without you is a world not worth living in and I simply don’t want to live in a world where I can’t grow old and gray with you. That’s not an option. It never has been. The only option is to spend the rest of my life with you, as your husband.”
I had to blink at least three times before my blurry vision was clear again from the tears that seemed helpless against his incredible words. I clutched Lily tighter in my arms, and pressed a kiss against her tiny fingers that clawed at my lips as I watched Ashton step back onto the blanket. He picked up the box that held a simple yet elegant white gold diamond ring. A nervous sob-filled giggle escaped me when he got down on one knee.
“Ava, baby, will you marry me?”
My smile almost burst from my lips. It wasn’t even a question that needed a moment’s thought. I’ve always known the answer since the minute he declared his love to me in that hotel room in Miami all those months ago. I may have been there before, stood in front of a beautiful man on bended knee, but it wasn’t like this. Even though it was romantic as hell and I cried—a lot—it was wrong to say yes the first time around because it wasn’t enchanting; it didn’t take my breath away, my heart didn’t gallop in my chest, my skin didn’t erupt in tiny little goose bumps at the impact of his words … but now they were and I’d never known anything so right, not until that very moment.
I looked at Lily with amusement and asked her, “What do you think, baby girl? Should I say yes?”
She saw my smile and hers beamed even brighter as she nodded her head. I turned to Ashton and the smile I saw on his face, one that said he was in love with me, it made me fall even deeper in love with him than I ever thought possible.
“Yes, I’ll marry you!”
His nervous smile was gone and was replaced with a huge-ass grin—so huge you’d think he’d just won the lottery—and he was on his feet in an instant. I shifted Lily to my right side as Ashton took hold of my left hand before sliding the ring on my finger.
“I love you!” he exclaimed before slamming his lips onto mine. It was short-lived when Lily’s hands began to claw at our faces and we pulled away. He looked down at Lily and with a chuckle he said, “No need to get jealous. I love you, too.” He brushed his lips along her forehead.
“Now that you’re my fiancée, can we eat? I’m starving.”
“Trust my son to think about his stomach seconds after proposing!” pipes up Alana as she cracks up with laughter once I’ve finished telling them my proposal story.
Mia gives out a dreamy sigh. “That’s so romantic … and to include Lily too … damn I think my ovaries just exploded.”
A round of laughter roars around the table, and as I take a sip of my wine, my eyes fall on Riley and I notice just how forced her laugh seems, especially as her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. I keep thinking it’s my paranoia, but I get the distinct feeling that her feelings for Ashton—even after all these years—are still unresolved. It’s pretty sad to be hung up on someone who clearly doesn’t reciprocate those feelings. I would feel sorry for her if it weren’t for the ulterior motives of trying to get my man’s attention with her skimpy little outfits and the way she’s pawed over him all day.
Hell, I’m glad we’re only here for another two days because I sure as hell don’t want Ashton anywhere near her. I have no idea how far her efforts will go in a bid to gain Ashton’s attention, and that scares me.
I turn my focus from her to Mia, trying desperately to eliminate the nausea I feel in my stomach at the sheer jealousy of Riley ever succeeding with her efforts. She wouldn’t because Ashton loves me, but … the thought is still there, irrationally so. It’s like the seed of doubt has been planted and my mind just continues to run away with itself.
“So, how did Tyler propose?” I ask, intrigued.
She takes a sip of her
I had to blink at least three times before my blurry vision was clear again from the tears that seemed helpless against his incredible words. I clutched Lily tighter in my arms, and pressed a kiss against her tiny fingers that clawed at my lips as I watched Ashton step back onto the blanket. He picked up the box that held a simple yet elegant white gold diamond ring. A nervous sob-filled giggle escaped me when he got down on one knee.
“Ava, baby, will you marry me?”
My smile almost burst from my lips. It wasn’t even a question that needed a moment’s thought. I’ve always known the answer since the minute he declared his love to me in that hotel room in Miami all those months ago. I may have been there before, stood in front of a beautiful man on bended knee, but it wasn’t like this. Even though it was romantic as hell and I cried—a lot—it was wrong to say yes the first time around because it wasn’t enchanting; it didn’t take my breath away, my heart didn’t gallop in my chest, my skin didn’t erupt in tiny little goose bumps at the impact of his words … but now they were and I’d never known anything so right, not until that very moment.
I looked at Lily with amusement and asked her, “What do you think, baby girl? Should I say yes?”
She saw my smile and hers beamed even brighter as she nodded her head. I turned to Ashton and the smile I saw on his face, one that said he was in love with me, it made me fall even deeper in love with him than I ever thought possible.
“Yes, I’ll marry you!”
His nervous smile was gone and was replaced with a huge-ass grin—so huge you’d think he’d just won the lottery—and he was on his feet in an instant. I shifted Lily to my right side as Ashton took hold of my left hand before sliding the ring on my finger.
“I love you!” he exclaimed before slamming his lips onto mine. It was short-lived when Lily’s hands began to claw at our faces and we pulled away. He looked down at Lily and with a chuckle he said, “No need to get jealous. I love you, too.” He brushed his lips along her forehead.
“Now that you’re my fiancée, can we eat? I’m starving.”
“Trust my son to think about his stomach seconds after proposing!” pipes up Alana as she cracks up with laughter once I’ve finished telling them my proposal story.
Mia gives out a dreamy sigh. “That’s so romantic … and to include Lily too … damn I think my ovaries just exploded.”
A round of laughter roars around the table, and as I take a sip of my wine, my eyes fall on Riley and I notice just how forced her laugh seems, especially as her smile doesn’t reach her eyes. I keep thinking it’s my paranoia, but I get the distinct feeling that her feelings for Ashton—even after all these years—are still unresolved. It’s pretty sad to be hung up on someone who clearly doesn’t reciprocate those feelings. I would feel sorry for her if it weren’t for the ulterior motives of trying to get my man’s attention with her skimpy little outfits and the way she’s pawed over him all day.
Hell, I’m glad we’re only here for another two days because I sure as hell don’t want Ashton anywhere near her. I have no idea how far her efforts will go in a bid to gain Ashton’s attention, and that scares me.
I turn my focus from her to Mia, trying desperately to eliminate the nausea I feel in my stomach at the sheer jealousy of Riley ever succeeding with her efforts. She wouldn’t because Ashton loves me, but … the thought is still there, irrationally so. It’s like the seed of doubt has been planted and my mind just continues to run away with itself.
“So, how did Tyler propose?” I ask, intrigued.
She takes a sip of her
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