Chapter Thirty-Five #2
“Well, I admit I wanted a lot more from you than from Millie. And once I got to know you... I didn’t want it to be just make belief anymore.” He dug into his pocket and held up the engagement ring I had been wearing for a blissful week. “Remember when you asked me what I was going to do with this?”
I stared at the sapphire. “You told me you were going to give it to your wife.”
“I was hoping that would be you one day.”
I felt the tears run down my cheeks. I had always believed in fairytales, but this confession was more potent, more beautiful than any fairytale I had ever read.
I cradled his hands between my palms, holding the ring between us as though we were trying to keep a flame alive from the wind.
“Cam, this is crazy. We’ve known each other less than two weeks. You can’t mean— What are you saying?”
He smiled down at me, framed by the sunset, his eyes wild and wicked, his mouth a promise of bliss. “How long is long enough for two people to realize they want to spend the rest of their lives together?”
I shook my head. “I’m not the right person to ask. I’d known Neil all of my life and still, it wasn’t long enough to realize what kind of person he was.”
“And I had known Britt for years before we were engaged. It was all a huge mistake. I know you and I are not a mistake. What I feel for you is the best, the most real thing I have ever felt for anyone. Love is not a check list. It can happen quickly, it can happen truly. I love you, Susanne.”
I saw the naked truth burning in his eyes. “I love you, too, Cam.”
He looked down at our joined hands. Slowly, he slid the ring back onto my finger, and the world fell into place around us. It belonged there, and I felt complete for the very first time.
“What more do we need?” he whispered, taking my hand to his lips. “We can have as long an engagement as you want. I want to spend all of my life discovering things about you. I already know your favorite color, your favorite flowers…”
I grinned up at him. “All those get-to-know-you questionnaires.”
“I know your favorite book…”
“I know your favorite foods. And the way you snore gently when you sleep.”
“Do I snore?”
“Just a little. It’s adorable.”
“I know your favorite chocolate.” He reached into his other pocket.
My eyes overflowed again as he took out a Toblerone candy bar and presented it to me.
That was it. I couldn’t care less about the expensive ring, about lavish gifts, or luxurious displays. Anyone could buy those things. But my man had brought me my favorite chocolate, like an otter bringing fish to its mate. To me, that was the biggest proof of love.
I wrapped my arms around him, kissing his face as he drew me into a bone-crushing embrace, our hearts beating close together.
“Just to be clear,” he whispered into my hair. “Will you marry me?”
I pulled back enough to look into his eyes. “Yes. Yes, I will.”
He brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “I promise I will never break your heart, I will always be faithful, and I will always make sure you have chocolate.”
I sniffed, unwilling to unwrap my hands from around his neck to wipe my eyes. “And I promise to be loyal forever, to respect you, and make sure I never mix your colored socks with the whites or blacks.”
“You know me so well.” He looked around. “Should we tell your family the big news?”
I glanced around at the house. Four noses were pressed to the windows.
I burst into laughter. “Let them stew a little longer. They’re on guard because of Neil. He was here today.”
I felt his biceps tense slightly under my fingers.
“What did he want?”
I shook my head. “Nothing important. I’m glad he came though.
He gave me the chance to tell him what I’ve been wanting to tell him for years.
Oh, and he was actually the one responsible for all the pranks.
The dating profile, the sex swing… The idiot thought he was doing some grand romantic gesture, and that you’d leave me, thinking I was a slut. ”
Cam’s brow furrowed. “Wow. He did all that? And expected you to thank him?”
“Yeah. I hope Britt didn’t get the wrong idea when she received the sex swing.”
“About that…” He scratched his head. “She showed up at my door last night wearing only a raincoat and a whip.”
I stared at him, mouth agape. It was my turn to tense up. An absurd wave of jealousy washed over me. “And?”
“She didn’t believe I’d sent the sex swing because of a misunderstanding, but after half an hour of shouting, she finally understood I have no interest in her whatsoever.”
“Did you explain all this to her while she was naked?”
“I asked her to cover herself up, and when she refused I tied the raincoat around her with one of my belts. She was still stuffed up like a ham when I finally pushed her out of Sebastian’s apartment, but I left her some wiggle room so she could undo the belt eventually.”
“Oh, my God! You didn’t.” My stomach ached from laughter.
“I did. It was my favorite belt too, but I figure it was worth the sacrifice.”
Vinnie had appeared to inspect the newcomer and was sitting on the steps, studying us. I thought I detected a hint of approval in his slow-blinking yellow eyes.
When our laughter subsided, I wiped tears of mirth. “We’ve had quite an adventure together so far, huh?”
He grinned down at me. “This is only the beginning.”
Then he bent to kiss me.