Page 141 of Renato
"Go ahead."
He takes a breath, then looks at me—really looks at me—and I see everything in his eyes. Love and fear and desperate hope.
"Marry me," he says. "Not because anyone is forcing you. Not because of debts or alliances or business. Marry me because you want to." He gestures at the destroyed cake. "Marry me so we can pick our own wedding cake this time."
Laughter bubbles out of me. "That's your best proposal? I get another wedding cake if I say ‘yes’?"
"I'm serious." He takes my frosting-covered hands in his. "I want to do this right. I want to give you the choice you never had before. And I want to stand up in front of everyone and claim you properly as my wife, with your active participation in the decision."
"Renato—"
"I know it's fast. I know we're still figuring this out. But I also know that I want forever with you. Want to wake up everymorning with you in my arms. Want to spend my life proving I'm worthy of the gift you've given me by loving me back."
"Are you finished?" I ask, but I'm smiling so hard my face hurts.
"That depends. Are you going to say yes? Because I can keep going if it helps to convince you."
I step closer, sliding my arms around his neck. "Yes! A hundred times yes. I'll marry you. I'll pick a ridiculous wedding cake with figurines of you and me on the top. And then I’ll gladly spend the rest of my life with you."
The relief and joy that floods his face is almost overwhelming. He lifts me off my feet, spinning me around, and I'm laughing again as he kisses me.
When he sets me down, we're both covered in frosting, and the cake is completely obliterated.
It's perfect.
"We're really getting married," I say, testing the words.
"Yes," he confirms. He pulls me close, and I go willingly, resting my head against his chest and listening to his heartbeat. Strong and steady and mine.
"I love you," he murmurs into my hair. “I’ll try my best to be a good husband to you.”
"I know you will. That’s why I’m marrying you.”
And in the morning sunlight, surrounded by the wreckage of everything that tried to destroy us, we begin again.
Not as captor and captive.
Not as victim and villain.
But as two people who chose each other despite everything.
The past is destroyed, ground into the grass with buttercream and champagne.
The future is ours to choose.
And I choose him.
Renato.
***
