Okay, it probably wasn’t kosher for me to eavesdrop like that, but on the other hand, she was talking about what she’d say to me, if only I were here. And I’m here, right now. And I would give all that I possessed in the world to have her turn around and look at me. For her to give me a chance to fix this.
At the sound of my voice, she freezes in her seat, and I swear to God, the world stops. I’m not breathing and no one is talking and Daphne isn’t moving and I panic. What if she doesn’t want me after all? What if she was just venting to her friends, and doesn’t want me? She’s so gorgeous and smart and fucking hilarious and fun to be around, that she could pick any guy in the world. I grip my rose harder.
She slowly, ever so slowly turns in her seat and peers up at me, squinting as if she isn’t quite sure I’m real.
“Dominic?” she breathes.
I have to do it. I have to lay it all out on the line.
“Daphne, I love you. I want to be with you, both in the bedroom and out on the town. Yeah, I may be old enough to be your father, and at one point, I was your dad. But I don’t see you as a little kid. I see you as the woman you’ve become. I want you in my life, always.”
With a silent prayer to whatever gods may be listening, I drop to one knee and pull out the ring box from Tiffany’s. I open it and all the girls at the table gasp in unison.
I asked the jeweler at Tiffany’s for the biggest, purest, most gorgeous rock they had, and they came back with a stone so big, I’m not entirely sure Daphne should be let out of the house without an armed guard if she’s wearing it. I think the fucker can be seen from outer space.
But what I want more than anything is for Daphne to see it, and to know that above all else, I want her to be known as my wife. I want the world to know that I’m proud of her, and love her with all my heart.
“Oh Dominic,” Daphne says again, but this time, there’s happy tears shining in her eyes.
“Will you marry me?” I ask, for only the second time in my life. When I’d proposed to her mom, I’d done it while seventeen sheets to the wind. I only vaguely remember it. But this moment … this moment I’ll remember for the rest of my life.
Bringing a fist up to her mouth to hold her tears back, she nodded jerkily. “Yes, Dominic, I’ll marry you,” she says, the happy tears falling down her cheeks. She launches herself off the barstool and straight at me, knocking me backwards to the floor. I stare up at her and she grins down at me. “Yes,” she whispers, and to the clapping and applause of the whole bar, she shows me just how much she wants to be my wife.
59
Daphne
Every filthy moment I’ve spent with Dominic has been the most mind-blowing sexual experience in my life in that moment. My dreams are full of repeats of the naughty things we’ve done, and they always wake me up in a sweat and in need of a cold shower.
But this? The way that he’s looking at me right now?
Dominic loves me. He wants to marry me. He doesn’t want to hide anything, or keep a secret. He wants me as much as I want him, and there’s a real chance at happily ever after. I want that so badly. I remember the simple crush I had on him when he was my stepfather. I remember seeing him again at a definite low point in my life and feeling how he could make my pussy ache for him, but not my heart… not in a bad way. He’s fucked me hard and good, but Dominic… he’s always tried to be tender with my heart.
That’s the sort of thing that sticks with a girl.
I get on tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck. I want to kiss him, but first I just have to be cute and shit because I rub my nose against his. I’m just so in love with him and I want to remember this moment forever. The scent of his skin. The warmth of his arms around me. The way his smile goes all the way to his eyes when he looks at me with a look that is pure love.
I love Dominic. It might be screwed up to some people, but to everyone that matters, it's just fine. We see it, and they see it. And I can’t stand the idea of waiting even a second longer to not be kissing him right now. Kissing Dominic is always so sensual and romantic. And now, all of our cards are on the table.
“Let’s get out of here,” I whisper, running my tongue between my lips as my heart starts drumming a song of pure anticipation. “Right now,” I add, needing him to understand just how badly I need to be alone with him.
“Let’s,” he replies with a nod, and then he reaches for my hand and holds it in his. Just like lovers do in the movies; just like in fairy tales.
“Girls, I… I need to…” I start to say, stammering. I can’t even form a coherent sentence right now; my brain is in complete disarray.