It was too good to be true. But it was. And then I knew. This was the right time. Everything fell into place, just like that.
“I love you too, Parker. I love you so fucking much. I didn’t know I could love anyone this way. It’s like I was asleep and you woke me up. I want to spend every day with you for the rest of my life.” I cleared my throat and took her hand, slowly lowering myself until one knee rested in the sand. “That’s why I want to ask you . . .”
Her eyes were wide as I pulled the box out. Yeah, it was traditional and ‘normal’ to do it this way. But it felt right. It was right. She deserved every single step of this to be done right.
“Will you marry me, Parker? Will you be my wife?”
She stared at me, then at the ring. She looked stunned. She had to say yes. But she didn’t.
“Oh, my God.”
“Say yes, sweetheart,” I said, starting to get worried.
“Shane . . .”
My heart was pummeling in my chest. Was she going to say no? She wouldn’t leave me. She couldn’t.
I’d do something drastic if she said no. Like lock her up in my house and make love to her until she said yes. Or tickle her. She wouldn’t last an hour of tickle torture.
“Yes! Yes, I will marry you!”
I was on my feet and lifting her in the air like a shot. I kissed her hard and deep. She was mine now. I could feel it. Everything was different. All my fears dropped away. I wasn’t alone anymore. Neither of us were. Now we had each other.
I set Parker down carefully and slipped the ring onto her finger. She stared at her hand, then back at me with a frown. She didn’t like the ring, I realized.
“Do you like it?”
“It’s beautiful, Shane . . .” her voice trailed off. She was still frowning.
“But?”
“It’s too much. Is it real?”
I laughed, so happy I could have done a fucking back flip.
“Yes, its real. What kind of joker do you think I am?”
“But it’s huge!”
The square-cut diamond was pretty damn big. I’d cashed out some bonds to get it. I knew my mother would more than approve. My family would. I could almost feel them, smiling down on me.
“I can afford it.”
“But . . .”
“Parker, listen to me.” I took her hands and made her look at me. “I can afford it.”
She frowned at me.
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I never touched the money my folks left for Billy and me. Not since I left college. I didn’t need much, especially since I took over the club. I made some money with club business. All I took was a little bit to buy the cabin. I lived off the dividends with plenty to spare.”
“Dividends? You mean like from . . . investments?”
I nodded.
“My parents came from money.”
She blinked at me. She wasn’t running away, so I continued.
“They were both born into money, and they didn’t let the money sit around, either. They made it work for them. I couldn’t deal with it after they died. I barely touched it. But I’m going to do something with it now. I have some ideas. I want to discuss it all with you first.” It all came out in a rush. I don’t know why I’d been worried about telling her all of this, but I was. “It’s . . . a lot.”
“A lot?”
“A lot of money,” I clarified. “It never felt right using it. But maybe now, I can use it to do some good.”
“A lot of money,” she echoed, looking bewildered.
I nodded.
“Yes, baby.” I gave her a quick kiss. “Are you mad?”
“That you are secretly rich? I don’t think so.”
“No, baby. We’re rich. But I don’t want to live like that. I don’t need anything fancy.”
She nodded firmly and my heart melted.
“Me neither.”
I kissed her again.
“I knew you were perfect for me from the first second.”
“When you thought I was a boy?” she teased.
“Yes,” I said honestly. “Back then, I just wanted to take care of you. I knew you were special. I wasn’t going to let you go.” I grinned and pulled her against me. “I was just lucky that I ended up with all these fringe benefits. Like your being female and so sexy you make the whole damn earth move.”
“Oh, this is a fringe benefit, is it?” she asked, winding her arms around my neck and arching against me.
“Yes, definitely,” I said, kissing her deeply and running my hands over her luscious curves. “On second thought, no. This . . .” I kissed her again. “This is everything I ever wanted and more. I love you, Parker.”
“And I love you, Shane.”
I scooped her up into my arms.
“Let’s get you home and out of these pesky clothes.”