Matchplay (18 page)

I saw a half smile appear on his face.
“Really?”

“One of us should be able to enjoy a functional relationship,” I said trying to laugh but not succeeding.

“Thanks, Rainy.”

“You deserve to be happy, Lucas.”

He nodded and we spent the rest of the trip back to the university in silence.

Fourteen

The Grand Slam

B
y the time I got back to my room, it was nearly morning and I was exhausted. I dreaded checking my cell phone, which I had turned off. I did anyway.

I had 20 missed calls, five voice mails and a parade of texts, most of them from Aaron. His texts went from angry to
worried to desperate. The final text said he was coming back on campus first thing in the morning.

I didn’t even bother getting changed. I just plopped on my bed and closed my eyes. I didn’t think it was possible but I immediately fell asleep. I was awakened to the sound of pounding on my door.

I could hear Aaron’s voice. He was pleading for me to open the door. I rolled out of bed and let him in.

Without saying a word, Aaron grabbed me and hugged me tightly. He let out what sounded like a sigh of relief and I melted into his arms. We remained locked in our embrace for a long time before he let me go.

Then Aaron took my hand and led me to the bed. We both sat down. He laced his fingers in mine and lifted my hand to kiss my fingers.

“Evan and
Keira feel really bad about what happened.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m sure they do,” I said sarcastically.

“Why do you allow other people to dictate our relationship?”

I wanted to say, “I don’t” but I knew it wasn’t the truth. I had allowed other people, Evan, Chloe and now
Keira, to come between us.

“Why didn’t you tell me about all of your parents’ visits to campus?” I asked. “Why did I have to hear that from Evan?” I realized I hadn’t answered his question just asked more questions but the two things were connected. “Why didn’t you want them to meet me?”

Aaron took a while to respond but I waited. “Can I answer your question later?” he said finally.

His response caught me off guard. “I guess so. Why?”

He looked into my eyes and his expression turned serious. “There’s something I need to do first. It’s the only way you’ll believe me when I say I love you and that you’re my one and only, now and always.”

That didn’t make things much clearer but I said, “Okay.”

Aaron gripped both of my hands in his. “Do you remember that rock in the park that I took you to? My thinking rock?”

I nodded.

He continued. “Would you meet me there today at two?”

“Why?”

“Please, just trust me.”

I sighed but agreed.

***

W
hen I got to Aaron’s thinking rock, I was surprised to see the entire flat portion of it was covered with sunflowers. Aaron appeared from behind the rock and he was wearing a suit and tie. He looked incredible. I suddenly felt underdressed in my jeans and V neck, even though were we in a park.

Aaron took my hand and sat me down on the rock, in a small space he had left between the scattered sunflowers. Then he dropped down on one knee. He removed a small box from his breast pocket and opened it in front of me. It was a glittering princess cut diamond ring.

“Rainy Dey, you are my everything. You’re my lover, my soulmate and my best friend. I can’t imagine living my life without you in it. Will you marry me?”

I swallowed. To say I was shocked would be an understat
ement. I stared at the lovely ring and then looked into Aaron’s eyes, which were sparkling even more than the diamond. I tried to speak but the words got stuck on my throat. I could feel myself starting to tear up and a fought the urge to cry. I nodded and Aaron kissed me. He leaned his forehead against mine and said, “I am going to spend my life making you happy, Rainy. I promise. If I realized anything since we got back from break it’s that I can’t be happy when you’re not happy.”

He removed the ring from the box and placed it on my
left ring finger. Then he moved a few of the sunflowers out of the way and sat down next to me.

“Now, I’m going to keep my promise
. I knew the only way you would believe that I want to be with you is to marry you. And that’s what I intend to do whenever you’re ready. If it was up to me, I’d have us on a plane to Las Vegas this afternoon but I know you’re only a freshman and I don’t want to rush you. I just want you to know that I never want to be with anyone else.”

I smiled and he gave me a soft kiss.

“I didn’t want to introduce you to my parents until I could say you were my fiancé. I want my parents to know that I’m serious about you. And I want them to realize that I am never going to marry Keira.”

“Thank you,” I said. I looked at the ring on my finger. B
ecause my hands were so small, the diamond looked even bigger than it did in the box.

“Do you like it?” Aaron
asked. He had such a look of pride in his eyes.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” I admitted.

“I saw it in a jewelry store in St. Petersburg, when you were getting your spa treatment. I knew you had to have it the moment I saw it.”

“You’ve had this ring since December?” I
was shocked.

“I was waiting for the right time to pop the question. In re
trospect, I probably should have done it sooner but I also didn’t want to freak you out in case you thought it was too soon.”

He gave me a half smile.

“You did freak me out and it probably is too soon but I don’t care because I love you and I want to be with you, too.”

Aaron leaned over and kissed me. When our kiss became
deeper and more passionate we both stopped as if we remembered at the same time that we were in a public park.

“When is your roommate due back?” he
asked breathlessly.

“Not for three more days,” I said equally as breathlessly.

“Do you want to stay in your bed for three days and just order pizza and Chinese?”

I nodded.
“Only if we can get the shrimp and shiitake mushroom dumplings.”

Aaron laughed then gave me another kiss.

Other Titles by Dakota Madison

Slow No Wake

After finding her sister in bed with her fiancé, 25-year old
Lexie Wilkins decides to relocate to southwest Florida to start a new life and escape relationships all together. What she doesn’t expect to find are two attractive kite surfers, who both want her.

So much for Lexie’s vow for her fresh start in Florida: a no wake zone. Having two guys in her life is sure to make waves.

Eddie is the captivating bad boy, who lives next door. Daniel is Lexie’s sweet and ruggedly handsome co-worker. The differences between the two men are just as extreme as their sport…

Who will she choose?

Be Good

The Bad-Girl and the Boy-Next-Door

After getting completely wasted at a wedding reception, bridesmaid Anna Hart wakes up in a strange bed and can’t remember what she did or who she did it with.

The stranger in bed with Anna is Brett Conner, a nerdy guy who she vaguely remembers fro
m college, but only because everyone called him Clown Hair. Only Brett isn’t quite as nerdy as Anna remembers. His clown hair is long gone and Brett is almost cute—and kind of sexy. 

Over the course of four weddings, in four cities, in one crazy summer, Brett and Anna start a mismatched relationship. But is there a future for the bad-girl and the boy-next-door?