Until Her (Sequel)

prologue

"Yes," she blurted as we lay together in the bed of my truck, watching the Georgia sunset.

"What?" I breathed out a laugh.

Chloe sat up, blocking the oranges and pinks painted across the sky. She had a look on her face, and I knew she had me all figured out. "You've been fidgety and weird. You have a bulge in your pocket, and I know it's not your mini-you." She smirked wildly.

"There's nothing mini about it," I choked.

She threw her head back in laughter, rising to her knees. "I know exactly what you're going to ask, baby, and my answer is yes." Her exotic eyes scanned over me, focusing on my bulging pocket. The velvety box weighed one-hundred pounds more than it had several minutes ago, because now it was now or never.

I sat up slightly, chuckling. "Give it up, Chloe Banks, you know me too well." I reached for the tiny box, pulling it out and situating myself so I was on one knee, eye-to-eye with her. Her eyes flickered, she tried containing her hopeful smile by biting her lip.

This was the moment I'd dreamed of, sweated for, and wished for since the moment I met her. There were a million things I wanted to say, things I'd rehearsed, but it all flew out the window when I saw her face.

"Chloe..." I began.

"Yes!" she said.

"I... I didn't even open the box! You didn't even let me give you an adoring speech or make you cry!"

She giggled, resting her hands in mine. "Okay, sorry. Sorry. I'll let you go."

I smiled, watching the sun brush across her perfect face. No one knew this moment was happening besides Frankie, and Chloe's parents. I should have known she'd figure me out, but this was the moment that would define everything. I would get to call her mine forever, look into those eyes for all the days to come, comfort her and love her and fight with her and hold her... for eternity. I'd been ready for it since the day we met.

"Chloe Elizabeth Banks, I love you more than I've ever loved anything. You had me since the moment we met, and I've never been so happy to be got. I fucking love you. I can't live without you, and I don't want to." I flicked the lid open, revealing the oval-shaped diamond shimmering atop a white gold band. "Marry me, Chloe. I'll make every single day worth it," I promised.

Her mouth was partially open, her eyes wide as she stared at the diamond. At first, I figured she was marveling at the ring, but when the silence continued to linger, I got scared. Maybe it was too much. Maybe I'd proposed too early, and seeing the ring made things real. Maybe she wasn't ready for this. Thirty seconds must've gone by before she spoke.

"Yes," she breathed. I strongly exhaled the weight sitting on my chest, yanking her towards me.

"Yes?!" I questioned, and she nodded, watching her face encapsulate with a smile. I slid the ring onto her slender finger, and we quietly admired it on her finger for a few seconds. "I love you."

She cupped my face. "I love you!"

Bailey barked, covering us both with her kisses and jumping up on us. We lay there for a moment, dreaming of a life together and making ridiculous plans.

Bailey ran through the field, chasing lightning bugs while we continued to dream.

"Our first kid," I said, running my fingers along her ring finger. "it'll be a boy. I can sense it."

She arched a brow, giggling. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah." I nodded, smiling. "If I have a daughter, I might go crazy and have to lock her in a closet until she's eighteen."

"Pssht. Knowing you? More like forty."

I pulled her in, kissing her temple. "Probably." We grew silent as I pictured welcoming kids into the world with her. She'd be a damn good mom, and I'd have to take some lessons before that day came.

"We could get started right now, you know." I smirked, pulling her into my arms and kissing her deeply. She laughed against my lips, tangling herself in me until dawn.