Page 120 of Ice Wolf
Her unhappiness was significant. Forcing her into a relationship, no matter our strong chemistry, was just plain wrong. If I had to suffer for the rest of my life, so be it.
“You’re not out of your mind, Lily. You have every right to be confused and concerned. Look, whatever connection we’ve shared doesn’t need to mean anything. Not a thing. We can finish this and you go back to your life, I go back to mine.”
“Won’t there be irreparable harm if you don’t mate? With me?”
Her voice was so strained I couldn’t tell her the truth. That could crush her, hatred of me or not. “Nah. I’ll be fine. I’m not saying I won’t miss you, even when you’re furious with me, but I’ll make it through.”
“Oh. Okay.”
I cleared my throat and glanced at my watch. “Hey, I know we’ve got that meeting. So, I wanted to let you know that you don’t need to come with me to the away game. I’ll be just fine.”
Lily glanced away, picking up a couple of the fallen flowers. “No, I won’t miss your games. Not one of them. If that’s alright.”
Alright? I was practically giddy like some damn girl. “Sure. If you want to.”
“I do.”
An awkward silence pooled between us and this time it was much different than ever before. Whoever said the truth could set you free was a moron.
I cleared my throat. “I guess we should go.”
When she placed her hand on my chest, I not only hadn’t been expecting the gentle, almost loving move, but I was about ready to jump out of my skin.
“Thank you for finding me. And for caring. That means a lot to me.”
I’d done a lot of stupid things in my life, so many that I couldn’t count them with a calculator if I wanted to. Something overcame me that was mightier than a sword, bigger than a tidal wave.
I suddenly found myself on one knee, yanking the box holding the ring from my pocket.
To say the girl was shocked was an understatement.
As soon as I opened the lid, she gasped. She even placed her shaking hand across her lips.
“I just wanted to ask if… If you’d marry me, Lily Weathers. I know I’m far from the man of your dreams and you certainly didn’t plan on betting saddled with a wolf shifter as a fiancé, but I will promise that while we’re together, I will never even look at another woman. How could I when I finally met the most incredible, intelligent, precious, and gorgeous woman in the entire world?”
I certainly would never be confused for a poet, but at least my words were heartfelt.
She lifted her head. “This is beautiful.”
“It was my grandmother’s. I hope that doesn’t take away from what I just said since I didn’t purchase the ring myself.”
Blinking, she shook her head a couple of times. There was a strange look of joy on her face. “No, this is perfect.” She held out her hand so I could slide the ring on her finger.
“Anyway, it’s short term so I hope it’s not too much of an inconvenience to wear it.”
When she lifted her head, she fisted her hand at the same time.
The joy was gone, sucked up by another wave of disappointment.
And hurt.
“Of course. Short term. I think you’re right. We need to go.”
CHAPTER 30
Lily
Men.
