Page 114 of Shattered Throne
My brain short-circuited. Rebooted. Short-circuited again.
“What?”
“Marry me.” He said it again, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Like he was asking if I wanted coffee.
“You're insane.” The words came out before I could stop them.Classic Kim, someone offers you everything, and you call them crazy.
"Insane for you." His grin flashed, but there was nothing playful in his eyes. He was completely, utterly serious. "Marry me, Kim."
"Xavier..." I glanced around. People were starting to notice. Heads turning, whispers spreading. "We just started dating. We're skipping a lot of steps here."
"Technically, we've been dating for three months. Which, by my books, is long enough."
"Xavier—"
"I've loved you since the very moment I laid eyes on you."
I gave him a look.
"Okay, the second time I laid eyes on you," he amended. "The first time, I was too drunk to remember my own name, let alone yours. But the second time? When you walked onto the executive floor, I realized you were my new secretary? The woman I'd left a thousand-dollar tip and couldn't even recognize?" He shook his head. "I was done for. Completely, utterly done for."
My heart was racing. This was insane. This was completely, totally insane. We'd known each other for three months. We'd been actually dating for two weeks. This wasn't how responsible adults made decisions.
Every practical bone in my body screamed to slow down. To think. To protect myself, the way I'd always protected myself.
But when had anything about Xavier been responsible?
And when had playing it safe ever made me happy?
"Please put me out of my misery," he said, his voice dropping. "Say you'll marry me."
I wanted to say yes. God, I wanted it so badly I could taste it.
This man, this life, this future that I'd never let myself imagine because imagining it would hurt too much when it inevitably fell apart.
But it wasn't falling apart. He wasn't leaving. He wasn't looking for the exit. He was standing in front of me, hands shaking, heart in his eyes, offering me everything I'd ever wanted and been too afraid to ask for.
But it wasn't falling apart. He was standing in front of me, offering me everything, and he meant it. I could see it in his eyes. He meant every word.
"I..." The word stuck in my throat.
"If you don't marry me, no one else will," Xavier said, and there was something almost vulnerable beneath the humor now."I'll die alone. Is that what you want? My tragic, lonely death on your conscience?"
A laugh bubbled up through my chest. This ridiculous, wonderful, impossible man.
I'd spent my whole life building walls. Protecting myself. Preparing for disappointment so it wouldn't destroy me when it came. What the hell. Maybe it was time to stop preparing for disaster and start believing in something good.
“Yes.”
Xavier's eyes went wide. "Yeah?"
"Yes!" The word came out louder than I intended, drawing more stares. I didn't care. "Yes, let's do this!"
He kissed me. Lifted me off my feet and spun me around and kissed me like we were the only two people in the room. When he set me down, he grabbed my hand and turned to face his family.
"We're engaged!"
Aria screamed. Actually screamed, her hands flying to her face. Helena rushed toward us, tears streaming down her cheeks. Isabelle appeared from somewhere, grinning ear to ear. Even the British man was smiling, hovering at the edge of the crowd.
