Loving Lily by Marie E. Blossom Page B

control was not
something she would have done if she hadn't felt that way, but she didn't
expect Matt to feel the same, for all his declarations of wanting to have a
child with her.   Things like love just
didn't happen that fast.   She glanced at
Matt.   He had the strangest look on his
face.
    "You're
all he talks about," Alex elaborated.
    "Jesus,
Alex," Matt said, flushing slightly.
    "What?"
Alex looked confused.
    "I haven’t
told her yet, you moron . " Matt glanced at her,
an apology on his face.
    Lily felt her
skin go cold, then hot.   She smiled
helplessly at Matt, unable to stop it from spreading over her face until she
was grinning like an idiot.   An answering
smile from him had her flushing even more.   " It's okay, Alex.   I love him too. "
    Matt's eyes
went wide and before she could even put her mug down, he'd scooped her up,
spinning her around the kitchen.   Coffee
sloshed from her cup, but she didn't care.   She hung on, giggling, until he finally set
her down.   She stretched up on her toes
and kissed him before he could say a word.   He cupped a hand on her cheek, gentling her as
he returned her kiss.
    "I was not expecting that," Matt said when they finally broke apart.
    Lily laughed,
ridiculously happy for what felt like the first time in years.   "Yeah, well, neither was I," she
retorted.
    "I wasn't
expecting the two of you to freak out and run around the kitchen," Alex
chimed in, paper towels in hand.   He
crouched down to mop up the spilled coffee.   "Aren't the two of you supposed to be
grown-ups?"
    "Shut
up," Matt said affectionately.   He
had his hand around Lily's waist and seemed in no hurry to let go.
    "Does this
mean you're going to get married now?" Alex asked, eyes twinkling.
    "Jesus,
Alex! You're such a shit," Matt exclaimed.
    Lily laughed.   "You're just goading him now . "
    Alex grinned
and threw the wet towels in the trash.   "That's my job as a brother . "
    Matt cleared
his throat.   "Actually—“
    Lily's heart
leaped against her ribs when he dug into his jeans.   What was he doing?
    He pulled out a
piece of lint.   Alex snorted.   Matt smirked and held the fuzz out to Lily.   "Lily, my love, will you take this
string?"
    She batted his
hand away.   "You're so ridiculous . " Marrying someone so soon after meeting someone
is insane , she told herself firmly.   You
should be grateful he's joking.
    Matt smiled at
her and dug back into his pocket.   Lily
was already turning away, about to put her coffee mug on the table when he
caught her hand.   He went down on one
knee, and she stopped breathing, completely flustered.   His face was completely serious.
    "Lily,"
he said quietly.   "I love you.   I knew pretty much from the moment we met that
I would always love you.   Will you marry
me?" He held out his free hand.   In
his palm sat a gold band with a champagne diamond perfectly nestled inside a
lovely antique setting.   "This was
my grandmother's ring.   It would mean the
world to me if you wore it. "
    Lily bit her
lip, hard, so she wouldn't just start bawling.   "Oh my God," she breathed, reaching
out a finger to touch it.   "Are you
serious?"
    He nodded.   "Completely.   Please be my wife?"
    Her fingers
shook as she clasped her hand around the ring.   It was warm.   "Oh my God," she said again.   Alex gently took the coffee mug from her other
hand.   She barely noticed.   "You're crazy . "
    He smiled at
her.   "Yeah.   Is that okay?"
    She nodded
again, making a fist around the ring.   "You're never getting this back, you know . "
    "You still
didn't answer me," he whispered.
    She licked her
lips.   "Yes.   A thousand times, yes. "
    Matt took a
deep breath and pried open her hand.   "Let me . " She almost didn't want to let go, but he coaxed it from her, then gently slid the ring over her finger.   "Perfect . " He kissed her knuckle.
    Lily looked
down.   She agreed.   "Matt, I love you . " Her voice shook.   She felt faint.
    "I love
you too,"