Still eyeing her, he asked, “What did you hear?”

“That you want to marry me, but really? You do, oh my God, you do!” she said, her heart pounding so hard against her ribs that her chest shook. “You asked me to marry you!”

He smiled as he nodded. Standing up, he reached his hand in his pocket, pulling out the little blue box that meant one thing. He’d shopped at her favorite store in the world. As he dropped to his knee in front of her, everything inside her went still as her eyes basically bugged out of her head.

Was this fucking happening?

Opening the box to a gorgeous round diamond that was in a diamond-encrusted, twisted band, he held it up to her and said, “I bought this today. After nine long years without you, I decided that I couldn’t go even another day without you as my wife. I love you, Lacey. With every single fiber in my body. You say I am hockey, but I don’t think so. I am nothing without you. I need you beside me, cheering me on and supporting me. I honestly don’t know how I made it this long without you because these last two days have been heaven with the taste of you on my lips. It would be an honor, a pleasure, and a gift from above if you would be my wife, Lacey Martin. I know this is crazy and insane, but like you said, we are meant to be together. We are soul mates—complete only together. So what do you say? Will you marry me?”

Looking from the gorgeous ring to his even more gorgeous face, Lacey still couldn’t believe this was happening. Quickly her eyes went back to the ring and then back to his eyes as she tried to comprehend this moment. Was this really happening? Was he really asking her to marry him after being apart for so long? Holy shit! He was, and there was only one thing to say, or better yet, scream.

“Yes! Yes, of course!”

With a huge grin and a sigh of relief, he slid the ring on her finger before standing and pulling her into his arms for a long, explosive kiss. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he lifted her off the ground, holding her so close that she was convinced they would become one. Which is what she wanted. She wanted to be one with Karson for the rest of her existence. Parting, he looked deep into her eyes, his face so happy and carefree. She knew she matched his expression. Her face hurt from smiling so hard, but it was what she wanted. She wanted a lifetime of smiling and being so damn happy with Karson.

Her heart and soul.

“Pack a bag,” he commanded as he placed her on her feet.

Confused, she asked, “What?”

He laughed. “Pack a bag while I get the tickets.”

“For what?” she giggled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“We are going to Vegas.”

“For what?” she asked again, the insanity of it making her laugh.

Looking at her with the straightest face, he said, “To get married.”

“Be my forever.”

Lacey giggled, her eyes bright and playful as she leaned into him, her book falling into his lap as she kissed his cheek. They were at the coffee shop, lying on the bean bags as she studied and he played on his DS. He didn’t know why, but as he watched her, her brows furrowed and her mouth in a straight line as she concentrated, he needed to know that she would be his for the rest of his life. Things were about to get crazy. He would be leaving soon, and he needed to know that when he came home, she would be waiting for him.

Still giggling, she said, “I am your forever.”

His eyes turned serious as he cupped her face, kissing her nose. He needed to hear her say it; he needed to know that she was going to be with him forever. Through the draft, his rookie year, the lows, the highs. He needed to know that, no matter what, Lacey Martin would be his.

Running his thumb along her cheek, he said, “No, forever. Like, promise me that you’ll be mine forever.”

Her eyes matched his as she nodded slowly, her mouth turning up at the side. “I am and will forever be your forever.”

“And I am yours. Forever, Lacey.”

“Promise?” she asked, her lips curving even more, her hair astray from where she had been running her fingers through it in concentration.

Karson smiled as he held her close. “I promise that we will spend the rest of our lives together.”

“No matter what?”

“No matter what,” he promised. “It’s you and me to the end.”

“Forever?”

“Forever,” he agreed.

It was funny that Karson thought of that exact moment as he watched Lacey make her way down the aisle. He could still remember it like it was yesterday. The way her hair was a mess from her fingers running through it every second from the stress of finals. The way she smelled of Calvin Klein, her favorite perfume at the time. His shirt hanging off her thin shoulders and the way she got upset anytime he moved away to give her more room. She didn’t want him anywhere but with her, and he was completely fine with that. He loved being near her and still felt that way. The time apart was hell and he never wanted to be apart again. This was their chance for their forever, and nothing or no one was going to stop him from making Lacey Martin Mrs. Karson King.

His heart.

His soul.

His bride.

And man, what a bride she was.

He wanted to be irritated with her for making him carry the massive wedding dress on a late-night flight to Vegas, but when she said it was her mom’s dress, his irritation evaporated, especially now, seeing her in the dress. It was a little big on her, the main reason being that they couldn’t find a seamstress so early in the morning, but he didn’t care. He didn’t care about the dress, the way her hair was elegantly done in curls along her shoulders, or that her makeup was soft and classy; no, all he cared about was hearing her say those two little words.