Love Drunk 3.0 (Completed)

Chapter 42

Italy 7.10 a.m.
Ethan POV –

I slowly open my eyes and smile wide when the first thing I see is a sleeping Y/n. I stretch my body without taking my eyes off her. Her lashes are long and curly and she looks so peaceful. My hands are itching to touch her face and I gently trace her freckles, playing connect the dots. As if she’s in trance, it seems to relax her even more and she shows no sign of waking up anytime soon. I replay the dream I just had in my head and my heart overflows with an indescribable loving feeling. It makes me feel like I’m floating and I silently get up from the bed. I can’t stop myself from acting on these feelings and dreams anymore. My red sweatpants are the first item of clothing I come across and I immediately slip them on.

On my bare feet and without a shirt I open the hotel room door and walk out in the hallway. I rush towards the elevator and make my way to the floor Grayson is staying at. Without knocking, I barge into his room and expect to find a sleeping Grayson.

I actually do find a sleeping Grayson, but am slightly floored when I find a sleeping Ava in his arms. The slamming door must have woken him up, cause he quickly sits up in bed and his eyes shoot open. His chest is covered in hickeys. “Ethan..” he breathes as he looks at me, then at Ava and back at me again. “How do you do this?” he sighs as he waves his hand between Ava and me. “How do you walk in every time I spend time with a girl? Like. Every. Single. Fucking. Time.” He breathes annoyed.

Ava slowly wakes up and props herself up on her elbows. Her neck is covered in hickeys as well. “Oh, hi Ethan.” She says before she lays down again and cuddles up against Grayson, who also lays back down. Ava is not bothered at all by me walking in. And where I’m usually annoyed with Grayson for not locking the fucking door, when he’s with a girl.. I’m not agitated at all right now, because I’m so focused on my goal. “Grayson!” I say out of breath, not answering his question. “I wanna marry y/n!” I continue and the both of them sit up again immediately. “What?!” Grayson breathes while Ava starts clapping in her hands and squeals. I put my hands in my hair and start pacing back and forth at the end of their bed. I just said those words out loud for the very first time.. and that is kinda overwhelming.

Ava jumps up from the bed and hugs me immediately. “You two would be the cutest bride and groom ever!” She still squeals. I observe Gray’s face and see hesitation in his eyes. “Ethan..” Grayson breathes. “You both have been through some pretty shitty weeks..” he adds. “I get that you don’t ever want to leave her side again.. but marriage, so soon. Just now you’re getting comfortable around each other again..” he continues. I know he means well. I know he’s just looking out for me and for y/n, but for some reason his reaction angers me. It makes me so mad that I’m having to stop myself from going for his throat. Grayson notices the shift in my energy and gets up from the bed as well.

“Don’t even go there, Grayson!” I snap at him as I approach him and put my forehead aggressively against his. Ava is still holding on to my waist and now tries to stand in between Grayson and me. “Don’t you dare talk about proposing soon!” I bark at him as I give him a good shove. Ava let’s go of me and puts her hand on my chest, creating space between me and my brother. “Stop it, you guys!” She yells while she looks at Grayson questioning. I step back and brush my fingers through my hair again. My heart is pounding out of my chest. Partly because I want to kick Grayson’s ass. But mainly because this feeling that has taken ownership of my body ever since the day I met y/n is something I never wanna lose. And I knew that already, but these dreams have been taking it to another level. These dreams where I’m making her mine, where we become husband and wife. “Gray..” I breathe with my hands still in my hair. Grayson is standing on the other side of the room, with his hands in his side and we lock eyes. “Remember the day you introduced me to y/n?” I ask him and before he can answer I continue. “In the kitchen of Kian and JC’s Airbnb in Kauaii. I was hypnotized ever since I first locked eyes with her.” I tell him. “And remember when Emma confessed her love to you, in that hot tub in Kauaii? Y/n put her hand over my mouth when I was about to freak out. How I immediately calmed down under her touch.” I add.

“I remember every single moment I spend with y/n and I remember exactly how it made me feel, every single time. How it made me feel when I made her laugh for the first time, when I bombarded her with tomato cubes. How it made me feel when I held her hand for the first time, when we were looking for you at Kian and JC’s beach party. How it made me feel when she fell asleep on top of me for the first time, back in New Jersey.” I sum up and I see Grayson’s eyes soften. Not sure if that’s because he’s realizing how much I love this woman, or because he’s realizing all these events occurred when he was still dating y/n.

“I know it’s fast. But I also know that I will be by her side forever and if I can start our forever now, I’d prefer that over any other day. Look at what we’ve been through already. Look at how fragile life and love is. I need her to know that this life.. this life with her, is all I ever need and want. I need the world to know that real love does exist and that it is more than just having a nice fuck with someone. That real love is something that will kill you, if it is taken away from you. That real love is what y/n is to me.” I tell him. Grayson walks up to me, his arms open. “I think you’ve just written your vows..” he says as he hugs me tight. “Congratulations!” he continues as he rests his head on my shoulder. I wrap my arms around him as he squeezes me.

“I’m sorry.. I didn’t mean to-..” Grayson adds and I cut him off immediately. “I know. It’s all good.” I sigh as he lets go of me and we lock eyes. “I know you two are meant to be together. I knew it when I saw you throw tomatoes at y/n. The way you made her laugh was one indicator, but the fact that you made breakfast was what really exposed you.” Grayson chuckles. “Is this your best man speech, bro?” I laugh at him as I gently tap his cheek. “Possibly, dude.” he laughs and I’m finally starting to relax a little. Telling Grayson was the most important step in this operation. The rest I can deal with, as long I have my brother by my side. “So..” I say as I sit down on their bed. “I want to fly y/n’s parents to Italy. So I can ask her dad for his daughter’s hand.” I add as I start explaining to Gray and Ava how I envisioned it all.