Page 65 of Never Going to Care

I just shrug and go back to what I’m doing at the stove. I throw over my shoulder, “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Surprise me?” When she comes around and looks up into my eyes, I can see her trying to work out what is going on. I put my stoic mask on, trying to keep my intentions out of my eyes, but I don’t stop myself from pulling her close to me. I love the way her body fits against mine. “Why are you surprising me?”

I cup her cheek and lean down to press my lips against hers. I intend for it to be a sweet kiss, but it quickly catches fire and heats up. It’s the way it always is between us, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love this woman so damn much and it’s hard to keep myself in check around her. Why should I, anyway?

“You’ve been living here a month now, Celeste,” I murmur against her lips. I pull back from her and smirk at the way her eyes are glazed over with lust. “I think that’s something to celebrate.”

She blinks up at me before she snorts out a laugh. “We aren’t going to be those people who celebrate every month or whatever, right? Like you won’t do anything for our six-week anniversary will you?”

I bark out a laugh and kiss the top of her head before I let her go. “Nope,” I pop the p and turn her before I smack her ass. I love the way she lets out a little yelp of surprise. “Now, go get changed because I know you’re dying to take off your bra.”

She grins over her shoulder before moving toward the door and murmuring, “You just like to be able to see if my nipples are hard or not.”

“You know me so well, Starlight,” I call after her which causes her to giggle.

Fucking hell, she’s not wrong. I love seeing Celeste all dressed up, like she was at the wedding, or even in the clothes she wears to work, but those looks have nothing on when she’s relaxed in our home. I love when she’s comfortable and can just be. I swear she shines the brightest then.

When she comes back in, I’m done with dinner and have everything at the table waiting for her. She narrows her eyes at me, still suspicious, but I just kiss her forehead and keep it moving. She’s going to continue to think I’m up to something and there’s nothing I can do about it. Mostly because Iamup to something.

“Tacos? Yum,” her voice is bright as she sits down with a big smile on her face. I knew tacos would be a distraction, even though only a little one. She sasses me, “You know, I already love you now, you don’t need to convince me with tacos.”

I bark out a laugh and shake my head at her in admonishment. “Gotta keep stoking the fires, woman.”

She giggles and we tuck into our dinner while chatting about our day. She loves her job and working with people. She lights up when she talks about it. Even though she doesn’t say it specifically, I know she’s a lot more comfortable now that Joe isn’t in her office and is getting the help he needs. The way she talks about her job now compared to how she did before he was fired is night and day. I don’t even think she realizes it.

When she leans back in her chair and rubs her belly, I can’t help but grin at her. “So,” she stretches out the word before leveling me with her gaze, “what’s going on? What’s the real reason for tacos as soon as I get home?”

I make a humming sound and wink at her. It only makes her huff out a breath and cross her arms across her chest before glaring at me.

I lean forward and tuck some strands of her hair behind her ear. “You’re adorable when you’re all huffy.”

She scoffs, “I am not adorable. I’m scowly and gruff.”

“No way,” I try and sound serious, “that’s my job around here.”

My woman rolls her eyes at me, but she doesn’t argue, and she doesn’t ask me what this is all about. I’m glad because if she did, I don’t think I could continue to be strong. I’m about to break down as it is, and she has no idea. I might have gone through training and wouldn’t be broken in most situations, but when it comes to Celeste, I’m weak as fuck.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“How about you go and get outBattleship,” I suggest to her.

Celeste arches an eyebrow, her voice curious, “Do you have another bet in mind?”

“I don’t need to win anything this time. I already have you right where I want you.”

She purses her lips but doesn’t argue with me about it. When she stands and starts to walk into the living room, I hang back for a moment under the guise of cleaning up. I wait about 30 seconds and peek around into the living room to find her sitting on the couch with the box on her lap so she can get it set up for us.

The moment she starts to lift the box, I walk on silent feet and sink to one knee next to her. She looks at the coffee table to put the lid there, but when she looks back into the box, she lets out a gasp and picks up the ring I put there for her to find.

“Celeste,” my voice is gentle, and her eyes snap to mine to show me the surprised tears of happiness shining there. I shuffle a little closer and grab her hand in mine. “I love you so much. You’re mine. I know it and you know it, but now I want the world to know it. I know there will be times when you have to put me in my place, and I can’t wait for those times. I know there will be times when you need me to be your strength, I can’t wait for those either. I know there will be times of complete bliss as we continue to live our lives together. Will you marry me so we can step into the future as husband and wife?”

The tears which were threatening to fall start to now. My heart seizes for a moment out of fear that this is too fast and she’s uncertain. Then I see the love she has for me right there in her brown depths and I breathe a little easier.

“Hale,” she breathes out. “You want me to be your wife?”

I gently pluck the ring out of her fingers and hold it up for her to see and pull her hand a little closer to me. “It would make me the happiest man in the world for you to be my wife, for me to be your husband. I can’t think of anything better other than the possibility of us starting a family, but there’s no rush for it to happen.” I grip her jaw with my other hand and rub my finger along her skin. “What do you say, Starlight?”

“Yes,” it’s a whisper so soft that I almost don’t hear it. I slip the ring on her finger right in time to catch her when she launches herself at me. She kisses all over my face and her tears turn into laughter, my deep chuckle rising to join her. “I would say yes to you a million times, Hale,” she looks at me earnestly with the same kind of conviction in her tone. “You have to know that.”

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