Midnight Kiss

Chapter Ten

It was weeks before Layla joined Sunday dinner's once again, and a good three months before she was okay with James being there. 

Fortunately, Layla's girlfriend, Chloe, managed to talk her down and help her to accept that love was love and not something you so easily chose. While giving your heart to someone was a choice, allowing them into your own wasn't something to be turned on and off. 

By the time everything returned to some amount of normalcy, Harper had moved in with James, while Layla moved in and lived her true and happy life with Chloe. 

"What's your movie choice for the night?" James asked as he waited, remote in hand.

Harper smiled up at him, already knowing a variation of what his response would be. "Moulin Rouge."

James shot a lazy glare at her, set the remote down, and thumbed through their joint movie collection. "Why is it that every time it's your turn to pick a movie, you pick a shitty musical?"

"First off, Moulin Rouge isn't a shitty movie, it's a fucking cinematic masterpiece that deserves your respect," Harper answered in a matter-of-fact tone. "Second, because they bug the crap out of you."

Since she'd bunched all her musical DVD's together, James found it quickly and slipped it into the player. "This is the third this week, you know."

A big grin filled Harper's face as she nodded. Soon she'd have to go off and find some more, just to see how far she could push James' before he inevitably snapped. 

"Want popcorn?"

"Yes please."

James went into the kitchen and within a minute or so, kernels could be heard popping with vigorous deliciousness and Harper grabbed the remote and got comfortable. The movie started just as James walked back into the room with a big bowl of popcorn and sat tightly against her so the bowl could rest on both their legs. 

When she grabbed a handful, she felt a heaviness to it that wasn't normal and opened up her hand to see a diamond ring staring back at her. "That isn't popcorn."

"Some of it is," James said, pointing at the kernels that were still in her hand. 

Harper dropped the popcorn from her hand and held the ring between her two fingers, keeping her eyes on it as if it were going to attack her should her gaze stray. "You're proposing to me." The words sounded foreign coming out.

They'd only lived together for a couple of months and had only been together for six. Of course, they'd known each other for a lifetime. 

"I am," James said. "I thought about taking you out to a nice dinner or making a big spectaa out of it, but I'm kind of enjoying the simple life with you after all the crazy."

The love between the two of them hadn't been easy, and the relationship had begun with a whirlwind of drama, so simple at this point was a blessing. Somehow the lack of romantic setting ended up making it more romantic for her. Just the two of them, no big show.

"Is it a yellow diamond or is it just that saturated in fake butter?"

"It's just that saturated in fake butter. We can bring it to the jewelry tomorrow to get it cleaned up."

Harper finally pried her eyes away from the ring, paused the movie, and looked over at James. "We've only been together for six months."

James rubbed the back of his neck and gave her the smallest, sweetest smile in the world. "I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you before those six months even started."

Dear God, he was good; bordering on perfection if he didn't leave his towels on the floor and have the opposite taste in movies. And, despite being the whitest guy she knew, listened to rap constantly. 

"Yeah, but..."

"But what?" He challenged.

"I dunno," Harper admitted. "I thought once I said the word, the rebuttal would just show up naturally."

"Harper Holloway," he began, turning toward her and placing the bowl of popcorn on the table. "I almost married the wrong woman while the right one stood by her side at the alter. This might seem like it's coming at you a mile a minute, but I've been living my life in slow motion up until we kissed, and not the good kind of slow motion you see in movies, but the kind where you're just waiting for the life you want to finally begin. 

"I had to wait five years to kiss you. I don't want to wait another five to marry you."

Harper's eyes filled with tears that hadn't yet fallen. "That's a pretty good fucking proposal."

"Good enough to say yes?" James asked with raised eyebrows as he leaned in. 

The sound of his heavy breaths filled the air and Harper looked back at the butter covered ring before sliding onto her ring finger. It was probably a beautiful ring all cleaned up; not that it mattered. No matter what ring he chose, having it on her finger felt right despite her stomach being a ball of nerves. "You're sure?"

James' eyes narrowed on her. "Not something you really ask unless you're sure."

"But you asked Layla and you weren't sure then."

James bobbed his head and relented. "Not the same mistake you make twice."

"A lot of people make that same mistake twice," Harper couldn't help but point out.

He let out a low growl, then ran his fingers through his hair in a vigorous motion. "Yes, Dammit, I'm sure!"

Harper crossed her arms and pouted her bottom lip. "A marriage proposal where I'm getting yelled at. How romantic."

After a heavy sigh, James forced her arms to uncross and took her hand in his. "Harper Holloway, would you please do me the honor of marrying your infuriating ass?"

After ten seconds, Harper could no longer hold her pout and relented to her smile. "Yes, you ornery bastard, I will marry you."

Author's Final Notes:

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