Page 116 of Dragon Tempted

He reached for the present from Sienna and unwrapped it, pulling out the T-shirt. He snort-laughed before turning it for everyone else to see. It said All I See Are Zeros and Ones.

He reached for the other gift that had hearts and rainbows colored on the wrapping paper.

“That’s from me and Bella.” Lily beamed and Bella sat tall next to her.

Jonas smiled back at her. “Thank you both.” He carefully removed the wrapping paper and pulled out a framed drawing. He looked at it closely and his eyes widened. John already knew what it was, but Jonas seemed too shocked to turn it to show anyone. Next to him, Ryan dropped down on his knee and pulled out a small box from his pocket.

Several gasps filled the room.

Ryan reached for Jonas’s hand and swallowed. “Jonas, I broke the no-gift rule. But I wanted to ask you a very important question in front of our family and friends. You mean everything to me, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He flipped open the top of the box. “I love you. Will you marry me?”

Everyone held their breath. Even the girls were quiet as they waited for Jonas’s answer. He looked down at the ring before looking at Ryan. “I’ll forgive you this time for the gift.”

Ryan chuckled. “Is that a yes?”

Jonas grinned. “Yes.”

Ryan grabbed Jonas and kissed him. The girls squealed and then everyone was up hugging and thumping Ryan and Jonas on the back. Sienna cried when she hugged Ryan. Even Marcus was blinking hard to keep his own tears back for his son and soon-to-be son-in-law.

Ryan scooped both girls up in his arms and hugged them. “Good job!”

“What was on the drawing?” Megan asked.

Ryan turned to everyone while still holding Lily and Bella. “Well, I was trying to figure out a good time to ask Jonas to marry me, and Lily came to me with that drawing.”

Jonas picked it up and turned it so that everyone could see it. It showed Ryan on his knee in front of Jonas. Behind him was a birthday cake with candles.

“Lily, sweetheart,” Tessa said. “Why didn’t you show me the drawing?”

Lily pursed her lips. “Because you can’t keep a secret, Mommy.”

Adam started laughing, which got him an elbow to the stomach from his wife. “What? It’s the truth.”

Sienna looked up at John. After a moment her eyes narrowed. “Did you know about this too?”

John shrugged. “Lily might have showed it to me.”

“You think you’re so smart and know everything, huh?”

John chuckled. “Maybe.”

Sienna’s eyes danced. “Well, I bet you didn’t know about this.” She dropped to her knee, and John’s stomach went with her.

More gasps.

“John. I love you. Our relationship was destined to be. And I can’t imagine anyone else I would want to spend the rest of my life with. Will you marry me?”

John’s chest tightened and he struggled to pull in a breath. He dropped to his knees and cupped her face with his hands. “I spent my whole life waiting to die, and the moment I met you, I started to live. Of course I’ll marry you.”

He leaned in and kissed her, getting lost in her lips and citrus scent. After a few moments someone tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to find Lily standing beside him holding out a ring box.

“So you were in on this too?” he asked.

Lily beamed. “Maybe.” Parroting his words.

Everyone chuckled around them as Sienna opened the box and held out a simple dark band with a strip of lighter metal woven inside it. “It’s tungsten and gold.”

“It’s perfect and so are you.” He shook his head. “And you beat me to the proposal. I was trying to figure out the best time to ask you.”