The house was empty of furniture and painted in stark shades of white, but as we moved from one room to the next, my imagination filled it. There would be a leather wrap-around sectional in the living room, and we’d put a fluffy rug in front of the fireplace. The all-white kitchen would need filling with colorful dishes and towels. By now, my hand had flown up to cover my mouth, and Ethan was watching me with a wistful smile.
“How many bedrooms?” I asked softly, finally finding some words.
He shrugged. “Three,” he said. “Wanna see my favorite?”
I nodded and took his hand when he stretched it out to me. We walked up a flight of stairs to a room that took up the entire small top floor of the house. The ceiling tented in the middle, forming a perfect natural frame for the bed – the only piece of furniture in the house. I chuckled to myself. “Of course you’d make sure there was a bed here.”
“It’s a lot, Natalia. It’s a big thing I’m asking here.”
I froze in place, keeping my eyes trained on the bed. Waiting for him to say his piece.
“I want a life with you. We have been incredible partners so far, and I know we can make this dream into something bigger and more incredible than either of us ever imagined. I know you’ve never wanted to settle down, but I promise you, we can come and go as much as you want. Vacations. Adventures.” He pulled in a deep, shuddery breath. At the same time, he tugged me toward him. I whirled around to see two skydiving jumpsuits hanging on the closet door.
Then I lost all my breath. Ethan was on one knee before me, holding both my hands in his.
“What -?” I started.
“I was going to ask you when we actually used these to go skydiving. But then I thought… maybe you’d say no. I didn’t want to put you on the spot. I do want you to know how serious I am, though. So,” he said, on a heavy exhale, “I bought these skydiving suits, and a session. When… if… you’re ready to say yes, you can book it. We can move in here first, or after, or… never, I guess.” The poor man’s voice shook as he rocked back on his heels and swallowed hard. He gazed out the window, and it occurred to me that he was trying not to look at me. He was convinced I didn’t want this, didn’t want him. It was unbelievable to me, after all the ways he had changed to make me not only able to imagine a life with him, but to desperately want one.
“I know I don’t take a lot of risks in life, and being with me can be pretty boring. I know you’re always going to be looking for more adventure, but I promise to give that to you in as many ways as I can. Please say you’ll at least consider being my wife.”
“Hey. Look at me.” I cupped the side of his face with my hand, ran my thumb down his chin, as my heart thundered in my chest. “This house? This plan? Spending your savings so you can give me a chance to fulfill my dreams?”
He swallowed again, and nodded.
“That was the biggest damn risk anyone could have possibly taken.” I tugged at his arms, urging him to his feet. He obliged.
“Yeah?” He chuckled, with shining eyes, gazing at me like I was the most brilliant thing he’d ever seen.
“I’m proud of you, for doing something that scared you,” I murmured, moving close to him. Our bodies pressed together, and he tilted his head down so his forehead touched mine. I sighed happily. “It shouldn’t have scared you, though.”
I stepped back, and Ethan sucked in a breath. God, he was adorable. “Who did you call? Skydive Philadelphia?” That was the company that had taken us skydiving for Ethan’s first time, over a year ago now.
He nodded, and I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I pulled up the number for Skydive Philadelphia, already in my contacts. “Hey, Tom,” I greeted the owner when he answered. I smiled slyly. I would have called him about this anyway within the next couple of weeks. “I’m calling because my fiancé and I are starting a stunt performing school just outside the city, and I wanted to let you guys be the first to bid on a contract for skydiving lessons.”
A grin big enough to swallow my heart, my soul, and my whole future split Ethan’s face. He reached out and gripped my waist, tugging me close to him, pressing our bodies together chest to thigh as I promised Greg we’d iron out the bid meeting details in the morning. When I hung up, Ethan grabbed my phone from my hand and tossed it on the bed.
“Hey!” I protested weakly. “I wasn’t done. I have a lot of calls to make.”
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?” Ethan growled, pressing a soft but sensuous kiss to my lips.
“I’ve gotta tell my whole family that we just got engaged.”
“Did we? I didn’t give you a ring.”
“If it’s not in the pocket of your flight suit over there, I swear I’ll never go skydiving again.” I was taking a gamble on this one, not to mention losing whatever small interest I’d had in a ring to begin with. Still, it was an empty promise.
Ethan sighed in defeat and loosened his grip on me, which made me whine a little bit. He took the few steps to his suit and pulled a sparkling diamond band out of the pocket, unhooking it from the carabiner which held it there. He made it back to me in two long strides, then dropped down to both knees. He held the ring in one hand, but fell forward just enough to let his head rest on my belly. Like they were magnetically attracted, my fingers threaded through his hair. After a moment, he looked up at me with his eyes shining once again. “Will you?” he whispered.
I bit my lower lip and nodded quickly, feeling tears prick at my eyes as well. He slipped the ring onto my finger – a perfect double-row diamond band. “So it won’t get caught on anything,” I mused as I held it out to admire it. I kissed him quick and hard. “Now, where’s my phone?”
“If you want it, you’re going to have to go get it,” he said with an arched brow, looking over to the bed. I squealed, ran, and launched myself onto it. Within a second he was on top of me, snaking one hand through my hair and the other beneath my waistband. As I gave myself over to the familiar, yet still thrilling, push and pull of our lips and bodies against each other, I thought to myself that deciding on a life with Ethan was the scariest, and most worthwhile, decision I’d ever made.
* * *
The End.
About the Author
Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since that’s sadly untrue, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and girls falling in love and really living life for the first time.
When she’s not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.
Also by Alessandra Thomas
Just Love series
Just Down the Hall
Just Pretend
Just Let Go
* * *
Book of Sindal
Descended from Shadows
Reign of Mist
Crown of Blood
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Picturing Perfect series
Picture Perfect
Subject to Change
Drop Everything Now
Just Let Go Page 27