Page 99 of Untethered Heart
“Of course I did.” She laughs as she rolls over the side of the bed, then starts rifling through her bag.
She turns back to me with a beaming smile on her face and a silver gift bag in her hand.
I take the gift bag from her outstretched hands. “Thank you, baby.” I give her a soft kiss, and we both sit on the end of the bed.
I peer into the bag and pull out a frame. It’s a photo of the two of us from the charity ball a few weeks ago. Photographers took so many photos that night, it took forever to go through the entire gallery, but this is one I haven’t seen before.
Lex and I are on the dancefloor. Everyone else around us is blurred, as if they were all moving too quickly and we were frozen in time. I’m holding one of Lex’s hands against my chest while the other is wrapped around her waist, pinning her against me. We’re both looking at each other with love. I already knew I felt it for her, but in this photo, I can literally see it. The way my world spins around her.
“I thought you could put it on your desk at work,” she says as she leans her head on my shoulder.
“I absolutely will. I love it.” I kiss the top of her head.
“There’s something else in there.”
I put the frame on the bed beside me and reach back into the bag, pulling out a small rectangular box. When I open it, there’s a gold tie bar in the shape of a trident. Red stones shining at the end of each tine.
“Lex.” I stare at her in disbelief.
“Do you like it?” I know how much the trident means to her. Not only is it the symbol on the Legacy Malt logo, but it’s a tattoo both she and her brother have, each tine representing them and their father.
“I love it,” I whisper.
“Oh, good. I had it custom-made, so I can’t really take it back.”
“Custom-made? I hope you didn’t spend too much money.”
“Like you’re one to talk.” She smiles and playfully slaps my thigh.
“It’s my job to spoil you.”
“No, it’s not.” She laughs. “It’s your job to love me.”
She gasps as soon as she says the words. Her head drops into her hands, muffling her next words. “I’m not suggesting you do or should.”
I grab onto her wrists and slowly pull them away from her face. “Hold that thought.”
Walking over to my dresser, I open the top drawer and pull out a small square box. When I rejoin her at the end of the bed, I kneel on both knees so there’s no confusion, but my heart still beats in my throat.
“I know we’ve only been together for a few short months, but I know you’re not someone I’ll ever regret or tire of. In fact, forever feels far too short.” I open the box to reveal a white gold ring, diamonds and rubies set all around the band.
“This is not an engagement ring, but I do hope you’ll wear it on your ring finger so you know the level of my feelings for you and where I hope we’re leading.”
She touches her lips, and her eyes fill with tears, gaze bouncing from me to the ring.
“You can wear it on the opposite hand if you prefer,” I whisper, hoping I haven’t scared her off. I still have one other thing to show her, and now I’m feeling immensely nervous about it.
She nods, and I expect her to hold out her right hand, preferring to wear my promise on the more conservative side. But she doesn’t. Her left hand reaches over steadily, flaring her fingers so I can place the band on her ring finger.
As I do, I imagine the next time this happening with a fucking huge diamond, because I’m going to make sure that thing can be seen from space when I ask her to be my wife. And there goes my dick again.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“I love spoiling you, Siren.”
She shakes her head. “Not for the present. For all the ways you make me feel treasured. You fill the moments of doubt with devotion.”
I remain kneeling in front of her and remove my jacket, keeping my eyes on her as I toss it aside.
