She held her finger up to my lips. “I never thought I deserved this kind of love because the love that I thought I knew…it wasn’t love at all. You’ve taught me what love is, Layton—true, honest-to-God love. I’ll love you forever. ”
I reached down and captured her lips with mine. I wanted nothing more than to pick her up and make love to her against this gazebo.
“God…I want to make love to you so damn bad, baby. ”
She smiled as she looked down toward the blanket and then back up at me. “As romantic as that would be, you would be in so much pain,” she said with a giggle. “Let’s go home, and I’m sure we can come up with another plan. ”
I looked down at the basket. “What about the wine? And the cheese?”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Did you bring a flashlight ’cause the sun is going to set soon?”
I just looked at her. “Really, Whit? You don’t know me at all. ” I walked over and opened up the basket. I took out two flashlights, and then I sat down and motioned for her to sit in front of me.
She sat down, and I handed her the wine bottle and glasses. She poured us each a glass. After she handed me a glass, she gently laid back against me. I fed her a grape every now and then as we sat and talked while the sun slowly began setting.
“Layton, this is beautiful. Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything, baby. ”
She turned her head and looked up at me. “Can we get married here?”
I smiled and nodded. “I was hoping that’s what you would want. ”
“How did you know?” She pushed herself forward and turned around to look at me.
I smiled as I looked back out toward the sunset. “You and Courtney were talking about a book one day. You mentioned a gazebo and how the characters got married while looking out toward the sunset. In that moment, I knew that I was going to ask you to marry me in the exact spot where we would get married. This spot might have once held anger and hurt, but it started off with the love of my parents and their dreams of raising a family here. ” I smiled. “Now, it’s our dream. ”
She smiled as a tear slowly moved down her cheek. “Is this where you were going to bring me on my birthday?”
I nodded. “Yes, but the gazebo wasn’t here yet. I had made plans for it to be built, and it was going to be a Christmas present to you. Things changed, and I thought it would be better to ask you to marry me in the gazebo. ”
She shook her head and gave me a drop-me-to-my-knees smile. “Okay, next question. ”
“Go for it. ”
“The ring. Layton, how did you know about this ring? Did Anna tell you?”
I threw my head back and laughed. “I was there. ”
She looked at me with a confused expression on her face. “What? You were where?”
“The day you came into the jewelry store to get the picture of us put into Kate’s locket, I saw you walking up when I was looking at rings. I hid behind the counter. I was there the whole time. ”
Her face dropped as she looked down at the ring. “You were there?”
“Yep. It was fate that you walked in when I was there. It was perfect really. You picked out your own ring and didn’t even know it. ”
She threw herself into me, causing me to let out a curse.
“Shit! I’m so sorry, baby,” she said as her eyes caught mine.
The look she was giving me started making my dick jump.
“Layton. Will you please take me home now?”
I jumped up and grabbed her hand. I started to make my way down the steps of the gazebo.
“Wait! Layton, what about all of this stuff? You can’t leave it out here. The animals will get it. ”