Page 97 of A Lot Like Love
Chapter 26
Chloe walked out of the elevator for the second time that day. Her pulse was racing, heart pounding as the doors opened. She expected something to happen the second she stepped out, but nothing did. She glanced around, pleased she’d been the only one traveling down. She smoothed a hand down her dress, the satin so smooth beneath her fingers it felt like a second skin. Part of her had wanted to wear the one with the beautiful tulle skirt, and a big part of her wanted to rush straight back up and slip into it, but the more sensible side of her brain wouldn’t let her. Because what if it was all some cruel joke, what if it wasn’t what she was thinking it could be, what if Ryder wasn’t waiting for her like he’d said he would be.
She gulped and stepped into the lobby, her heels clicking on the polished tiles. It was always busy here and tonight was no different, except that tonight her nerves were jangling like wind chimes in the middle of a blustery storm, and she was checking out every single person.
“Chloe.”
She stopped, took a big breath, and looked around.Ryder. He was standing waiting for her, dressed in a suave black suit, white shirt, and perfectly knotted tie. Chloe’s feet didn’t want to move, but she forced them to, walking toward his smile. Ryder’s grin had always managed to get her—the way his eyes crinkled ever so much at the sides, his intense blue eyes like pools of the ocean as they fixed on her and never looked away. When she was in his gaze and transfixed by that smile, she was a goner.
Chloe went to call out to him, to tell Ryder that he had a lot of explaining to do, when the words promptly died in her mouth.Oh my god.What the hell was he doing? She slowed, feeling as if she was walking on a cloud as he dropped to one knee in the lobby. From the corner of her eyes she could see people stopping, knew they were being watched, but all she could truly see was Ryder before her, smile still fixed in place, bent on one knee, a hand extended out toward her.
She reached him, took his hand, and stared down at the man she was so stupid crazy in love with.
“Ryder, what’s going on?” she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear them. She knew, there could only be one reason they were both dressed the way they were with him down on one knee, but still.
“Chloe, will you marry me?” Ryder’s deep voice sounded like it had been dragged over gravel, his drawl husky.
Chloe choked. She couldn’t say a word, didn’t knowwhatto say. All she could do was stare at him and focus on stopping her jaw from hitting the floor.
“Chloe?” he prompted, chuckling as he squeezed her hand, still on bended knee. “Don’t leave me hanging down here.”
“When I said I didn’t think you’d commit, I didn’t expect a proposal,” she murmured, still trying to get her head around what was happening.
Ryder rose, still holding her hand as he reached into his pocket with the other and pulled out a blue Tiffany box. She gasped, hands to her mouth as he opened it to reveal the biggest diamond she’d ever seen, surrounded by an entire band of smaller ones.
“Chloe, I love you,” he said, reaching for her left hand and tugging it down, slipping the ring onto her finger while she stared. “I’ve never loved a woman before so I know I have a bad track record, but the one thing I do know is that I don’t ever want you to walk out of my life again.”
She raised her eyes from her finger, the dazzling diamond completely bewitching her. Until she stared into the bright blue gaze she’d grown to love.
“Will you marry me, Chloe?”
“Yes,” she whispered, barely loud enough for her to hear herself. “Yes, Ryder, I’ll marry you.”
He threw his arms around her and pulled her in tight, kissing her like it was the last kiss of their lives. Ryder’s hands found their way up to her hair, stroking her gently at the same time his mouth slowed. Clapping sounded out and Chloe glanced sideways, saw a crowd had gathered. Ryder took a bow and then reached for her hand, raising it to his lips for a kiss, then slipping his arm around her waist.
“We have to go.” He spoke directly into her ear, the same sexy voice she knew so well from the bedroom.
“Why?” Chloe would rather he dragged her back upstairs.
“I asked you to marry me, sweetheart. So let’s go get married.”
Chloe stopped, not taking another step and forcing Ryder to do the same. “What did you say?” she asked, heart racing at the same time as her breath caught in her throat.
“I said it’s time for us to go get married. We don’t want to keep everybody waiting, do we?”
She burst out laughing, incapable of words, staring at Ryder and waiting for him to tell her it was all a joke.
“Come on, baby. Your maid of honor has flown in from Texas, and I’m pretty sure she’s wanting to get this over with so we can all hit the town.”
“You’re serious,” she asked. “You’ve spent the entire day…” She was lost for words again, not even finishing her sentence.
“Planning our wedding,” he finished for her, drawing her close again, his hands to her face, gently cupping her cheeks. Ryder dropped a soft kiss to her lips, then another. “I know Vegas might not have been your dream wedding destination, but I love you, Chloe, and I want to marry you. I have my brothers here and your best friend, and that’s all we need.” He touched his forehead to hers, somehow managing to calm her. “If you feel the same, there’s a car waiting outside for us right now.”
She laughed, it was all she could do. The whole day had been unpredictably crazy, and now here she was about to marry a man she’d once thought would never commit to her for their pretend relationship, let alone a real one.
Chloe stroked his face, admiring how handsome he was, then fiddled with his tie, playing with the knot. “You look damn fine all dressed up like this,” she told him.
He chuckled. “Just because I’m not riding rodeo doesn’t mean I’m trading in my Wranglers for suits.”
