Page 98 of Tainted Gifts
His lips find mine as the need for closeness starts to die down slowly. He runs his fingers through my hair, and my heart thuds against my chest.
"Marry me," he murmurs against my lips, shocking the hell out of me.
Everything in me goes numb as my mind tries to fathom whether or not I really just heard that. Then reality slowly sets. He almost died and we just blood fucked. People propose all the time when they go through both of those things, especially when they go through both at once.
"It has nothing to do with that, Aria," he says so softly while trailing his kisses from my lips to my neck, bringing my hips to meet his as he slides back over to be on top of me.
Then he pulls back, his eyes staring at mine as he prepares to make me his again. I quiver in anticipation, waiting on his violently delicious entry, but he stays hovered over me.
"Marry me," he says again while looking into my eyes.
I'm stunned, unsure of what to say really. I'm still wearing my dirty, bloodstained clothes. The only garment I lost during our rough tousle was the lacy underwear. His blood has dried on me, all over me, and I can only imagine what my hair looks like. This can't be a real proposal.
He laughs, finding this amusing.
"I don't give a damn what you look like right now. This is a very, very real proposal. I've wanted to be with you since the day we met. I almost asked you to marry me several times and then talked myself out of it because it was too soon.
"My favorite part of any day is when I get to wake up beside you. I love listening to your thoughts. I love how you lost you get when concentrating on the details. I love the way you look all the time. It's empowering to feel your eyes regarding me the way they do, and it feels even better to know you keep choosing me. I love you. Marry me."
A small knock rings out from the living area, which we left in such complete disarray that there's not even a door. We both groan when he's forced to lean back, buttoning and zipping the pants he never took off. How the hell did both of our clothes survive that?
"It's Mel and Rex," he grumbles, apparently reading their minds from in here.
"She must know how long it takes you to blood fuck," I whisper teasingly, making him roll his eyes.
"Hey," Melania murmurs as she comes into view.
Rex is just behind her, his eyebrows arching when he sees us still a bloody mess and fully clothed.
"What's going on?" Jase asks, sliding his arms around me, and then he sighs in exasperation. "They can't wait five minutes. I did almost die. I think that should offer me the night off before they pull my rank."
O... kay. Apparently Melania answered with her mind."
"Sorry," she says aloud with dread written in her eyes.
Jase grumbles under his breath, and he stands up. "I'll be back to finish this discussion."
"Actually," Melania interrupts, "they want to see Aria as well."
Shit.
Jase tilts his head, confused by that. "Why do they want to see Aria?"
I answer before Mel or Rex accidentally tell him with their minds. "Probably because I started to kill them." Then I stand to join him.
Jase coughs out his surprise, and then his eyes widen more as either my brother or his sister thinks about the spiraling metal fury I created, the threats I made, and the anger that rushed through me during those heartbreaking moments of complete devastation.
Jase's eyes soften, and he pulls me to him while kissing my forehead. He sighs out heavily as my mind accidentally falls through the events of the night when I became too broken to be pieced back together.
"I love you," he murmurs when a tear falls down my cheek.
I keep my lips sealed and nod, unable to form words as the painful memories all rush back to me. I love you.
His breaths become heavy, and he keeps his arm around my shoulders as he starts guiding me out.
I wish I at least had on some underwear.
He lets a laugh escape, and it lightens the heavy moment for the both of us. We head out, preparing for the worst. I can only imagine what they'll say now that I've gone loco in front of them.
