Out of the Shadow (51 page)

She shrugged as she popped a piece of bacon in her mouth. “I want you to miss me when you’re in L.A. next week.”

He laughed and snatched her hand, lifting it to his lips. “I miss you when you’re in class.”

She blushed prettily and leaned over to kiss him.

He helped her clean up the kitchen and once the dishwasher was loaded and running, he pinned her against the counter, pressing a soft kiss to her lips that immediately turned heated. Her arms wound around his neck and when they broke apart to suck in air, he grinned.

“
We’ll only be gone for a few days. You could skip class and come with me,” he suggested.

“
I can’t, Cole,” she gasped. “I have exams next week and I need to finalize my classes this summer if I want to graduate early.”

He squeezed her waist and pecked her lips. “I know, princess. I was only teasing. But this won’t be a long trip and I’ll be back before you have a chance to miss me.”

“
Not likely,” she pouted. “Oh, hey, I wanted to ask you something.”

“
Ask away,” he said as he brushed his lips over the side of her neck.

“
What did you have to talk to my dad about the other day,” she said, shivering as his lips moved slowly to her jaw.

He chuckled against her skin and pulled back only to take her hand and lead her to the sofa. He plopped down and tugged her in his lap. “I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that.”

“
Well?” she said, her blue eyes bright with curiosity. “What did you two discuss?”

He tucked her loose hair behind her ears, his heart hammering. This wasn’t the way he’d intended to do this but maybe spur of the moment would work. He wanted it to be special for her but he had an inkling that pomp and circumstance wasn’t important to her, either.

“
First I had to endure another subtle lecture about the concerns Jay has about his little princess co-inhabiting with Nate’s son…”

“
My dad is okay with us living together,” she interrupted. “Now.”

“
So he’d like you to think,” Cole said with a smirk. He pecked her cheek. “Anyway, I had to ask him something then convince him I’m good for it.”

Her forehead creased as her brows scrunched together. “What did you have to ask him?”

His hammering heart pounded out a nervous beat on his ribs and his hands started to tremble. This was the moment – the moment he’d been waiting on for a very long time.

He cleared his throat. “Well, I asked him for his permission to ask you to marry me. He said it was fine with him but he’d like for you to finish school. I told him I didn’t know if you’d let me wait for you to finish school but I’d try.”

She gaped at him, her face frozen in a dumbstruck pose.

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Al, and I know we’ve had our ups and downs but I think we’ve grown and learned from our mistakes. You’re almost done with your second year of college and I think it’s time that we make it official.” He ran a hand down her cheek. “So, will you marry me?”

His heart stopped as she continued to gape at him, but at least a bit of moisture was collecting in her eyes.

“
Um, I have a ring in the bedroom if that will help,” he offered weakly. “If you let me up, I’ll go get it.”

“
Yes,” she whispered as a fat tear rolled down her cheek. “Yes.”

“
Yes, what?” he asked. “Yes, you’ll marry me or yes, you’d like to see the ring?”

“
Both!” she squealed as she tossed her arms around his neck and squeezed so hard he thought for sure he’d suffocate. “I love you, Cole!”

He pried her fingers loose and held her hands securely in his. He kissed her softly, his heart soaring through the clouds. “I love you, too, princess,” he said as he stared briefly into her bright, blue eyes.

“
Don’t call me that,” she scolded gently as she tugged his lips back to hers.