Page 104 of The Broposal

Kenny’s eyes widened, “I mean, if you really want it, then sure, it’s yours. I just mean… I’ll be making enough to support you through school. You can take your time and figure out what it is you really want to do, you know? Pursue your passions!”

A watery pressure built up behind my eyes.

“I… Why would you do all this for me?” I couldn’t help but ask. I needed to know. I did nothing to deserve everything Kenny had done for me over the years. The scholarship. The marriage. My freaking dad. Even the sticky notes. It made no sense.

“What? It’s no big deal, really. It’s the least I can do,” Kenny said, his eyes falling to the floor.

“Oh. Okay, then.” I didn’t know why I wasn’t saying what I wanted to say. It was the perfect time, and yet… maybe I could tell Kenny after the wedding. I grabbed my crutch and started to get up, like the coward I was.

“Wait.” Kenny touched my arm, his fingers lingering on mysleeve even after I stopped moving. He stood up to meet me face-to-face, and when I turned back around, Kenny’s eyes fluttered up under his thick lashes, his intense stare meeting my own. “I do… pretty much everything… because…” Kenny let out a shaky breath, and I stepped closer.

“Because what?”

“Because I don’t want to lose you! I would do anything for you, Han. Anything for you to stay here. With me. I… That’s why I broke things off when Jackie, you know. It’s why I’m marrying you. Why else, Han?”

“I love you,” I finally admitted. The words didn’t come out smooth like I’d hoped, but they came out.

Kenny tilted his head, like he was expecting me to say something else.

“What?” I felt like I was under a microscope. Kenny wasn’t saying it back.

“No ‘bro’?” Kenny bit back a smile.

“No ‘bro.’”

“Wait. No, bro, or no ‘bro’?”

“No ‘bro.’”

Kenny tilted his head. “That doesn’t make it any clearer.”

I shook my head, laughing, and Kenny laughed, too.

I put my hands on his shoulders for emphasis. “I’m in love with you,” I said again, then closed the space between us and kissed him eagerly. I wanted him to know without question that I still felt the same as I did that night. We both sank into the kiss for a moment before I pulled away. “Is that clear enough for you?”

Kenny smiled. “I love you, too, Han.”

“Glad we cleared that up.” I found myself fidgeting with my tie, which was loose around my neck.

“Here, let me help you with that,” Kenny said as he reached out toward my tie to adjust it himself. But instead of tightening it like I’d expected, he loosened it even more.

“What are you doing?” I asked, and Kenny looked up at me with a mischievous smirk.

“Are you still… curious?” he asked.

I bit my lip and nodded breathlessly, more than ready for whatever he had planned.

“Good, good,” Kenny said thoughtfully as he turned to lock the door. “Sit down and take off your jacket.”

I tossed my suit jacket as Kenny gently pushed me to sit on the bed and undid my shirt one button at a time, speaking slowly as he did.

“If you need me to stop, your color is red, understand?” Another button, and then he tightened the tie around my bare neck.

I nodded.

“If you need me to slow down or try something else, your color is yellow.” Last button.

“Yes, sir,” I said readily, then quickly took off the shirt and threw it on the floor, too.

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