Tempting Perfection

“Germs?” Sawyer asked skeptically as she straightened Dylan’s jacket.

I kept walking, not giving her a chance to look in my eyes. “Yeah. Dinner is this way.”

We rounded the corner, and I knew this was the place from the pictures Knoah had sent me. Vases of flowers stood on pedestals, creating a walkway to the place I hoped we would become husband and wife. Rose petals were sprinkled on the floor and candles flickered. It turned out exactly as I wanted. Hopefully it was romantic enough. Knoah said it was. But I was terrible at this shit.

She touched one of the flowers absentmindedly and said, “Look, it’s our flower.”

“Sawyer?”

She turned my way and gave me a huge smile. “Yeah.”

“I love you. You know that, right?”

“Of course.” She dropped her hand and walked my way. “What’s wrong?”

I was supposed to say something romantic, but that shit left my brain.

Fuck it. Just kneel and something will come.

With Dylan in one arm, I kneeled in front of her and pulled out the ring that had been burning a hole in my pocket for two weeks. It was a huge-ass diamond ring with a ton of bullshit descriptions at the end of it. All I knew was that it cost me a fortune, which meant it had to be good. Right?

What do I say? Shit. Fuck. Blurt it out.

“Sawyer, I want you to be my wife. I’m not scared of hurting you because I love you so fucking much. Will you marry me? I want you to marry me—not for you, not for me, but for us.”

She stood there, stunned, and said nothing. It was time to play dirty. I would not be side-stepped again. I put my thumb underneath Dylan’s chin to move his lips and raised my voice. “Say yes to my daddy. He wants to marry you really bad. It’s all he talks to me about when he’s with me. Please, Mommy. Say yes. Put him and me out of our misery.”

Silence. I looked up at Sawyer, who had tears in her eyes. Her voice caught. “You really want this?”

/> “Fuck yes. If you say no, I may drag you in there and force you to. I mean it. I’m not doing this because I’m scared.”

Sawyer laughed. “Yes, Mr. Hendrix. I’ll marry you.”

I stood and brought her to me, feeling her body mold to mine. “Thank fuck.”

Then I kissed her hard. As the kiss ended, she murmured against my lips. “Cuss muffs.”

“I had a talk with Dylan. He’s making an exception.”

I felt her grin against my mouth.

Then I called out, “She said yes!”

Whoops and hollers filled the air. The guys from band, the Shaws, Mom, Cameron, Monica, Waldo, and George all came around the corner.

“Oh my gosh! Everyone is here!”

“They’re here to see us get hitched.”

Sawyer put her hand to her mouth and turned to me. “Now?”

“Yeah. I wanted to show you how serious I am about this. If you want to plan some big wedding, it can wait. We’ll make this one he—I mean one great engagement party.”

Shit, hell is on the cuss list. Those damn cuss muffs were going to be the death of me.

“I’m ready to marry you, Mr. Rockstar.”

I put my free hand to Dylan’s right side and brought his head to my chest, creating cuss muffs. “Thank fuck.”