Page 81 of Forever Fallen

“Mrs. Merrick?” the minister urged… but Sophie was already there.

“When we first met, I remember thinking,‘What a shame he’s such a troll’…” she smiled tearfully as Ryan openly laughed, gently squeezing her hands in his. She knew he was close to breaking down and everything in her desperately needed to see his smile.

“Did she just call our Reaper a troll?”

“Shhhh….”

“Nowthat’sfunny…”

“Maybe a new call sign?”

“Hmm… maybe we can spray paint that near the canopy on his Falcon?”

“Will you two pipe down?”

“You were abrasive, arrogant, and… so very kind,” Sophie finished softly, her thumb caressing the back of his hands.

“It was that warm, gentle, caring kindness and that tempting offer, that caught my attention. I couldn’t imagine someone being so carefree or reckless as to ask me to marry them, all within the first thirty minutes of meeting them…”

“What did she just say?”

“Thirty minutes?”

“Did I hear that right?”

“I’m still stuck on the fact that little Soph called our Reaper a troll to his face...”

“I was fascinated… and couldn’t stop looking at you, despite what I said,” she admitted softly. “You flew into my air space, Flyboy, and laid waste to the world I once knew… only to give me a new one, a breathtakingly beautiful one, full of love.”

His eyes were searching hers and she couldn’t look away from the unfettered emotion shining in his gaze, as a tear slipped from his dark eyes. She quickly reached up to wipe it away, tenderly touching his cheek again, as she smiled up at him tremulously.

“You gave me your heart and soul, Ryan,” she breathed reverently. “Loving me, being a part of my life, teasing me, and letting me be myself freely… all while engaging me in a ‘battle’ of wits, at every moment of the day. You blasted away at my defenses when we declared our rules for marriage to each other…”

“Now I like that idea… rules!”

“Whoa boy, Sophie is spreading ideas…”

“I’ve got a few rules for you, Flyboy.”

“Yes, dear.”

Sophie and Ryan both laughed tearfully, and she was unable to look away from him as she continued speaking.

“There is no one else I would rather hold me when I cry, hum beside me in the kitchen, or drink cocoa with, in the evenings. There will never be another person that can compare to you, husband.”

She swallowed as tears began to truly flow and she saw him holding back, as he quickly brushed them away, whispering to her.

“Sophie, don’t cry…” he begged softly. “Smile for me, Sunshine.”

“I fell in love the moment you stood there posing in only a towel, when I heard you laugh as I yanked all the cold water from the shower, and when you held me as I cried at the funeral,” she wept, smiling tearfully. “I love the man who hates the zombie dolls, compares my butt to a bean bag, and makes love to me with his entire being, his very heart and soul…”

Ryan let out a shaky sob as he stared at her.

“Whoa… is he crying?”

“He told her that her butt looked like a bean bag?”

“That part’s funny.”

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