Chapter 150: And Then Some
- RAYA -
Despite my protests, Dex waits for me outside the women’s bathroom while I make sure I don’t look like I just had passionate sex in a room full of supplies.
While I’m leaning in close to the mirror to fix a few errant smudges of makeup, I can’t help but giggle at my reflection. That just happened. That was definitely not inspired by a dream.
If I had dreamt it, I probably would have been mortified by the fact that all of my coworkers are going to see us walking back in the room together after a mysterious amount of time away. But here I am in reality, totally unfazed. I love this man. I feel safe with him. Even walking back into a room full of scrutinizing eyes, I know I can handle it and hold my head up with Dex’s hand in mine.
When I return to the hallway, Dex has a different kind of smile on his face—one I haven’t seen before. There are so many emotions that he is capable of conveying without words, and I wish there was a name for this one. It has layers of love, pride, gratitude and awe. But there’s even more than that, and the fact that I’m the recipient of it is still hard to comprehend.
"What?" I ask on a soft chuckle, falling short of the things I really want to say. I don’t know how to ask them, and I know he won’t have the answers anyway. Questions like: ’Why me?’ ’How did I get so lucky?’ The mystery of this gravity between us can only be solved together.
Dex doesn’t answer, but he kisses me again—soft and sweet and tender. When our lips part, he doesn’t make any attempt to return to the reception yet. Instead, he remains hovering, fingers playing in the loose tendrils of my hair.
"I need to apologize," he says.
His voice still sounds husky, and there’s a tenderness to it that wraps around me like he could embrace me with the sound alone. This kind of voice is only ever reserved for one person—the one that you’ve handed over your heart to and whose heart you are holding like the most precious thing in return.
"Why? What is it?"
"I need to ask you something," he says, gaze dropping to my hand as he takes it in his. "And this isn’t the place or the time to do it. So that’s what I’m apologizing for."
"What do you need to ask me?" I say slowly, feeling my stomach threatening to drop.
"If you’ll marry me." His honey eyes glide back up to mine.
If I thought he stole my breath in the supply room, this is a whole other level entirely.
"What?" I whisper, the words tumbling through my mind. Marry him? Be his wife? Did he really just say that?
"Marry me, Raya." His fingers are playing with mine, and I become aware that my jaw is hanging open as I watch him.
"It can be at any time in the future, whenever you wish, but hopefully soon," he says with a soft smile. "I don’t care about the details. We can go anywhere. We can invite everyone or no one. All I want is you. I want to know from this moment forward that you’re mine in every way. I want to give you everything of mine in return. Sharing that with you..." he shakes his head when his words fail, and I realize he’s running his thumb over my ring finger. "Will you be my wife?"
My shock gradually lifts, and I wet my lips, trying to bring in some logic before I just react on emotion, because my heart is threatening to completely depart my body and fly away without me if I don’t do something to catch it. "Everyone at Mobius Media, our co-workers, they’ll think that—"
"Forget about everyone else," he says, his brows pinching. "This is you and me. No one else knows what exists between us but us. We can get married on an island or a mountain top or in the middle of the ocean away from all of them. I don’t care about what anyone else thinks other than them knowing you’re mine."
"Not in the middle of the ocean," I say, and one corner of his lips tips up.
"Anywhere you want, angel. As long as I get to be there and make vows to honor and cherish you for as long as we both shall live and then some."
"And then some?" I repeat.
"I was thinking more like eternity," he says, drawing my hand to his lips and kissing it with a teasing smile. "But we can start with this lifetime. Or continue with this lifetime. I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t the first time I vowed my soul to yours."
If an entire body—soul included—could blush with the shade of this feeling I have right now, mine would be. Dex is asking me to be his wife. It might be outside a bathroom during the day of his father’s funeral... but still.
I look around, perhaps checking to see if any other person might manifest to assure me that this is reality. Part of me thinks it’s crazy of him to ask because it’s too soon and the other part thinks it’s crazy that he would even feel the need to ask at all. As if he doesn’t already know the answer. The answer is of course I will. The answer is yes. It will always be yes.
But the words don’t come out. They’re frozen somewhere in my utter disbelief.
"I’ll wait," he says with a soft, apologetic smile. "Don’t worry. I will ask again when you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere." He takes a step away like he’s going to guide me back to the room where everyone remains, but my hand tugs his back.
"I’m ready," I breathe. "Of course I will marry you. I can’t believe you even had to ask."
That same expression that he had waiting for me when I exited the bathroom returns, and then he’s kissing me again—his hands rising to cup my face as he thanks me in the most toe-curling way possible.
"Let’s get out of here," he whispers against me. "Let’s go do it right now."
"What?" I giggle, looking up into his adoring eyes. "You just said anytime in the future. Not today. I don’t think that’s the memory we want, do you?"
He groans, forehead dropping to mine. He draws my hips closer, securing me against him.
"Oh," someone says—a female voice—and I look over to see Grace has rounded the corner in her apparent search of the women’s room. I’m pretty sure I saw one closer to the banquet room, but I’m too full of longing and joy to let it bother me. Not even she can ruin it.
Dex lifts his forehead from mine but doesn’t let me go, doesn’t step away, and all of the color that isn’t painted on drains from Grace’s face. She seems to be at a complete loss for what to say, so instead she manages a small, uncomfortable smile and slips past us, delicately pushing into the women’s room.
"I probably should have thanked her for coming," he mutters, but he doesn’t seem apologetic about it as he pulls my hips further against his and dips to kiss my neck, flooding my lower half with warmth again.
"Are you sure this isn’t just a way to cope with your feelings about today?" I ask, ignoring the subject of Grace entirely and trying to ignore the clawing need that’s back, wanting me to jump into his arms and wrap my legs around him.
"Oh, of course it is," he chuckles. "But that doesn’t mean it’s any less sincere." He kisses my neck again, and I’m tempted to push him away, because pretty soon I’m going to be dizzy and flushed with need and unable to face anyone when I just tried to make sure I was presentable.
"If I shouldn’t even need to ask you to marry me, then you shouldn’t need to ask if I’m sincere," he whispers, lips skating across my skin.
"Oh my god, Dex," I whimper at the sensation, and it’s a mistake because he presses me against the wall with a teasing growl.
"Whimper again, and we’re going to be in a very compromising position when my ex comes out of the restroom," he says, that gruff voice of his vibrating in my chest and spiraling straight to my core.
Why do I not care? I should care! But I almost hope that he’ll do it. He awakens this primal, brazen desire that has no patience for things like worrying about other people seeing.
"I won’t whimper," I whisper desperately, trying to convince myself more than him. "I won’t."
"Fuck it, come on," he growls, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind him. "We’re leaving. I know a back way out where no one will see us."
"Are you... are you sure?" I manage to make out between the desperate beating of my heart as I scamper to keep up with his long strides.
Am I leaving anything behind? Should I go say goodbye to Rory and Dad? I suppose I can just text them and say Dex was really upset so we left.
We come to the end of a hall and turn to find an unmarked exit that’s already propped open. Dex stops and stares at the door, and something dark overtakes his features. He pulls out his phone and sends a quick text before pulling me through the opening and out into the daylight.
"Dex," I say, tugging back on his hand so that he will stop and look at me. "Is everything okay? Are you sure it’s a good idea to leave?"
The darkness vanishes, and he draws me close. "The only thing I’m more sure about is that you’re going to be my wife, angel."
