I lay sprawled on our towel, luxuriating both in the heat of the sun and the heat of Grant’s bronzed body next to mine.

The light made the white sands gleam as though we rested on diamonds, and turned the ocean into a sparkling sapphire, yet a light breeze played with my hair and kept me cool as it carried the sounds of exotic birds and a steel drum band just around the bend of the coastline.

“Ready for another dip?” Grant asked.

“Mmm, just a minute,” I said, snuggling up to his side. “I just want to treasure this moment a little bit longer.”

“Well, with a reason like that,” Grant said, sliding his strong arms around me, “feel free to take all the time you need.”

The past week had been amazing: snorkeling in the shallows and scuba diving in the coral reefs during the day, dances and fancy banquet dinners at night. We had hiked through leafy green jungles, visited quaint cafes where the scent of coffee mingled with pineapple and the sea-salt air, walked hand in hand through the moonlit streets, just talking and enjoying each other’s company.

Grant pulled out a sunscreen bottle and began to massage the coconut-scented lotion into my skin. He also took the opportunity to stroke my legs, teasing at the sensitive skin of my inner thighs, his hand slowly traveling higher and higher.

“You’re incorrigible,” I told him with a light smack to his arm that did nothing to discourage him. After all, I hardly wanted him to stop.

“I’m purely and nobly concerned for the safety of your skin,” he said with a straight face. He leaned over, murmuring just before his lips met mine: “After all, it’s very important to watch what you eat.”

He kissed me sensually, and I reached up to cradle his face as I kissed him back, reveling in the taste of his lips, the assurance of his touch. He was strong and warm and mine, all mine. My beautiful, kind Grant.

“I wish we never had to leave,” I whispered when we finally pulled apart, staring into those eyes even bluer than the sea we lay by. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

He stroked my cheek. “I don’t know about ‘here,’ but I can certainly assure you on the ‘forever.’”

And then I felt a ring being slid onto my finger.

I looked down and gasped, and then looked up into his eyes, uncertain whether to believe that this was really happening, that he was really saying what I thought he was saying.

“You are the sun of my life,” Grant said solemnly. “You warm my heart. You shed light on all my dreams and the ways to make them come true. I find my entire existence revolving around you, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He crooked a shy smile. “Even if it means trying an astonishing variety of quinoa-based dishes with your mother. I would not have you any other way, and I would not have anyone but you. Marry me, Lacey Newman? For real this time.”

And what do you think I said?

“Yes!”