Epilogue
Sophie lay on the picnic rug and wiggled in closer to Stone.
“Warm enough?” he asked, his arm tightening around her waist.
“Hmm.” She breathed in the summer air and smiled. “I’m so glad we’re here.”
“I promised we’d return.”
She twisted her neck and looked up at Stone. “Thank you for bringing me back. I needed to see it without—”
He kissed her. Sweeping his tongue along the seam of her lips, he encouraged her to open for him. Like she could resist anything this man wanted. In the last year, they’d definitely proven they were easy for each other. And he wasn’t the only one who’d gone down hard.
“We’re not talking about that ever again, remember?” he murmured against her lips.
She sighed when he tucked her securely into his side once more.
She’d never felt the depth of emotion she experience with Stone. He was her everything. Twelve months ago, if someone had asked her what she feared losing the most, she’d have said her voice—her songs. Now the answer would be Stone.
He was her rock. Her foundation. The reason for her existence. Okay, that was probably a little dramatic, except Sophie couldn’t deny she’d crumble into a million pieces if he ever left her.
Fear of that exact thing had been plaguing her for weeks now. He’d been distant—secretive—and she couldn’t shake her unease. Couldn’t help thinking maybe he wanted out of their relationship. That he was trying to find the right way to make the break. Their lives were so entwined now and he was responsible for overseeing all of her security needs.
“C’mon. Let’s take one last ride on the Ferris wheel before the fireworks start.”
He had them both on their feet in seconds. “But—”
“Karen will save our spot,” Stone assured her while pulling her toward the ride.
“You go enjoy yourselves. We’ll wait right here,” Karen called out after them.
“Stone.” Sophie grunted when her shoe caught in a tuft of grass.
“Whoa.” He scooped her against him. “I told you to ditch the heels.”
“I’m not going barefoot. Who knows what’s on the ground around here after someone let all those animals loose.”
Light flashed. A second later the boom of the first firework rocked them and a kaleidoscope of color filled the sky. “Shit. Missed it,” Stone grumbled.
“Missed what?”
“Our chance to ride.” Stone let her go and stepped back. “Soph,” he said as he dropped to one knee.
“What are you doing? Get up. You don’t know what’s on the grass.”
“My knee is on the grass, Soph.” He smiled up at her as more light exploded overhead, the detonations vibrating through the air. “Oneknee.”
“Yes, and I— Bloody hell. Are you…?”
Stone chuckled and shook his head. “Sophie Collins, for once in your life, zip it.”
She rolled her lips between her teeth as her vision blurred.
“Right. Now, where was I?” He opened his palm, a small velvet box sitting in the center. He popped the lid up and Sophie couldn’t stop the cry of delight that snuck up her throat. “Marry me.”
“Yes!”
She launched herself at him. Taken completely by surprise, Stone couldn’t stop them from tumbling to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs, and she didn’t care what they were rolling around in. All she could think about was kissing him.