Page 118 of Safe
“I’m doing this wrong, I think,” I murmured.
For a moment, Rey had no idea what was going on. Then his mouth opened into anO, and he slapped a hand over it.
I dug out the ring I had in my pocket. It was silicone, we’d had this conversation before on a theoretical level. There’d be proper rings later, but this would be safer for when he was around the horses at home.
“We’ve said from the beginning that we’re in no rush, baby,” I started. “But if you want a really long engagement, I’m yours.”
He sniffled, then grinned. “Not too long. You’re old.”
“Brat,” I said fondly and held out the ring. “How does this look like for now? We can get fancy when we get married eventually.”
There was no “if” for me. We would, but we were in no rush.
“It looks perfect,” he said and gave me his hand. Then he pulled it back. “Ask me.”
Oh, right. Uh…“Will you marry me, sometime in the future?”
He got serious and looked at me with so much love I knew my heart would be safe with him.
“Yes.”
I put the ring on his finger, and he launched himself at me, bowling me over onto the sun deck floor.
We laughed and kissed, and laughed and kissed some more.
When we got up and settled on the sun bed, he cuddled up next to me.
“Is there lunch in the cooler?”
I sighed happily. “Yup.”
“Something light?” At my nod, Rey said, “Good. Because I’m gonna bottom you so hard when we go in for a nap in a couple of hours.”
I burst out laughing again. Whatever else life would bring us, I knew it wouldn’t be boring.
“I love you,” I told him, kissing him on the forehead.
“I love you too.” He squeezed my middle and let out a content little sound.
* * * *
As much as I loved being here, in this moment with him, I was already homesick for Twin Star. Echoing my thought, Rey murmured, “It’s been great here, but I miss our bed.”
“Same.”
“And the dogs. And horses.” He sighed. “And the people.”
“Everyone.”
“Yeah. Everyone. The whole Twin Star.”
I’d always felt safest at Twin Star, and I knew Rey shared the sentiment. But despite location, Rey was my home and my safety, and I was his.
I was so, so lucky.
THE END
