195

195
Olivia shook her head, a stray tear finally escaping and trekking down her cheek. “I wanted to tell you. More than anything. When I saw those lines, I was so happy I couldn't breathe. But then... then I started to think about what it meant for us. For you.” She tried to look away, but he held her gaze, refusing to let her hide. “We haven’t even settled the conversation about living together, Derek. And now, this. A baby is permanent. It’s the ultimate responsibility. I didn't know if you’d...”

She trailed off.

“If I’d what, Liv?” Derek’s voice was softer now, filled with an aching tenderness she had never witnessed in him before. 

“I didn’t know if you’d want it… If you'd be happy about it,”  she admitted, her voice cracking. “I know we’ve been reckless lately, but I didn't know if you were prepared for this kind of outcome. I didn't want you to feel like you were forced into a life you weren't ready for. I just... I don't… I want…”

His lips crashed down onto hers. It wasn't a predatory or demanding kiss; it was a fiercely passionate seal. He poured every ounce of his relief, his devotion, his happiness and his burgeoning hope into the contact. Olivia let out a ragged moan, her hands climbing his chest to tangle in his hair, pulling him closer as she kissed him back with a desperate, matching intensity. The fear that had been a lead weight in her stomach for hours began to dissolve, replaced by the sheer, overwhelming heat of him.

When he finally pulled back, he didn't go far. He kept his forehead pressed against hers, their shared breaths mingling in the quiet space. “I love you, Liv,” he swore, his eyes closed tight as if he were taking a sacred vow. “I love you so much it terrifies me.”

He shifted his hand, his large palm sliding from her waist to rest over her still-flat stomach. His touch was so light, so incredibly reverent, that fresh tears blurred her vision. He traced a slow, protective circle over her stomach, as if he could already feel the heartbeat of the life they’d created.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispered, his voice thick with wonder. “You’re pregnant. You’re carrying my child.

Our baby.” He opened his eyes, and the sheer, unadulterated pride reflected there was the only answer she would ever need. “You’re the whole package, Liv. You always have been… Everything I could ever want, and I am never letting you go.”

Olivia looked up at him, a watery smile breaking through her lingering anxiety. “I guess I was worried for nothing then,” she whispered with a shaky chuckle. “I love you too, Derek. So much.”

Derek nodded, but the softness in his eyes was eclipsed by a sudden, fierce intensity. The air seemed to thin as he gripped her shoulders, his gaze burning into hers. “Marry me,” he said.

The words weren't a question; they were a demand of the soul, blurted out with a raw impulsiveness that bypassed any calculated restraint.

Olivia let out a sharp gasp, her heart staggering in her chest as she took a reflexive step back. “Derek…”

He didn't flinch. If anything, he stepped closer, his expression bordering on desperate. “Please,” he added, his voice dropping to a gravelly plea. “Be my wife. Be my family. You, me, and this baby. I want it all.”

Olivia smiled at him. “As amazing as that sounds, Derek… you don’t have to do this. You don’t have to propose just because there’s a baby involved. I won't hold you to a life you only chose out of duty.”

Derek shook his head vehemently, a dark lock of hair falling over his forehead. “No. It’s not that. This isn't about duty, Liv. I’m not asking because you’re pregnant.”

She looked at him, her skepticism written in the slight furrow of her brow. Derek didn't try to argue further with words. Instead, he turned and headed for the living room with a purposeful stride. Olivia followed him, her pulse drumming a frantic rhythm, stopping near the edge of the rug as she watched him open a drawer in his sideboard. When he turned back, his hand was closed around a small, velvet-lined box. Olivia’s hands flew to her mouth, her breath hitching so sharply it almost hurt.

“I made the decision about two weeks ago,” Derek said, walking back to her until he was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him again. “I finally found the ring I knew was meant for you last week. I’ve been trying to figure out the perfect moment to ask. I wanted it to be a grand gesture.” He let out a self-deprecating huff. “But I think this moment is better.”

Olivia dropped her hands, her eyes shimmering. The irony hit her that while she had been agonizing over the perfect way to reveal the baby, he had been harboring his own secret, a plan to give her exactly what she had asked for: the whole package. She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe he really wanted them to get married. 

“Are you sure?” she breathed, her voice barely audible.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

Derek sank slowly to one knee, a gesture of total surrender to the woman he loved as he flicked the box open. Nestled in the black velvet was a breathtaking vintage-inspired masterpiece. A massive, pear-shaped canary diamond sat at the center. It was bold, architectural, and strikingly beautiful—just like her.

“I love you, Liv,” Derek said, his voice thick with emotion. “I want to spend every sunrise and every sunset of the rest of my life loving you, taking care of you, and building this family with you. You’ve touched parts of me I didn’t even know were alive, and I can’t imagine a future without you. I don't want to try.”

The tears weren't just falling now; they were a deluge. Olivia laughed through the sobs, blaming the rush of pregnancy hormones even as her heart felt like it might actually burst with joy. “Yes, Derek,” she cried, reaching out to him. “Of course I’ll marry you. A thousand times, yes.”

Derek’s face broke into a dazzling, triumphant grin. He stood, his fingers steady as he took her hand. He slid the heavy platinum band onto her finger, the fit so perfect it felt like it had always been there.

“It’s so beautiful,” Olivia whispered, mesmerized by the way the canary diamond caught the light. She looked up at him, impressed. “And you got the size right too… It's so perfect,”

Derek pulled her into the hard planes of his body, his arms wrapping around her with a possessive, joyful strength. “No way I was going to get it wrong, baby,” he murmured against her lips. “I’ve spent enough time holding your hand to know exactly where that ring belonged.”

He didn't give her a chance to respond. He molded his lips to hers once again—a kiss that tasted of salt, bourbon, and a future that felt like a sanctuary.