Forever - Book 3 in The Perfect Partner Trilogy

Chapter Thirteen

Jenna was stunned, to say the least. She looked down into the face of the man who had just asked her a question she had begun to think he would never ask. No words were coming out of her mouth. Instead, a lump was in her throat, and tears formed in her eyes. She hadn't even smiled yet.

Taehyung began to get nervous. Jenna was frozen, just staring at the ring. "I'm sorry. I know you probably think I'm just rushing and asking because of the military talk-"

"No," she said quietly.

"I should have known this wasn't the right time-"

"Tae, no, it's fine."

"Are you upset with me? Please forgive me. I did it wrong, didn't I? Was it something I said? I'm sorry if this has upset-"

Jenna leaned forward and placed both her hands on his handsome face. "Kim Taehyung, you had best stop talking right now if you ever want me to give you an answer to your question. Just sit there and look handsome, alright?" She giggled as she watched his eyes flutter back and forth between her own eyes.

Her thumbs moved back and forth slowly across his cheeks as she began to speak. "Kim Taehyung, you have done nothing wrong. You have not upset me. There's nothing you need to ask forgiveness for. I don't care about the timing. You put forth a tremendous effort for me. How selfish would I be to criticize you for how we came to this point?" She watched his face relax slightly, and she let go of his face and took his hand with the ring box in it instead.

"I love you with all of my heart. Even if sometimes I don't feel worthy of even being your girlfriend, I can't help but love you. You've found your way into my heart, and I have no intention of ever letting you find a way out. So, in answer to your question," she paused and chuckled softly, "yes, Tae, I will marry you."

It was Taehyung's turn to freeze now. The whole time he was putting this entire thing together, he had prepared himself for the worst. He knew Jenna loved him and that they would be together forever, so why he had ever thought she would reject his proposal was about as absurd a thing as he had ever done.

He had held his breath as she had begun to speak, and now, as she paused, waiting for him to make his next move, he released it, his body relaxing down a bit from its previously tense posture.

"Jenna, you're sure? It's going to be tough. I can't promise you an easy, private life. But, I can promise that I will do everything to make every hard thing a little bit easier." He held the ring on the end of her finger, giving her one more chance to back out.

"I've been through plenty of hard things with you, Oppa. And I've gotten through all of them because you've been by my side, going through it all with me. I have no intention of quitting on you whenever something gets tough. Slide the ring on my finger before I do it myself," she giggled.

He laughed as well and slid the ring down to the base of her finger.

She pulled her hand back and instinctively admired it, smiling down at him. "Come here," she said quietly as she leaned down and pulled his face closer.

Their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss. Jenna was relieved that he had finally asked, and Taehyung was relieved that she hadn't fulfilled his imaginary worst-case scenario.

Jenna pulled back from their kiss and rested her forehead against his, one of her favorite things to do. She noticed there was still something slightly off in his expression.

"Oppa, I just agreed to spend the rest of my life with you, and I just kissed you, and yet your expression says that something is still not all right. What's going on?"

She slid off her chair and moved it so she could kneel in front of him. "I don't see the waiter, so we're all alone. Tell me what's bothering you, please?"