When I look back at them, my eyes snag onto Andie, like a moth to a burning flame. Her eyes are red, emotional from her brother’s confession. I doubt mine looks any different. She gives me a watery smile and turns back to her brother when he continues.
“There’s nomewithoutyou, Kaeli. I only ever wanna be by your side, when we’re old and gray and can barely walk, I still want you to love me then.” Ezra clutches her hands like a lifeline, wiping away the tears with the pad of his thumb.
He drops to his knees and looks up at her like she’s her entire world. A gasp flows out of Kaeli’s mouth, her hands covering it, eyes widening in surprise. None of us is, though.
He pulls out a small box from his pocket and opens it for her, showcasing a brilliant ruby embedded in the ring. “Can I marry you, Feather? Will youpleaselet me marry you? I really want to be the man who gets to call you his, and more than that, I want to spend my entire life being known as Kaeli Reed’s husband, thewoman who inspired a whole generation of women to chase their dreams no matter how far they seem.”
I highly doubt there’s anyone who can say no to that. Hell,I’dsay yes.
So, it’s no surprise when Kaeli vigorously nods. “Yes…yes…A MILLION TIMES YES!!” She accepts with a teary laugh.
“Thank fuck,” he exhales, his shoulder sagging in instant relief.
The room erupts with congratulations, laughter, and happiness for these two. Somewhere, Irsia snaps photos to preserve this moment. On the other corner of the room, a champagne bottle pops open. The confetti is bursting in the air, getting in places it’s going to be a bitch to take out.
Kaeli drops to her knees, accompanying him on the floor, as both of them kiss the hell out of each other. It’s teary, messy, and raw.
Somewhere between all the crying and the laughing and the kissing, the ring finds its way onto Kaeli’s finger.
Once they’re on their feet again, their siblings hug the crap out of them as everyone waits for their turn to congratulate them.
Ezra loops an arm around Kaeli’s waist and screams at the top of his lungs, hauling her to his chest, “She’s said yes! That’s my wife, motherfuckers!”
A rough chuckle escapes my lips at his enthusiasm, his face brighter than the first time we lifted the Stanley Cup together.
Andie quietly skitters to a corner and leaves the crowd of people as they huddle closer to Ezra and Kaeli. And like a dog, I follow her.
Stepping in behind her as she walks down the corridor, I grab her arm and haul her into a vacant room. Covering her startled gasp, I press her right next to the door, careful not to let the frame above the wall fall and give us away.
Her wide eyes soften, her lips forming a smile beneath my palm, when she sees it’s me. When she instantly relaxes into me, I swear I fucking melt. Because how the fuck this woman finds safety with me is beyond my comprehension.
I remove my hand and place both of mine beside her head on the wall, loving how she looks comfortable staring up at me. “I love our height difference. Love looking at you looking at me,” I whisper, tucking a rogue strand of hair behind her ear.
She heaves a sigh, resting her hands on my waist. “How do you do it?” she asks with a shake of her head, her expression genuinely curious, lips set in a cute pout.
“Do what?” My eyes flit between hers, thumb caressing the apple of her cheek, hating the tear stains. I don’t ever want to see tears in her eyes, except for when they’re in the bedroom.
“Say what I’m thinking,” she stomps, amusing me. “It’s like you can read my mind,” she huffs.
A deep chuckle vibrates in my chest as I rest my forehead against hers. I look right into her eyes. “Your eyes,” I murmur, gently swiping under them, “they tell me everything I need to know.”
Her lips lift in a soft smile, and I love that I put it there. “That’s very romantic of you.”
“You do that to me,” I say, shrugging. “Now, let me do what I’ve been dying to all night.”
Without giving her any time to respond, my lips descend on her soft ones. She exhales as if I breathed oxygen into her lungs.
Because that’s what she does to me.
She makes me want to wake up and leave my bed.
She moans low in her throat, rising on her toes as she pulls me into her, her hot tongueexploring my mouth.
A rumble slips past my lips and hope to fucking God that no one’s outside the door. I nip on her lower lip, wanting to eat that cherry chapstick of hers she always wears.
She lets out an audible gasp, and my hands wander and find her tits, massaging them, loving the weight of them in my hand.
“Stay quiet, Rainbow,” I rasp, my voice hoarse, “we don’t want your brother to find outjusthow wet I make you in their home now, do we?”