Free Immersion (Magnetic Desires) by Unknown

perfume. "Let’s go rip up that contract. It’ll be good practice for when we see Brady."
    "Okay." She beamed, and we made our way to Stag.
    "Hey, Norah." I tapped my fingers on the bar and Lola popped onto a stool. "One last drink before we dock tomorrow?"
    Norah spun around. "Your usual?"
    "No." I glanced at Lola. "How about champagne? And while you’re at it, can I get that contract."
    Norah raised an eyebrow and reached under the bar to retrieve it. "You mean napkin. So what’s the verdict?"
    I took it from her and ripped it into shreds, letting them fall in a pile while I glanced at Lola. Taking her hand in mine, I pressed a kiss to her palm. "She loves me."
    "She does," Lola mimicked.
    I leaned over her, our lips mere inches apart. "You want to go back now?"
    "Why did we ever leave?"
    Norah hacked a fake cough. "You two are ridiculous. So I take it you said you’d marry him?"
    I interrupted Lola before she could get a word out. "She’ll be my wife, Norah, just not today."
    "Actually..." Lola swatted my chest. "He hasn’t brought it up again since the first day when I thought he was crazy."
    "When you know, you know." I winked at her, the corners of my mouth twitching. "And I knew you were the girl for me."
    "Then ask me." She stared at me, the same challenging look as the day we’d made the bet.
    "Ask you?"
    "Yes, ask me."
    "I’ll get that champagne ready." Norah scuttled away.
    I squatted down in front of her. "You think we should talk about this first?"
    "I think I like you down there." The flirtatious wink she aimed at me was almost more than I could stand.
    "Come on." My mind worked through what I wanted to say to her while I led her to the back of the boat.
    I watched her walk to the railing, and stare out over the tranquil water etched in gold and orange. She’d thought I was crazy the first time I’d asked, and I couldn’t blame her. It didn't change the fact I’d meant every word, or that she'd been a lightning strike, brightening every part of my being. From the first time I'd seen her, I'd known she was the one. If she thought I was joking, then we had a problem because I wasn’t going to ask a third time.
    I stalked over to stand at the railing beside her. "I’d marry you in a heartbeat. Do you know that? If you’d said yes on that first day I would have married you then." My chest tightened and my palms grew clammy. "I knew it was you from the moment I saw you. So I have to know. Are you seriously telling me to ask you? Cause I’m not going to ask a third time. If you’re playing with me, tell me."
    Her gaze dipped before she brought it back to mine, and she cupped my face with her hand. "Leo, I don’t need time to know I want to be with you. I want to be your wife."
    "Okay then." On my knees, as I had been that first day, I pulled a box from my pocket.
    She gasped. "What? Do you carry one of those around in case you want to propose to a girl?"
    "I bought this after I met you," I growled. "Now be quiet, I’m trying to ask you to be my wife."
    One hand clamped over her mouth, she couldn't quite stifle her giggle. "Sorry."
    "Are we going to do this, Lola? I can stand up if you’d prefer?"
    Lola sank to her knees in front of me and clasped my hands in hers. "Leo, marry me?"
    "Did you... did you just beat me to the punch line?" I gaped.
    "You’ve given me everything. I want everyone to know how much you mean to me."
    "Come here," I growled, and opened the box. Pulling out the ring, I took her hand and slid the square yellow diamond onto her finger.
    "It’s beautiful," she whispered. "It’s too much."
    "It’s not as beautiful as you, sweetheart." I pulled her into my arms and crushed my lips to hers in a lingering kiss.
    Lola
    Norah was waiting for us at the bar. A grin split her face as she poured flutes of champagne. "Leo Barclay, I thought there was a chance you wouldn’t get your way this time."
    "I didn’t exactly." He nudged me gently in the ribs.
    Norah glanced from him to me, and