You and Me Forever (Oh Captain, My Captain 6)

Chapter One

Hadley

“Luca,” I yell for him from the bottom of the stairs. “You’re such a girl. I’ve been ready for twenty minutes. Your hair is fine.” I shake my head and double check myself in the hallway mirror. My makeup is set in place and my straight red hair hangs around my shoulders.

“I’m coming.” Luca Zotov jogs down the stairs. Even after ten years together, he still makes my heart skip a beat. He’s in a dark suit, matching tie, and a crisp white shirt hugs his body in the right places. His thick dark brown hair is in its usual bed-head mess. I’m sure he spent an hour on it to make it look that way. His beard is perfectly shaped around his strong jaw and full lips. But, it’s his eyes that make me melt. His caramel brown eyes.

“About time, Luca,” I tease smoothing my red wrap dress. “We have to be there at seven.”

“We have plenty of time. Have I ever made you late for anything?”

I raise my eyebrow at him. “The TV Media Awards,” I remind him.

“Jeesh, baby, let that go. It’s one time and that happened five years ago. I was in the middle of the playoffs.” He throws his hands up in the air.

I roll my eyes playfully. “Sure, use hockey as an excuse.”

Luca wraps his arms around my waist. “You love me and my hockey excuses.”

“I suppose.” I dramatically fake sigh. “I mean, it is nice to say that my boyfriend is Luca Zotov, captain of the Nebraska Bucks.

“What if he was your fiancé?”

I stop breathing. Did I hear him correctly? “What?”

“We are celebrating ten years together, but what if we got engaged? We’ve talked about it a few times. You have no trouble with my schedule and I don’t mind yours. We’re never having kids. We already own our house together, and the cars. We’re practically married as it is.”

I stand there hearing his words, but unable to close my mouth. He’s being serious. I can see it in his eyes. Luca isn’t the type to joke around.

“Hadley, baby.”

I blink as I watch him drop to one knee, pulling a small black box from his pocket.

“I have loved you from the moment you kissed me all those years ago. I’ve loved every single moment from then. You’re the only one for me in my life and I want you to be my forever.” He opens the box and inside is the largest, most beautiful diamond I’ve ever seen.

“Shut up.” I'm finally able to speak.

“Hadley.” Luca shakes his head with a smile on his face. “I need an answer. I know you like a flare of the dramatic, but I’m waiting.”

“Luca.” I fall to my knees and take his stunning face into my hands. His beard is soft and tickles my fingers. “I’ve loved you since forever and I can’t imagine anyone else but you. I would love to be your wife.” The sting of the tears almost hurt my eyes as they’re about to fall. I pull his lips to mine, but it’s hard for me to kiss him with the smile on my face.

~ ~ ~

I fell in love with Luca when I was a freshman in college. I went to North Dakota because it had the best sports media program in the United States. I was lucky to join the newspaper as a freshman, and I had been able to charm my way onto the staff.

It was when I had to cover the men’s hockey team that I first met Luca Zotov. He grew up in Russia and came to the US only for hockey. At that time, I didn’t know a whole lot about hockey. I was more of a basketball and baseball girl, but after my first game, I was hooked.

Although, that had a lot to do with Luca and his hot body on the ice. I can’t tell you a single thing about that game, except Luca scored twice and blocked five shots. He was the best defenseman in the college circuit and I had a massive crush on him.

From that moment on, I did everything I could to cover every game. I was able to interview Luca a few games after seeing him for the first time. I’m thankful I had my question already prepared and had a tape recorder, because I couldn’t look away from his eyes to know what the hell he was saying.

I continually ran into him on campus, but nothing more than a ‘hi’ came of it. Until I saw him at a frat party. I’m glad I decided on the short dress because when I saw him walk in, I knew that I was going to talk to him.

I’d never had trouble talking to guys, but Luca was different. He’s almost a foot taller than I am, but when he looks in my eyes, I feel only one foot tall because my knees buckle.

“Luca, nice to see you again. Are you here alone?”

“No, I’m here with you,” he told me confidently.

“Are you? Because I was waiting for another tall, dark, Russian hockey player. Have you seen him?” I hid my smile because Luca was the only Russian on the team.

“I saw someone like that when I passed a mirror earlier?”

“Is that why your hair is perfect?” He has such a baby face. “I bet you’d be sexier if you grew a beard though. You would be more distinguished.”

“Sexier with a beard?” He rubbed his smooth skin. “You’re probably right. Maybe I’ll grow one.”

“Well, when you grow one, I’ll let you kiss me. Right now, I’m not sure if you’re

sexy enough for me. I mean, you don’t look like a good kisser.” I pulled out all my flirty skills on him.

“Looks can be deceiving. You should probably find out sooner rather than later. Either way, you’ll be fantasizing about it.” He stepped closer to me and I did my best to hold my own with him.

“I doubt it.” I shrugged. “I need to go find my date.” I tapped his hard chest as I walk around him and headed out to the back porch.

I took several deep cleansing breaths to try to calm my heart. It was beating hard because I still saw his deep caramel brown eyes piercing me. I heard the door open and I knew that it was him. I turned around and looked at him.

“Are you stalking me, Luca?”

He softly chuckled. “Making sure you find me, is all. Unless there really is another Russian hockey player walking around here somewhere?” He challenged me by lifting one eyebrow.

“Well, I have studied the roster intently and I haven’t seen anyone but you. I guess that means I’m stuck with you,” I told him nonchalantly.

“Good.”

He leaned in for a kiss, but I backed away. “You need to grow a beard and then we’ll talk about a kiss.” I smiled.

~ ~ ~

“Baby.” Luca’s deep voice brings me back to the moment.

“Yes.”

“Would you like me to put on this ring or are you just going to stare at me?”

I giggle and drop my hands from his face. Luca slips on the ring and there aren’t enough words to describe it. Stunning, huge, gorgeous, and wow is all that comes to mind in this second as I stare down at it.

“I love you, Luca.”

“I love you, Hadley. But, we do have dinner plans.”