I nod. “Yeah. I came here a lot just to be by myself. It’s good for that.”
As we walk, I point things out to him: the table where I used to scribble moody poetry before I realized I hated poetry, the place where the boy I liked in ninth grade asked me to the homecoming dance. He laughs at that, not unkindly, and turns his head to smile down at me.
“I bet you were a heartbreaker in high school,” he says, his lips curling into that mischievous little smirk that could probably get me to rob a bank.
I scoff. “Hardly.”
Dex pulls me closer. “You don’t know your own power. I mean, look at me.” He holds an arm out, gesturing to himself. “I was destined to be a lone wolf, but you locked me down.”
I roll my eyes. “A lone wolf? You are an absolute dork.”
He laughs, his breath steaming in the cold air. “Let’s walk down here, by the water.”
After tossing his empty cocoa cup into a recycle bin, he tugs me off the walking path onto a side trail, a little winding dirt walkway that leads to the lakeside. We’ve both got boots on, and the snow crunches softly as we walk through the pristine white blanket.
Down by the ice, we’re far enough from the path that no passersby can see us. It’s cold, and the morning sunlight makes the frozen lake gleam.
“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, feeling an absolute calm wash over me. This place has always been a refuge for me, and it’s even better with Dex by my side.
He shifts, unlinking his arm from mine, and when I glance over at him, he’s got a weird look on his face.
“What?” I ask, one eyebrow arching.
His small smile grows as he reaches into his coat pocket. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because you’re smiling like you’re up to something. I know you, Dexter Reid, and that look”—I point at his face—“means you’re scheming.”
“You’re right. I should know better than to try to hide something from you.”
Then he drops to one knee, and every thought vanishes from my head. I’m pretty sure my brain forgets how to breathe.
He pulls his hand out of his pocket, and sitting in his palm is a beautiful little black box.
“Oh my god,” I whisper.
He opens the top of the box to reveal a gleaming onyx nestled into a gold band. The sunlight catches the faceted stone, making it shine brilliantly in the cold air.
“Nora Elizabeth Miller,” Dex says, his voice softer now, “will you marry me?”
I’m too elated to come up with anything cheeky to say. All my brain can form is, “Yes.”
I shift my cup to my right hand, then offer him my left. My fingers are trembling slightly, but Dex holds them tenderly as he slips the band onto my ring finger. It’s a perfect fit, and I suddenly wonder if my mother had something to do with this. I’ll ask her when we’re at their house for dinner tonight.
Dex stands, and I shower him in kisses. His lips taste like chocolate, and his lip ring is chilled from the cold air. He deepens the kiss, his tongue finding mine, and my body presses against him. A moment later, I pull away, needing to see the stone up close, to be convinced this is real life.
Lifting my left hand and taking a closer look at the ring, I furrow my brow. There’s something oddly familiar about it. The gold band has intricate curves and flourishes, and tiny rubies are revealed when I move it close to my eye. A jolt goes through me. I know where I’ve seen this before.
And it is so Dex.
“Is this . . . the ring from Shadow Odyssey?” I ask. “The one the king gives the queen in the final cutscene?”
Dex grins, putting an arm around my shoulders and pulling me in to place a kiss on my temple. “And that is why I love you, Little Monster. You’re my fuckin’ queen.”
The End
Thank You for Reading!
Thank you so much for reading Dex and Nora’s story. I’ve written ten books since starting my author journey in 2014, and I can truthfully say that this story is my favorite. I hope you enjoyed it.
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Other Books by Emberly Wyndham
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emberly Wyndham writes paranormal, historical, fantasy, and contemporary romance and loves getting lost in her own fictional worlds.
