Nicola blushes and looks away. “I’ll think about that. But I like it when you get bossy.”
“And I love it when I can make you squirm just with my words.”
I leave her for only a moment, grabbing a wet washcloth from the bathroom and helping her clean up a little. She’s still lying limp on the bed, but she’s smiling. “Are you all right?”
“I’m prefect,” she says.
“And,” I hesitate. “Are we okay?”
Nicola reaches out and takes my hand. “Do you really think we could have just done that if we weren’t?”
“I need to ask anyway.”
“We’re okay,” she whispers.
“In that case,” I pull her so that she’s sitting up beside me on the edge of the bed, “I have one more thing that we need to figure out.”
“What’s that?”
I find the small box in the pocket of my discarded pants. “You told me that you couldn’t marry me if you didn’t have answers. You have answers now.” I kneel in front of her, and it seems appropriate that we’re both naked—nothing at all between us. “I love you more than life itself, and so I want to ask you again if you’ll be my wife?”
Tears flood her eyes and she leans forward to kiss me. “Yes. Absolutely,” she says. “It broke me to say no.”
I slip the ring onto her finger, and it sparkles in the light. It fits her finger perfectly, and my heart swells seeing that physical symbol of our relationship. Wrapping my arms around her, I press my forehead to her chest. Four years has led to this, and it couldn’t be more perfect.
“Can I ask you something?” she says.
“Anything. Always.”
Nicola swallows. “I know that you just gave me a drawer.”
I grin. “I did do that.”
“I was wondering if you’d be willing to do…more than that?” She’s looking down at her hands and fidgeting with her fingers, so I reach out and grab the glasses of wine and give one to her.
“More how?”
She takes a big sip of that wine, and sits silent for a moment. “As soon as we tell my parents…I hope it goes well, but we don’t know. But regardless, I don’t really want to be living in my parents basement while engaged to my father’s best friend.” Her words get faster, and she doesn’t notice the huge smile on my face. “If you think it’s too fast or whatever I’ll find my own place but—”
“Move in with me,” I tell her.
“Really?” The hope in her voice breaks me a little.
“Hell yes. If we could I would move you in here tomorrow so I don’t have to wake up another morning without you right here.”
Nicola tries to hide the fact that she’s tearing up, but I still notice. I pull her into my lap and hold her. It’s a comfortable silence as we drink our wine, steeped in the knowledge that things are settled.
“Any ideas on time frame?” I ask.
“For the wedding?” She laughs. “Let’s get through the gala next week and telling my parents before we start picking dates.”
I kiss her neck, ready for another round if she is. “We could just elope and go to Vegas.”
“No,” she responds. “That’s one thing I know for sure. I’ve thought about marrying you for years, and I’m going to do it in front of our friends and family.”
I take the wine glass out of her hand and place it on the bedside table along with mine before pulling her on top of me. “Fair enough.”
She grins. “If I promise to buy you can I rope you into the auction last minute?”
I raise an eyebrow. “For charity?”
“Yep.”
“On one condition.”
She smiles down at me. “Name it.”
“When you win I get to take you to the nearest available private room and do unspeakably dirty things to you with all the people nearby, completely ignorant of the fact that you’re getting fucked senseless.”
I watch for the blush I know is coming, and am rewarded when she bites her lip. “Deal.”
I pull her down so I can kiss her perfect mouth, and show her what the rest of our lives are going to be like.
13
Nicola
The space for the gala looks amazing. Jill has really outdone herself. The ballroom in a hotel downtown has been utterly transformed into a Valentine’s Day wonderland. Red and pink are draped over every surface with glittering gold accents and gorgeous flowers. She’s really struck the balance between making it tasteful and luxurious as opposed to gaudy.
I’m here helping her arrange the last minute things, but if I’m going to be ready in time, I really need to leave soon. Tristan is here as well helping and getting ready to be one of the ‘bachelors’ in the auction, but we’ve been studiously ignoring each other because of all the people coming in and out. Jill thinks it’s hilarious.