Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Leyla
My heart raced as I watched the shadows from the firelight dancing around Niko’s face. His eyes were wide and expectant as my mind tried to process his words.
“I know this is quick, but you’re my soulmate, Leyla. I feel it every time I see you, touch you, hold you. Every conversation solidifies that we were meant to be together. You don’t have to answer right now. And we can wait as long as you need. I just couldn’t…”
Taking his face in my hands once more and scratching my fingers through his short beard, his eyes closed as he leaned closer.
“Niko, yes. Yes, in every lifetime, yes,” I whispered.
His eyes opened, glassy from unshed tears. “Yes?”
I nodded. “Yes. I’m yours.”
He pulled me to him, our kiss sweet from the marshmallows, and salty as we shared each other’s tears. He pulled away, eyes suddenly frantic.
“I’ve prayed about this so many times. Dreamed about it.
Rehearsed it a hundred times. I knew I’d ask you.
It was just a matter of time. I think I surprised myself tonight.
But I don’t want you to think it was spontaneous and not thought through.
I’ve been wanting this, wanting you for a long time.
I don’t have the ring yet, although I’ve looked, but I will buy it tomorrow,” he said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
“I love that you’ve been rehearsing it, and I love that you were spontaneous. You keep surprising me. So unlike you,” I teased, giving him a shy smile.
He huffed out a laugh and nodded. “I keep telling you. You’ve changed me. Mike says I’ve become a sappy romantic.”
I laughed out loud, my head leaning back.
When I looked at him again, he said, “I love it when you laugh like that. That’s the girl I fell in love with.
Sunshine and starlight blazing across my heart.
" His hand rubbed over his tattoo, and I was lifted to another dimension. How could a person be this happy? “You’ve undone me, Leyla Cooper.”
Whispering, I said, “Soon to be Leyla Demir.”
His breath caught in his throat at my words. “Soon to be Leyla Demir,” he repeated. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”
“Not as happy as I am. But we are doing this a bit backward, aren’t we?” I chuckled. “I need you to meet my parents and my brother at some point when he’s in town.”
“Oh, no,” he groaned, “Is your father going to be angry with me for not asking for your hand?”
I shook my head. “They’re not very old-fashioned. They will be thrilled to know how happy I am. Promise. They know you’re the guy from class that I liked and then had a falling out with, but I know they will love you.”
He looked relieved. “I haven’t told my parents, either, but yes, they know about the girl I had a crush on back in college.
Oh, but Defne knows everything. Now that I think about it, my parents weren’t all that surprised when I video-called them for a quick dance lesson before our date.
Pretty sure Defne filled them in,” he chuckled.
“You’re going to love her. All of them. And they’re going to love you.
Leyla, I know this is all so quick. We can wait until we do this right. ”
“Yes, we will have to go back a few skipped steps, for sure,” I said with a chuckle. “But think of the stories we’ll have to tell our kids.”
Drawing me closer, he said, “That sounds like a beautiful life. You, me, a couple of science nerds.” We both laughed as he kissed my temple.
“When you are ready, we can set a date.”
“We could always just elope,” I said.
After a few beats of silence, we both said, “They’d kill us.”
“You’re right. I don’t know who would be angrier, Vicky and Sofia or our moms,” I chuckled.
“We will know when the time is right.”
Sitting in the sweet silence I had grown accustomed to with him, I replayed what had just happened. I wanted to kick my feet and squeal.
Ah, Niko had just proposed!
He nuzzled my neck with a groan, his beard sending sparks over my skin. “Your vanilla perfume…let’s not wait too long.”
I gave him a mock offended look. “Mr. Demir! You’re shocking my delicate sensibilities.”
He smiled but then his face became serious as his eyes flitted across my face.
“Leyla.”
“Yes,” I breathed out, his gorgeous face making my heart race.
“You’re an answer to my prayers. We’re going to have a beautiful life together.”
Kissing him again, I said, “I can’t wait for it to get started.”