Page 77 of Unexpected Adventures

“It’s perfect, Jade. Thank you so much.” Shaun stands behind me and I see him smiling at me in the mirrors.

“Beautiful, just like you.” He leans down to kiss my bare shoulder.

Jade has me come back to the chair so she can cover it with clear plastic. She gives me care instructions and helps me put my straps back in place. “Let’s set you up in two months so I can look at it and do any needed touch-up. Depending on how you heal, and how you care for it, some of the ink is bound to come off in the peeling process. Follow my instructions and you can minimize that.”

After paying and setting up my next appointment, we say goodbye, and Shaun and I head home.

Home. The place I share with the man I love.

It’s no longer startling how comforting that is to even think, or that I want it to last forever.

“Wait until I show this to Sylvia,” I say about my tattoo. “She’s going to be so proud of me. And Denise too.”

“Sylvia will probably be jealous too,” Shaun chuckles.

“She’d love one, but unfortunately with her skin and her meds, she can’t. She’s on a blood thinner.”

“Ah.”

Once inside, we make ourselves comfy, snuggling on the couch.

“What about you? Ready for your first?” I look at him and wiggle my eyebrows.

“Maybe one day, when it’s right.”

“Now you sound just like I did when Denise asked me about getting any.”

“Is that so? And now look at you, Miss Adventurous.”

“Yep, that’s me.” I grin. “Who’d a thunk? Parasailing. Living out of wedlock with a man I’ve only known a month. And now a tattoo.”

“Living out of wedlock? Isn’t that a bit old-fashioned?” He laughs.

“Yep. I just liked saying it.” I chuckle.

“We can change that, you know.” The look he gives me is seriously steamy. And,serious.

What?

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying we can change that particular status. Marry me. Problem solved.”

He doesn’t even bat an eyelash… just lays it out there matter-of-factly.

“Well, not that living out of wedlock was a problem—at least not for me—but are you proposing to me?” I’m holding my breath, unable to process what he’s doing.

And what he’s doing is moving off the couch to kneel in front of me, holding my hands in his. He kisses one hand then the other before speaking so softly. “Abby, I love you. This short time together has been the happiest I’ve been in my adult life. I don’t have a ring because I actually want to take you shopping for one. I want us to pick our rings together.” He takes a deep breath and continues. “I would love the honor of becoming your husband. Will you be my wife?”

I gasp, because, what else would a woman do in this situation? I cry and throw my arms around his neck, nearly crashing to the floor with him. I cover his face with kisses, finally landing on his luscious lips. Yep, those luscious lips that fascinated me from the first moment I saw him.

“Is that a yes?” He laughs.

“Yes!”

The End