Irrevocable (Evan Arden 5)

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

Alina narrows her eyes and looks away from me. I know immediately that I haven’t gone about this the right way. I was probably supposed to be down on one knee, but that doesn’t seem right, either. She recognizes my words as something I haven’t really thought about, but that doesn’t mean I’m not serious.

I reach over and place my finger under her chin. Tilting her face up to look at me, I stare into her eyes.

“I’ve never said it,” I tell her, “and I’ll probably never get into the habit of saying it a lot, but I love you, Alina. I don’t think I could survive without you in my life. You kept me calm when I was at my worst, and that’s not an easy task. You stuck with me, fought for me, and I’d do anything for you. So yes, I’m asking you to marry me.”

Tears form in the corner of her eyes, and she bites her lip as she tries to blink them away. Without warning, she flings her arms around me and squeezes all the breath from my lungs.

“Evan…oh, Evan! I love you, too! I have for a long time.”

“Is that a yes?” I choke on the words as I try to get air back into my body.

“It’s a yes.” She smiles up at me and then grabs my face in her hands and kisses me hard.

My heart is pounding, and my face actually hurts from smiling. I reach down and grab her ass, pulling her hard against me, and kiss her right back.

“Screw the museums,” I say. “Let’s go ring shopping.”

Alina laughs and throws her arms around my neck.

“Now that sounds like a perfect afternoon!”

~The End~