You Are The Reason

Seb

Seb

My heart was pounding in my chest. It was so loud; I could no longer hear the waves crashing against the shore. I knelt down beside her while she was looking out over the ocean, a beautiful and happy smile on her beautiful face. This was it. This was the moment. Every day since we arrived on the island, I pulled the ring out of my bag and looked at it. I wanted the timing to be perfect as perfect my life has been since she'd walked into it.

My hands shook as I reached into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out the ring. It was elegant and feminine, and the moment I saw the ring I knew it was for McKenna. The one karat round diamond was surrounded by a halo of sapphires, and another halo of smaller diamonds sitting atop a simple white gold band.

I stayed down on one knee for a moment gathering my courage. I was actually glad she was distracted by the beauty of the sea. It gave me a little more time to try to calm my nerves. I reached across the table and downed the last of the wine that was in my glass and took a deep breath. I heard McKenna sigh happily as she turned back towards where I should have been sitting across from her. Confusion clouded her eyes before they landed on me. I heard her gasp in surprise and her hand flew to her mouth. I could see the tears welling in those beautiful eyes and I felt my heart constrict in my chest. All of the nerves I had before melted away as soon as she gave me a big smile. I take a deep breath and reach for her left hand. I lean down to place a soft kiss upon it before meeting her gaze once again.

"McKenna...I've gone over what I wanted to say to you at this moment, but I can't recall a word of it." I smiled as McKenna laughed softly, her hand trembling in mine. I slowly began to draw circles over it with my thumb, trying to get her relax. Slowly, I felt her trembling subside. "Every morning when I wake up beside you, I have to remind myself that I'm no longer dreaming. You're really there and you actually love me as much as I love you." I lean into McKenna's other hand as she brushes it against my face. "Until I met you, I'd always considered love and happily ever after to be nothing but rubbish. Now, every moment with you is precious to me. All I want to do is make you as impossibly happy as you make me every day. I honestly don't know what I've done in this life to ever deserve you, but I'm hoping you'll give me the chance to try." I look down at the ring I was holding in my right hand. I slowly bring it up for her to see it, and I feel her grip on my left hand tighten. I smile up at the woman I love, "Will you marry me, McKenna?" She closes her eyes and the tears that had been threatening to fall tumble down her cheeks. I see her take a deep breath and look back down at me, and I can see how much she loves me reflected in their depths.

"I love you so much Sebastian." She leaned forward and gently kissed my lips before resting her forehead against mine. "I will marry you." I finally let out the breath I had been holding in and stand up to pull her into my arms. I don't know how long we stand there just holding onto each other before either of us speak again. I take a small step back, just giving myself enough space to reach for her left hand and slip the ring onto her slender finger.

"I hope you like it," I'm surprised at how nervous I am. Would she love the ring as much as I did? When I saw it, I felt as if it was perfect for her, but what if I was wrong? McKenna looked down at the ring, and I could tell she liked it. I let out a relieved breath and brushed my hand through her hair.

"Are you kidding? Seb, this is beautiful. If I had all the rings in the world to choose from, this would be the one I'd chose." She rose up to brush her lips against mine once more. "I have a confession to make, though."

"What's that?"

"I would marry you even without a ring. I love you, not what you can buy me." My heart swells in my chest as I look down into her beautiful face. I honestly don't know what I've done in my life to deserve this amazing woman, but I promise to spend the rest of my life making her happy she chose me.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll just return..." I tease as I go to pull the ring off her finger. She jerked her hand away and glared at me. I couldn't help the happy laughter that bubbled up.

"I don't think so." McKenna held up her hand and looked at it with a satisfied smile, "It is perfect on my hand, and that's where it's staying." She wrapped her arms around my neck before pulling herself up to where she could wrap her legs around my waist. "Now, take me to bed so I can thank you properly." I grin as my hands roam up her thighs to the sweet curve of her backside and gave it a squeeze.

"It is a beautiful ring. I think I'll need lots of thanks for it." She bit her lip as her hand trailed down my chest, over my stomach, and straight into my jeans. I couldn't stop the groan that escaped my lips as she stroked me.

"Oh, I intend to," She moaned against my lips as she rocked her hips against my erection. "If you don't get us to the bedroom, I'll have to have my way with you right here."

"We've done it everywhere else, why not here on the patio." It was getting hard for me to talk between gasps as her hand continued teasing my dick. She gave a short, husky laugh, her hot breath against my ear.

"I want you in bed, completely naked, and at my mercy." She nipped at my mouth, as she slowly withdrew her hand from my pants. I practically growled my frustration, but I quickly carried her inside where she ravaged me until the wee hours of the morning.

Hours later, she laid with her head on my chest, the sound of her deep breathing letting me know she was asleep. I gently run my fingers up and down the velvet skin of her back, looking out of open doors of the balcony, watching the sky begin to turn orange as the waves crashed on shore. I was exhausted, but part of me didn't want to sleep. I was afraid this would be a dream, and I'd wake up alone in my flat back in Liverpool. Finally, I just couldn't fight it anymore. My lids drifted closed, and sleep took over.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The last few days of our trip flew by. Before we knew it, we were packing up to head home. As much as I loved our alone time together, I was excited to be heading back to the real world. I was excited to start this new chapter of our lives...together.