Page 158 of Head Over Heels
He laughed, and all his tension and unease drained away because she meant it. This was what she wanted. She’d never tease about it unless it was. He gripped her hips. “Oh, all right.”
She leaned in close. “See, we can do this. It’s all about give and take.”
“We’re doing it. And I’m never going to let you go.”
* * *
The perfect time came two weeks later over takeout. They’d eaten dinner, cleared away the plates, and right before they settled into the couch he sank down to one knee. He took her hand, and she grinned down at him.
God, she loved him. Loved him so much she could barely stand it.
He rubbed a thumb over her left ring finger. “Sophie Kincaid, I wanted to take you to your favorite place in the world, but who knows how long it will take before we get to a Nordstrom shoe department.”
She laughed and shook her head. This was better than any shoe department because it was her home and her favorite place in the world, but she kept quiet and let him continue.
“The truth is, I’ve been in love with you since the first second I saw you. And I can’t wait one more second.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket. “Will you please drive me crazy for the rest of my life?”
He flipped open the top, and she gasped at the perfection of the ring inside. Her heart hammered in her chest. “Oh my God, Ryder.”
“Do you like it?”
“Like it? I love it.” It was the best ring she’d ever seen. It was a square-cut, one-and-a-half caret stone with a thin diamond infinity band. Tears filled her eyes. “Yes.”
He gripped her chin and pulled her down to meet his lips, sealing their future in a searing kiss that stole her very breath. When he released her he said, “I love you so much, Soph.”
“I love you too, Ryder.” She traced his strong jaw with her finger. “I can’t wait until you’re my husband.”
“Good, because I can’t wait until you’re my wife.” He took the ring out of the box and slid it down her finger.
She held it up to the light. “It’s perfect.”
He rose and sat next to her on the couch, taking her hand so they could look at it together. “Are you sure you like it?”
“I love it. It’s perfect. Exactly what I would have picked.” Because it was. She’d be staring at this ring for hours.
He squeezed her hand. “Thank God. Do you know how many women I had to go through to get this ring?”
She laughed and shook her head. “No, how many?”
“My mom, my sisters, Darcy, Gracie, Maddie, and Penelope all sent me five hundred texts with what I should get. It was the most confusing process of my entire life. But then I snuck away from them all one afternoon and went to the jeweler by myself. I saw this and knew it was you.” He stood, picked her up, and started carrying her to the bedroom.
She licked his jaw and whispered in his ear, “You know me best.”
He swung her onto the bed and she landed in a heap, laughing.
He climbed on top of her, straddling her hips. “So it’s official.”
“It’s official.”
“Can we get married next week?”
She gave him a galled look. “Hell no. Do you know how many times I’ve been a bridesmaid? I’m getting a wedding.”
He whipped off her top. “That’s what I figured. But soon, Soph, I need it to be soon.”
“We’ll come up with something.” She flashed him a smile.
He covered her mouth with his own. The kiss was long and possessive, telling her everything she needed to know about what she was in store for later that night.