Hold Me Tight by Faith Sullivan

traveling down my body, caressing my skin.
    I’m powerless to withstand his attempts to seduce me. He knows exactly what to do and where to do it. I dig my heels into the bed, delighting in his touch.
    “Besides, I think making out with my girlfriend can be pretty darn hot,” he breathes against my mouth after exploring every inch of me with his hands.
    “You better believe it,” I respond, kissing him passionately as we roll in the sheets, not even bothering to come up for air.

Chapter Twelve Eric
    I’m so ready for this. Today’s the day.
    Carefully, I pull the blanket away from Ivy’s body and place my grandmother’s ring on her stomach. When she wakes up, I want it to be the first thing she sees when she opens her eyes. I watch the sunlight stream in from above as it reflects off the gold band, giving it a warm glow. It’s like my grandma is smiling down at me from heaven, giving me her blessing.
    I already screwed this up once so I’m determined to do things right. Last time, I was an idiot, jumping the gun like that. But when Ivy left, I came to realize that every second I spend with her is special. One doesn’t stand out from the rest. Just being around her makes me happy. I don’t need a fancy location or flowery words to let her know how much she means to me. I told her that I love our child just as much as I love her. That’s all she needed to hear. The truth.
    I can’t keep putting it off, thinking that some perfect moment will magically present itself. I’ve been building it up in my mind, putting pressure on something that should be as easy as breathing. I love Ivy. She loves me. We both love our child. There’s nothing standing in the way of making her my wife and us becoming a family. It’s as simple as that.
    I’ve so got this.
    Until she rolls over on her side and the ring falls off her stomach. I freeze, wondering if she’s awake and if I just blew yet another opportunity to make her mine. I don’t move, listening to her steady, even breaths. Gingerly, I fold back the covers and get out of bed, not wanting to disturb her as I get down on my hands and knees to find the ring.
    But it’s nowhere in sight.
    It must have picked up momentum when it hit the floor. It probably bounced and spun underneath something. First, I feel around beneath the bed but come up empty. Next, I skim the bottom of every piece of furniture in the room, only to find one of Shep’s mangled dog toys. Starting to panic, I run my foot alongside the baseboard of the floor. Nothing.
    I’m in trouble—big trouble. Now I don’t even have a ring to propose with. I’m in worse shape than I was in that McDonald’s parking lot. I can’t afford a replacement, not to mention the priceless sentimental value attached to this one. This is the ring I wanted Ivy to wear for the rest of her life, not some cheap imitation that won’t even compare.
    I sit with my back turned and stare glumly out the window, trying to think. At first, I don’t notice her moving. It’s only when I hear a sharp intake of breath that I whirl around to see her holding the ring aloft, the tiny diamond sparkling out at me.
    This is not how I wanted this to happen, but it’s too late now. I officially botched it again, and there’s no going back. The first time, she didn’t even take it out of the box. But there are no more do-overs now that she’s seen the ring. This is it. My last chance.
    I crawl over to her, wishing for some divine spark of inspiration, my mind firing on all cylinders. That’s when I remember my mom suggesting that I tell Ivy the story behind the ring. All is not lost. I can still salvage this if I try.
    “Do you like it?” I ask, my eyes trained on her face.
    “Is this what I think it is?” she inquires, calm as can be, even though my heart is racing.
    “Yes,” I respond, my voice thick with emotion. “It is.”
    She stares at the ring, not even blinking, until a smile slowly starts to spread across her face,