Quinn’s hands remain covering her mouth, but I can see her shoulders shake with laughter, and the curve of her lips turn up around her hands.
“You were dressed all professional, but I knew, under those conservative pants and blouse, was a tattooed, sexy woman, waiting to break out of that shell she was hiding under.” Tears shine in her eyes. She knows what I’m talking about, but I’m still going to tell her. She needs to hear how I feel about her. “I instantly fell in lust with your luscious curves and perfect tits…those dark, soulful eyes and pouty lips. And the way you blush over every emotion. I knew I needed to make you mine. And that was all before I even got to know you.” I chuckle softly.
“I know we’ve only been dating for a few months, but I’ve fallen in love with you, Quinn, and I can’t imagine there ever being a day that I’m not in love with you. All I want to do is spend every moment with you. When you cry, I want to make the tears go away. I want to be the one who makes you laugh, and be the one by your side while all of your dreams come true.”
Twenty-Two
Quinn
I’m standing on the edge of the water, listening to Lachlan tell me all the reasons he’s in love with me and wants to marry me, and the tears are threatening to come with each word he speaks. But then he stands and bridges the gap between us. With the ring box still in his hand, he closes it and pushes it back into his pocket, so he can take my hands in his. I’m confused why he put the box away, until his eyes lock with mine, and he continues to speak.
“But I didn’t just fall in love with you,” he says, his voice so strong, not wavering in the slightest. “I also fell in love with your daughter.” And the tears that were threatening to fall, spill down my cheeks. “How could I not, though?” He laughs softly. “She’s literally a mini version of you. And I want nothing more than to make her mine. When she asked me that day in the bounce house, if I married you, if I could be her dad, I wanted to tell her I would love nothing more than to be her dad, but I knew I couldn’t do that. It wasn’t my place to make that promise before I made a promise to you. It killed me having to wait for you to catch up, but I’m a patient man.” He chuckles. “Kind of,” he adds with a shrug.
“My point is, I knew one day we would get here, with me asking you to marry me, but I also knew I would have to wait a little while for you to get to this point. On Thanksgiving, when you told me you loved me, I knew we were both finally at the same place.” His smile shines so bright, it’s almost blinding. “You’re everything I could ever want and need. I want you and Kinsley and me to be a family. And I promise you, I will spend every day for the rest of our lives loving the both of you with all of my heart.” He pulls the ring box back out and opens the top, the ring sparkling in the sun, and takes it out. “Will you marry me?”
There’s only one answer to give him. There’s only ever been one answer, but I have a couple things I need to say before I tell him yes. “When I met you, I didn’t realize how insecure I was. I didn’t understand the damage my ex-husband did to me. I thought I was healed. I was happy and living my life. I had my business and my family and Kinsley. But it wasn’t until you, I understood how unhappy I really was. With myself. I read once somewhere that nobody can make you happy. You have to make yourself happy. And I fully believe that. But what I also believe is through you loving me, despite all of my imperfections, I’ve learned to love myself. And once I was able to love myself, it allowed me to fall in love with you.”
I don’t even realize I’m crying again, until Lachlan reaches up and catches my falling tears. “Thank you for loving me unconditionally, and for loving my daughter as if she were your own.” I brush a soft kiss to his lips. “Yes, I will marry you.”
The corners of Lachlan’s lips curve into a soft smile as he takes my left hand in his and slides the ring onto my finger. “You just made me the happiest guy alive.”
After Facetiming Kinsley like Lachlan apparently promised, and learning my daughter already saw the ring and knew Lachlan was going to propose, we spend the rest of the morning exploring Galway. In the afternoon, we take a ferry over to Aron Island and explore over there. I’m absolutely in love with Ireland, with Galway. Everything is so lush and green and breathtakingly beautiful. The people are friendly, and there is so much to see and do. We end up having dinner at the hotel, and after making love, we fall asleep with Lachlan’s body wrapped around mine. I told myself he wouldn’t move in until after we’re married, and since I can’t see myself lasting much longer going to bed and waking up without him, I imagine the engagement will be rather short.