Page 116 of Royally Matched
I smile. “My boyfriend, the landscape gardener.”
“Do you know, I'm glad I can officially call myself that.”
“I do know that, as it happens.”
You see, Marco won the inner city park redevelopment he had always wanted, getting to design and build his pirate ship for the local kids. It’s giving him a deep sense of satisfaction and confirmed his career direction. And I must say, seeing him in his form-fitting T-shirts and pants, smeared with dirt, hard at work, is one of my all-time favorite things.
“I'm so proud of you, my love. Do you know that?” I ask.
He pauses, brushing a stray hair from my face. “I know. It's one of the many things I love about you, myPrincipessa.”
I also love it when he calls mePrincipessa, particularly when he follows it with a soft kiss, which, incidentally, is exactly what he does right now.
“Shall we check out the work your gardeners have been doing?” he asks.
“Let's.”
We step over the red and white plastic tape suspended between cones and into the space, Lemon and Pepper darting ahead of us in their happy labrador abandon. Iexpect to see a hive of activity with our palace gardeners working to transform the area into an autumnal corner of the garden. But there isn’t a gardener in sight.
I come to a stop as I take in the lush, vibrant plants, full of dahlias and chrysanthemums and a host of other autumnal flowers I couldn’t name, but I’m certain Marco could. There's a charming gazebo at one end, decorated with soft linen and fresh floral garlands that I've never seen before, and a small pond, reflecting the setting sun.
“This is gorgeous!” I exclaim in wonderment.
“It is,” he confirms as we wander through the garden, reaching the gazebo.
I turn to Marco, but instead of finding him standing at my side, admiring the garden, he's now down on one knee and looking up at me with a depth of love in his eyes that takes my breath away.
Instantly, my heart begins to hammer.
This is it.
This is the moment.
This is what I've been wanting for, only I'm about to get what I've been dreaming of with a man I love so very deeply.
Marco swallows, his Adam's apple bouncing, and I know he's nervous. “Sofia. MyPrincipessa. I never knew a woman as incredible as you could love a man like me, but I want you to know how very grateful I am to be in your life, to love you as fervently as I do.” He pauses, his eyes filling with tears, and I feel as though my heart could burst with love for this beautiful man down on one knee. “I love you with all my heart, and I want to keep on loving you for the rest of my days and beyond. I want nothing more than for you to be my wife.”
I lift a trembling hand to my mouth, my own eyes pooling with tears as he reaches into his pocket and pullsout a small box. He pops the lid open to reveal a stunning solitaire diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds and finished with Ledonian red rubies, the stones glinting in the soft glow from the setting sun.
“Sofia, my love, will you do me the very great honor of marrying me?”
Tears stream down my face as I crouch down in front of him and press my lips urgently against his. “Yes, yes! I will marry you!”
Being Marco, he lets out a laugh as he pulls the stunning ring from the box and slides it onto my ring finger, and I gaze down at it.
“It’s beautiful,” I say.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs.
Pepper bounds over to us, placing a wet lick on my cheek, making me laugh.
“I see Pepper approves,” Marco says.
“I think she does.” I gaze at the ring on my finger once more. “This ring.”
“I hoped you'd like it,” he replies. “There needed to be some Ledonian red, of course, but I thought you might appreciate only a hint.”
“It’s perfect,” I gush.