“Dane.”
“No, you’re right,” he said as he discarded his briefs and yanked open a drawer for his drawstring pants.
I lost my train of thought as I watched him. He was too sinful, too tempting, by far.
Pulling me from the lust-induced haze clouding my mind, he told me, “I understand that, based on your grandparents’ and your parents’ volatile marriages and subsequent divorces, you never considered making the commitment yourself. You even told me when we met that you weren’t the marrying kind. I know you were jesting at the time, but still … I do remember you saying it and I did take the comment to heart.”
He tied the strands at his waist and continued. “You also once said that I didn’t have to worry about you falling in love with me—though I’d expressed it was something I’d never take exception to. But you did fall in love with me.”
“So, you’re working off the theory that I always come around … for you?”
His grin was a tad too cocky. I smi
rked at him.
Then I said, “I won’t deny it. And I didn’t balk last night. I accepted what you asked of me, because, well … I’ll admit, it’s what I want, too. I just didn’t really think of it as a proposal or that we were currently, as of that moment … engaged.” That last word sort of tripped off my tongue in an odd hesitation. I rolled my eyes.
This wasn’t about to get complicated.
It was about to get downright messy.
chapter 4
Crossing his rock-hard arms over his chest, Dane gave me another unyielding look. “You know perfectly well that I wouldn’t have asked if I weren’t deathly serious.”
I cringed. “Let’s not use that term.”
His jaw worked for a few seconds. Then he said, “That does bring up another point. You were right last night when I made conflicting statements. At the moment, I don’t think it’s wise or safe for us to go public with our relationship. But I do want to marry you.”
I winced inwardly at the question that ironically popped into my head. Not wanting to sound materialistic, because I certainly wasn’t, I ventured, “Is that why you proposed without a ring?”
He exhaled slowly. Almost agitatedly. “I asked on impulse. Because it’s what I want, but not something I’ve figured out in my mind how to execute. Except…” He shook his head. Dropped his arms. Joining me where I stood, he propped a hip against the dresser and reached for my hand. Holding it to his mouth, he softly swept his lips over my skin. “Ari, I want you to be my wife. There’s no reticence on my part. No doubt. But you do bring up some valid concerns, and I now know what we have to do in order to pull this off.”
My stomach did a peculiar fluttering mixed with a gentle roiling. Exhilaration tinged by a hint of uh-oh.
Swallowing down more nerves, I said, “Do tell.”
He kissed my fingers, then flattened my palm to his pecs, over his heart. His hand covered mine.
“I can’t give you a ring just yet.”
Huh. Hadn’t seen that one coming.
“Okay.”
He glowered a little. “I mean, I can. I just don’t think it’s a good idea. In fact, the fewer people who know we’re married, the better.”
“You might want to explain that,” I said. “So I’m not confused.”
“Ari, I want to marry you sooner rather than later. As in soon.”
“Like, in a year, not four?”
“Like, tomorrow.”
I blanched. “Tomorrow?”
“I’ll make a call. We can apply for a license in the morning, then get married in the evening. Here at the house.”