“I’ll talk to him,” I say, wanting to make him happy. “I won’t ask him to do anything he isn’t sure about, but maybe just a bite to start?”
“Just one bite,” he says against my lips and I shiver as I picture it. Oh, the gods, I am going damp and I stick my tongue in his mouth. He sucks it for a moment, grabbing my lapels again to get me closer to him. He steps back suddenly and clears his throat.
“There’s more,” he says and turns from me again.
“Dev?” I ask. “Is everything okay?” I need him to talk to me. This Cole business isn’t what is really bothering him.
“No,” he says. “In a nutshell, Lizzie. I want you. I really want you. I had hoped to be able to ask you this months ago, but then after…you know…I didn’t think that I could. But then with Constantine, I don’t want you to think it’s a copycat move, because it isn’t. I had this idea ages ago.”
“Dev,” I say in frustration. “What are you saying?” My heart is pounding.
He turns back to me, something clutched in his fist. “I want you, Elizabeth, to somehow, be my wife. I love you and I should have done this hundreds of years ago. I was a dick for thinking it wasn’t really what you wanted after you turned me. I should have followed through.” He is holding out an eye-wateringly gorgeous diamond ring in front of me, that my eyes go to instantly. My mouth has gone dry and I choke as I try to speak.
“What?” I rasp.
“I know it is not the grand gesture it was supposed to be. Constantine kind of ruined that. As usual,” he grouses. “But I couldn’t wait any longer. I need you. I need you full time. Marry me, Lizzie.”
“Oh, Dev,” I say, my hand on my heart. “I-I…how would that work?” I ask stupidly. “And Cole…”
“He knows,” Devon interrupts me. “I told him this months ago.”
“What?” I snap. “Then why did he come up with the suggestion about CK?” I am totally confused right now.
“You’ll have to ask him,” Devon snaps back. He drops to his knees. “Please, Lizzie, if you have to think about it, then tell me that. Don’t say ‘no’ because you think Constantine will have a shitfit, or whatever. I don’t want this decision to be about him and his reaction. Just you and yours.”
I drop to my knees and take his face in my hands. “I love you so much, Dev. I really do. You have kind of blindsided me here. I didn’t think this is what you ever wanted from me.”
He closes his eyes. “I know it’s a surprise. Just tell me you’ll think about it.”
He opens his eyes as I stay silent. I chew my lip. I want to say yes. I want to scream it from the rooftops, but I do have CK’s reaction to factor into this. He will go fucking ballistic. Things are good with us, right now after everything. I don’t want anything to screw it up. Even this.
I nod at him. “I’ll think about it.”
He breathes out. He was truly worried I’d tell him an outright no. I need to say more.
“I want to say yes,” I say carefully. “I just need the time to figure it out, not only because of CK, but also the Shifting. It’s complicated. Just tell me you’ll give me the time, okay.”
He nods quickly. “Yes,” he says and crushes his mouth to mine, pushing me back against the tree.
His hands go under my shirt to tweak my nipples. He tugs them roughly, shoving his knee in between my legs. I grip his arms tightly and then he pulls back with a low growl.
“What do you want?” he spits out.
I turn and see Jess glaring at us. Her eyes are on the ring that Devon is still clutching between his thumb and index finger. We both stand hastily.
“Thanks for finding that,” I say to him quickly and grab it off him. I put it in my pocket as he covers up his snort of amusement. He knows this is best kept under wraps until I give him the go-ahead. Fortunately, he is cool with that, my darling boy. I can always count on him. But if CK were to find out about this from Jess, of all people, I dread to think what would happen to my gorgeous charge.
“No worries,” he says with such a smirk, I find it hard not laugh. Then his face goes cold as he turns back to Jess. “Get back inside and do not dare follow me again,” he growls at her.
She hesitates, wanting to stand her ground and get me away from him. I fan her anger by moving closer to him and crossing my arms. It lights like an inferno and I think I am going to have fun playing with her. Bad me.
She storms off and Devon turns back to me.
“Don’t leave me waiting long,” he says, slipping his hand into my pocket and grabbing the ring. “I’ll hang onto it.”
I nod at him and then he pulls me to the ground. We sit and talk for a few minutes. He tells me of this hilarious legend that he heard when he went back to Helsby about the two of us. We laugh uncontrollably and everything is perfect with us again, as close as we ever were. I hate to break it up, but I must go inside. It is freezing out here, and I need to feed Cade.
We walk back together slowly and then part ways in the hallway with a soft kiss. He goes to his room and I go to Cade’s. I take the coat off and climb on the bed beside him. He turns stiffly and wakes up.