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That smug and cute, demanding look on her face had Grace smiling and her heart rate picking up. Well, it occurred to her that this may well be the happiest day of her entire existence, so she told her partner.

“I love doing life with you, Olivia. Waking up with you in my arms every morning… That sleepy look in your eyes, and the way you always grunt before you’ve had your first coffee. Yeah, like this.” Grace chuckled when she demonstrated. “I love your laughter, your sizzling sense of humor, and your thirst for adventure. Damn… I even like it that you’ve turned me almost completely vegan.”

“Work in progress,” Olivia winked.

“Yes. I love kissing you. Making love to you. All the ways you have of calling my bluff and making me feel… More. Like now. Only with you, I know it’s safe.”

“I love you, Grace,” Olivia whispered.

“I love you too, babe.” With a shiver of anticipation, Grace allowed her smile to bloom. “And you are absolutely right, this is for me. Well, I hope for you too, but…”

“Oh yes.” Her lover nodded, grinning now. “Me too.”

“I want you to be my wife. Officially. In life and on paper. In all the ways we can be linked, I want it. So, I got you this…” Grace pulled the little velvet box out of her pocket and opened it to show her the ring.

“Whoa!” Olivia said. “Y—”

“Wait, wait!” Grace ordered, laughing. “You’ve got to let me do it properly.” She got on one knee, looking up into the eyes of the woman she so loved. “Olivia Bianchi; will you be my wife?”

“Only if you will be mine too, Ms. Michaels.”

She made her heart melt. “Deal,” Grace promised.

Olivia threw herself in her arms with a joyful yell. People clapped, and someone said,‘Ou-la-la!’For sure, Grace reflected. It was a cracking way to startthe year.

THE END…