“Hey, didn’t I tell you I’d bring you back here?” His lips brush across mine again. “I never break a promise.”

We sit in contented silence, watching the waterfall and cloud gazing. I wish we could have brought Niko with us for our little reunion here.

I turn to Storm, taking him in. He looks gorgeous as always, the wind blowing his hair, his faded black t-shirt stretched across his muscled chest and shoulders. He catches me staring at him.

“You’re staring at me again,” he teases.

“Yup. I can’t take my eyes off you.”

“Likewise, baby.”

He grabs my hand, kisses my open palm, and then slowly sucks my finger into his mouth, sending a shudder up my spine. His tongue swirls around my finger, sucking it deeper into his mouth, his eyes watching me. His teeth come down lightly around my finger, grazing my flesh. I’m captivated, watching his mouth, the sensuality of it making me dizzy and wet.

He locks his eyes onto mine and slowly pulls my hand out of his mouth. And there, on my finger, is a diamond ring.

I gasp, and stare up at him, my mouth hanging open. My brain is spinning. How the hell did he do that? And is that what I think it is?

“Storm... oh, my God... I—how did you do that?”

“This is my Gram’s ring. It’s very special to her. It was given to her by a man she loved before she was with my grandfather, but he died very young, before they could marry. She was hoping someday, one of us boys would meet a girl special enough to wear it. She and I agreed that’s you.”

I swallow hard, staring at the large glistening gem on my finger. It’s beyond beautiful, and the fact that it belonged to this wonderful woman, given to her by someone special, means so much to me. This is more than just a ring, more than just a proposal. This is an invitation into a wonderful, loving family. This is acceptance.

I need to lighten the mood a little before I start to cry.

“Does she know you used your tongue to propose with her ring?”

“No, that part was my idea.” He continues to rub his thumb across my hand.

“Evie... I love you with all my heart. You’ve made me so fucking happy these past few months. We’ve had our ups and downs, but we always end up right again. I know you worry about the future, and I can’t promise you exactly what’s going to happen ten or twenty years from now. No one can. But I can promise you a great beginning, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a fantastic middle.” He brings my hand to his lips. “And I can promise you if we work together, we can have our happily ever after. I’m not going to ask you to marry me because I know we will. But I will ask you to share all your tomorrows with me.”

I literally throw myself at him, kissing him everywhere, his face, his lips, his neck. “Yes, yes, yes!” I squeal. “Storm, I love you so much. I want to spend every moment of every day for the rest of my life with you. Getting stuck with you was the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

He kisses me long and hard, squeezing my body tight against his.

“You’re really stuck with me now, baby. I’m never letting you go.”

THE END… for now