“Gave you ten, babe,” I reminded. “Probably closer to fifteen now.”

“This is a big deal, Jamie. You know how I feel about this.”

I did. I knew how Tori felt about the ocean, but I also knew she was ready.

Conquered the pool four months ago when I started taking her to the gym with me. She was a strong swimmer now. Confident. Relaxed in the water. There was no reason why she couldn’t handle this.

I held my arms out, promising, “Right here. Not gonna let anything happen to you.”

Tori blinked. I watched her chest rise and fall with a breath, then she dropped her arms and started nervously pacing along the shoreline again.

Jesus.

“Babe, straight up, if I gotta come get you, you ain’t gettin’ this ring,” I threatened.

Tori stopped pacing. Her head turned and her eyes locked with mine. “What ring?” she asked.

“The ring I got in my pocket.”

She stared at me for a breath. “You do not have a ring in your pocket,” she stated with some attitude, sounding sure of herself, as if she took that moment to inspect my pockets.

“Sure as fuck do.”

“What kind of ring?”

“One you’re gonna want,” I said, smiling when her eyes widened.

Tori turned to fully face me again. Her widened eyes narrowed. “I don’t believe you,” she shared. “You’re just trying to trick me.”

“You remember a few weeks ago when I said I had to meet up with your dad to talk promotional shit?”

Tori didn’t say anything. She just blinked.

“We didn’t talk promotional shit,” I admitted. “Spoke to him. I let him know what I was wanting to do, then met up with your mom and Syd. Had an idea for a ring but wanted their opinions.”

Tori still didn’t say anything. She just blinked.

“Size five, right?” I asked, brow lifting.

That got her.

“Are you being serious right now?” she shrieked. “You met up with my dad and asked him if you could marry me?”

“Said you wanted traditional, babe. I went traditional.” I smiled at her.

“You have a ring in your pocket?”

“Yeah.”

“An engagement ring?”

“Jesus, yeah,” I said. “That’s if I still have it. Might be gone by now. Been waitin’ a fuckin’ year for you to get your ass out here.”

I knew I still had it. I was just messing with her.

But Tori didn’t know I was messing with her, and it was either the realization that I was being serious—I had a ring—or it was the threat that I might not have it much longer that got her moving.

Sprinting like something was chasing her, Tori entered the water while squealing in either fear or delight, probably both, lifting her knees high to get herself up over the waves. She looked like one of those Olympic hurdlers, except her tits looked fucking awesome and I never wanted to bang an Olympic hurdler.

“If you’re lying, I am never giving you road head again,” Tori threatened, reaching me and taking hold of my shoulders.

“Regular head is still on the table? I’m good with that.” I grinned big, gripping hold of her waist under the water. “Hey, babe.”

“Hey,” she giggled, smiling up at me. “God, my heart is going crazy.” She panted several breaths and licked the salt water off her lips.

“Yeah,” I murmured, thinking the same as I watched her. I kept one hand on her hip and used my other to dig the ring out of the Velcroed pocket on my board shorts. “You scared?”

I was talking about this, what I was about to do, and I was referring to her being out here. And Tori knew that.

“Not a bit,” she answered, tipping her chin up.

“You look good out here,” I said.

“Thanks.”

“’Bout to look even better.”

I heard Tori inhale a shaky breath. She was still smiling, though. Not nervous. My woman was ready.

“Can’t really kneel out here,” I informed her, reaching up and grabbing hold of her left wrist, then bringing her hand between us. “You want that, I’ll take you in. Whatever you want.”

“No. Here is perfect,” she said, grinning so big now, you’d think I already asked the question. “Please, do it here. It’s so you.”

I looked down at her, at all of that beauty she was about to hand over to me for life. Trusting me with it. Forever. She was giving it. No layers. No lies. Just her.

Tori Rivera.

She was mine. Out here in my world and in hers, she was mine.

Then I did it right there.