Milkshake Hearts

Chapter 50: Extremely and Not At All

"Who you texting?" he asks, arms looping around her shoulders as she briefly leans forward to put her phone face-down on the coffee table before shifting around to settle in his arms.

"My Dad sent me a long text about very little, I am not entirely sure what to reply so I have no problem with leaving replying until tomorrow," she laughs, before leaning up to press a kiss to his lips. "Thank you for tonight. It was really nice."

"Thank you for suggesting we go out properly again. I do love our quiet routine here, but it's nice to get a little dressed up and go out sometimes," he answers, letting his tone soften as he relaxes against her.

"Gotta make use of my own clothes occasionally instead of just wearing yours," she jokes, Shayne laughing lightly in response.

"Why do you wear my shirts so much?"

"They're comfy and soft and it's kind of comforting to wear something oversized. Also, they smell like you, and if I try hard enough it kind of feels like you're hugging me when I wear them," she admits, "which I know doesn't explain why I wear your shirts while you are actually hugging me, but..."

"I don't mind at all, for the record," he responds, "you're kind of adorable in them. If I could wear something of yours all the time to pretend you're hugging me constantly I probably would, too."

"I don't know if I have anything like that. Instead you just gravitate towards me constantly," she muses, "don't think I didn't feel your hand behind my shoulder when we were filming the other day, or that I don't see the way you gradually move your chair over to my side of your desk throughout every day."

"I didn't know if you'd noticed the chair thing. It's entirely subconscious," he pauses, for a moment, moving his right arm to cup her cheek, "it works, though, because you are kinda the centre of my universe."

"Cheesy," she whispers, a hint of a teasing smile on her face before she leans over to press a soft kiss against his lips.

"Yes, but I absolutely mean it," he responds when they pull back.

"Hmm, you're kind of the centre of mine, too," she whispers softly, shifting to allow her head to come to rest against his chest, just over his heart.

They sit pressed together in comfortable silence for a moment, Shayne trying to find the last little bit of nerve he needs to step over that point of no return – as if he hadn't been past that point with her since day one, as if he wasn't wholly and completely trusting in her love for him as much as he loved her. As if he didn't know they were both already committed and comfortable- his train of thought pauses on one specific realisation: he has the nerve. He wants to do this, he just needs to actually do it. Still, he feels a wave of anxiety suddenly crash over him.

"Why is your heart racing?" she breaks their comfortable silence a moment later with a soft, caring whisper, one of concern more than accusation. It gives him a chance, and he latches on.

"Because I'm about to do something both extremely and not at all terrifying," he answers her, his own voice barely audible. He sees the recognition in her eyes, and then he sees her try to hide it with a raised eyebrow. Shayne reluctantly lets his hand fall from her to reach behind himself, immediately locking on the box and pulling it towards himself, before finally lifting it up to sit on his thigh, just beside her own.

"Shayne," she whispers, grip around him tightening as her eyes fill with – happy – tears and she lifts her head up to meet his eyes.

"Courtney, we've spent the last few hours talking about our love and our lives together, so I'll keep this short and simple. I love you, I want to spend my life with you, and I'm ready to make that a little more official," he tells her, pushing some semblance of confidence into his voice before he pauses, flipping open the lid of the box and holding it up between them, turned to face her, "will you marry me?"