Nah, that was definitely closer to a 2," she teased, her eyes dancing with mischief. "But at least it wasn't a complete crash and burn."
He let out a loud, booming laugh, his chest expanding with an overwhelming happiness as he drew her back into his arms, kissing her for another long, slow kiss.
Above them, the silver moon lit up the vast, dark sky, its brilliant reflection glittering across the gentle ripples of the bay.
The long, difficult years of her past had finally faded into the shadows of the shoreline, replaced by the beautiful promise of a new beginning.
Linda closed her eyes, resting her head secure against his chest as the quiet rhythm of the water filled the garden.
She was surrounded by her family, her closest friends, and the man she loved with all her heart.
They were finally, truly home.
THE END