“No bullshit, I would have said yes. I could never say no to you, Ethan.”
“But you don’t want to get married. You told me that night that you didn’t want to. If my memory serves me correctly, your exact words were ‘It’s not like we’re getting married or anything, god forbid.’”
“Shit, is that what I said?”
I nodded. The words were etched onto my brain.
She pulled at me so we were both lying face up on the bed. “It’s how I’ve always felt.” I froze, not wanting to hear any more about how she didn’t want to marry me. “It’s how I felt right up until I heard you had been planning to propose.” I didn’t move, couldn’t move. “I’ve never wanted the big, white wedding. I’ve never been one of those girls. The thought is horrifying to me. And I’ve never associated marriage with anything particularly happy. My parents seem to be together because they have to be, rather than because they want to be. I’ve seen so many people divorce or waste time in unhappy relationships. I don’t want that. But when I heard you were planning to ask me, I realized that’s not us. We’re not unhappy and I don’t believe we ever could be. As long as I don’t have to wear a huge white dress and parade down an aisle, I want to marry you. I want to marry you because I want to be with you forever and I want the world to know but even more than that, I want to make you happy and if that’s what it takes, then I want it too.”
I found my voice finally. “This can’t just be about what I want, Anna.”
She lifted herself up onto her elbow so she was looking at me. She put her hand across my chest, across my heart. “I want to make you happy. That is good enough reason for me to say yes. I’d do anything for you Ethan. But actually, I want it for us, too. I want to tell the world you’re mine and I’m yours. I never thought I would feel like that but it’s different with you. I never expected to be lucky enough to have what we have.”
“Okay,” I said.
“Okay?”
“I’ll marry you, since you asked so nicely.”
She grinned at me. “Do I get the ring? I hear it’s awesome.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, I get it. Jewelry can be very persuasive, huh?”
She prodded me in the ribs. “I’ve done the hard bit. I asked the question. I think I deserve a reward.”
I pushed her back against the mattress, and slid my lips across hers.
“Maybe I took it back?”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “Did you?”
“Come on.” I slipped off the bed and pulled her up. “Put some clothes on.”
I handed her her robe that she’d left from the last time she was here and I pulled on my boxers and took her hand.
She trailed behind me as we made our way down the hall to the study. I lifted her to sit on my desk and then I sat down on my chair.
She looked at me expectantly. I couldn’t help but chuckle at her.
“Gimme, gimme,” she said, her fingers grabbing at the air.
I leaned forward and opened the bottom drawer of my desk to reveal a red leather ring box.
Her eyes widened as we both peered into the drawer, alternating glances between each other and the box.
Eventually I grabbed the box and put it on the desk next to her.
She wiggled off the desk and onto my lap. “Show me.”
Slowly, I opened the box, revealing the ring that I’d carefully chosen for her. My heart was thumping through my chest.
“Wow.”
“Wow?”
“It’s huge.”
I kissed her neck. “I know, but simple right? I didn’t think you’d want anything too fussy.”
“It’s perfect. I couldn’t have, wouldn’t have picked better myself. Did you rent it? I’m going to be really upset if this is another Pretty Woman tribute, because I’m not giving it back,” she said.
“You like it?” I asked her, genuinely concerned.
“Are you serious?” She started wiggling her fingers in front of me. I chuckled and reached for the ring and slid it onto her left hand.
It fitted perfectly.
She looked between me and the ring. I couldn’t see anything but her beautiful face.
She was so fucking perfect, and she was going to be my wife.