Page 44 of Touchdown
Fifteen minutes and half a dozen text notifications later, I pulled into the small parking lot, ignoring the barrage of pings from my teammates, my agent, and a few friends. Everyone had something to say about my “bold fucking move.”
I only cared about Ivy’s reaction.
The bell jingled as I walked through the door, and heads turned.
Every woman in the place stared at me like I’d just walked out of a dirty dream. But I only had eyes for one of them.
Ivy was near the reception counter, and the second she saw me, she crossed her arms and glared at me with indignation. Although there was no real bite to it.
She was cute as hell. But telling her that wouldn’t do me any favors in this situation, so I kept my mouth shut.
Her foot tapped the floor. “Don’t you think you should’ve asked me to marry you before announcing to the world that we’re engaged?”
“Nope.” I shook my head, walking straight toward her.
Her eyebrows shot up. “Why not?”
I stepped closer, taking in the way her eyes flashed, how her cheeks were flushed from happiness. Or something hotter. I was in favor of the latter.
“This way, you can’t say no.”
She gaped at me. “You can’t just?—”
“I can,” I interrupted, pulling a small velvet box from my coat pocket. “And I did.”
She blinked at the jewelry box like she’d never seen one before.
I flipped it open, and the diamond caught the light just as her breath caught in her throat. I took her hand and slid the ring onto her finger. Not asking. Just doing. Because she was mine, and we both knew it.
The stone was classy, but the corners of my lips tipped up smugly because the ring was definitely not subtle. It was big enough to make a clear as fuck statement. No one would miss that iceberg sparkling on her finger.
I stared her down. “And now everyone knows you’re off the fucking market.”
There was a beat of silence, then her mouth twitched.
The attitude dissolved, and she stared at the ring, then at me, then back to the ring. A radiant smile broke free, and she looked at the ring again like it mesmerized her.
“I can’t believe you,” she whispered.
“Believe it,” I replied gruffly.
Then she launched herself into my arms with a laugh that made every damn thing inside me settle.
I leaned down and kissed her—hard, deep, and possessive. One arm was around her waist, the other cupped the back of her neck. I didn’t care who saw. Hell, I wanted them to see. I wanted everyone to know this one was taken. That she belonged to me.
Somewhere off to the side, Lorna muttered, “For crying out loud, you two. Take it to the parking lot.”
I ignored her and kept on kissing the woman I was going to marry. And soon.
When I finally pulled back, Ivy was breathless. Glowing. Her arms were around my neck, and her fingers curled into my hair.
“I told you, Sunshine.” I brushed my thumb across her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Her smile turned softer, her eyes glassy. “I know.”
EPILOGUE
IVY
