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“I'm happy for them, Ricky,” she says after a few moments have gone by.
“I know you are, baby.” I plant a kiss on her forehead. “But it's okay to be sad too if you need to be.”
She snuggles against me and I brush my lips along her tear stained cheeks. I rub those little circles up and down her back that I know soothe her and her sobs finally begin to subside.
She looks down at the dressing on my hand and her brows furrow. “What happened?”
My heart speeds up, because this isn't the time to show her.
It's on the tip of my tongue to lie to her, but I promised her I never would again.
I promised I'd never leave her in the dark.
When she looks back up at me, the glow from the candles dance across her face, illuminating her.
My breath stills in my chest and I'm reminded that the darkness needs a light to reflect the most beautiful things in the world...the moon, the stars...and her.
My palms are sweaty and my heart is beating so hard I'm afraid I might pass out before I can get the words out.
I'm hoping like hell that she still wants the man in front of her. The man who will never deserve her.
I take off my suit jacket and almost laugh when confusion splashes across her face.
I take off my shirt right after and she looks even more confused.
“What—”
I pull back the dressing that starts on my left hand—my finger to be exact, and show her the stem that's tattooed around my left ring finger.
I peel off the next bandage—the one that covers my arm, and show her the dandelion seeds that are scattered everywhere, yet point to one distinct destination.
She's sobbing again but I know this time they're happy tears.
At least I sure as fuck hope they are.
I stand up, hold my breath, and remove the final bandage. The one that's over my left pectoral muscle.
I show her her name which is spelled out in delicate seeds first. Her hands fly to her face a moment later when she takes in the gigantic dandelion right over my heart.
The organ that's hers for however long she wants it.
Lou-Lou hates jewelry, so I sure as shit wasn't going to get her an engagement ring.
She stands up. “You—”
“Want to make all your wishes come true, Lou-Lou.”
I pull her in for a kiss since I can't help myself. “But I was hoping maybe you could make one of mine come true, too,” I murmur against her lips before I claim her mouth again.
I can feel her lips curve into a smile and my heart damn near soars. “What wish would that be?”
“Marry me?”
Her mouth parts in surprise and I continue, “You don't have to take my last name. You don't have to—”
She jumps into my arms so quick I almost don't have time to catch her. “I'm yours. I want every part of you, Ricky.”
I pull back and look into her eyes. I'm not one for the mushy shit, but Lou-Lou deserves the mushy shit, so I'll give it to her.
“You want a truth?”
She grins and nods. “You know I do.”
“Truth—I promise to cherish, love, and nurture every piece of you, Lou-Lou. I'd tell you until the day I die, but I think we'd both know I'd be lying because what we have transcends death.”
“Every piece?”
I hold her jaw between my fingers. “Every single piece, Lou-Lou.”
She closes her eyes and trembles. For a moment I think I've said something horribly wrong, until she opens her eyes and gives me a smile that lights her entire face. “Even the pieces that are made up of you?”
I'm not sure what she means…not until she says the next two words that I know I'll remember forever. “I'm pregnant.”
