Reading Online Novel

Sure Thing(70)



“Good. Marry me.”

That wipes the smile right off her face. Not quite what I’d intended. “What?” I’m glad she’s sitting because she looks a little pale.

“Marry me.”

“That’s”—she pauses, sucks in a breath—”insane. We’ve known each other a week.”

“So?” I realize I’ve missed a step of a proper proposal so I grab a paperclip from the conference table and bend it open, twisting it into a wonky circle as I kneel in front of her.

“Are you insane?” Her eyes are wide and she’s shaking her head back and forth. “I wasn’t questioning why you weren’t on your knees. I was questioning how you could ask me to marry you when we barely know each other.”

“I know enough, Violet. I’m asking because I’m sure. I’m sure of what we are when we’re together. I’m sure that I can’t live without you. I’m sure that I’m in love with you.”

She sucks in a breath so I forge on.

“Our lives will be outstanding together, Violet—you and I—because I won’t allow anything less for you. I’m all in. I’m the sure thing, Violet. When it comes to you, I’m the sure thing. You told me once that no one’s ever asked. I’m asking. Marry me.”

She blinks once, then again, and I wonder what she’s thinking. She takes the paperclip ring from my hand and stares at it, rubbing it between her finger and thumb but not putting it on.

“I’ll get you a nicer one. Of course.” God, she can’t be thinking I expect her to wear that, can she? “Whatever you like. We’ll pick it out together. We can be engaged as long as you like.” No, that’s a lie. “A few months,” I clarify, and then when her eyes widen—”A year.”

She doesn’t say anything.

“You’ll work here,” I continue. “Take the job.”

That seems to snap her out of her daze. But when she speaks I don’t like what she has to say.

“No.”





CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT


Violet

 He’s serious.

He’s not messing with me. He’s absolutely, completely serious. And that declaration took some balls.

“No?”

He doesn’t even look bothered by the rejection. Not in a way that implies that he doesn’t care. But in a way that implies he won’t accept no as an answer, so it’s irrelevant. He gets off his knees though and sits, his posture confident. As if this ends how he wants. His elbows are resting on his knees and he’s leaning into me, invading my space. Trampling my thoughts. My heart long since breached.

“No, I’m not going to work for you. It’s weird.”

“Why is it weird? My entire family works together. Hell, my parents give each other lifts to work every morning. That was my mum who interviewed you, by the way. Stepmum, but she’s the one who raised me. I had nothing to do with you getting this interview. You got this on your own. We don’t fly people in for interviews if we’re not keen. The job will be yours on your own merits.”

I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I love you, Jennings. It’s insanity, but I do love you. More than I ever thought was possible, but I need a career separate from you. I won’t have my entire identity wrapped up in you.”

He kisses me then. One moment he’s a foot away and the next his hand is behind my neck and he’s pulling my lips to his. Softly at first. Then my lips part and his tongue invades and I don’t know how I can be expected to resist him. But then he speaks, and he doesn’t make me.

“Fine. You’ll get another job. Somewhere in London. Or I’ll relocate to the States if you prefer.”

“You’ll relocate?” I laugh. The idea is preposterous.

“Yes. If you leave I’ll follow. Wherever you are, I’ll be. I’ll make it work.”

“Are you for real? Is this really happening?”

“So that’s a yes to the proposal, no to the job offer?”

“I don’t know, Jennings. This is all so fast.”

“Say yes for now. Give me that much. Say yes for now. I’ve had longer to think this through than you have. All night, in fact. On a very long flight in a shite center seat in coach because my friend Canon has a perverse sense of humour. Say yes for now and I’ll ask again when you’re ready. In three weeks or three months or three years. Whatever it takes to get you to agree to spend your life with me. Just say yes.”

I stare at him, unsure how I could deny him anything. Unsure why I’d even want to.

“Yes.”





Epilogue