Page 130 of CowSex

“Babe, come on, it’s funny.”

“I might’ve done permanent damage.”

“Awww, you need a cuddle, Princess?”

“Your bedside manner sucks.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that already.”

“That was the other week, before you loved me.”

I begin to choke on thin air. Did I hear him right?

“Before I what?”

He wraps his arms around my shoulders and looks down at me. My eyes dart to Malia, who’s chatting to the girl painting her face, who’s busy giving Kai her number.

“Before you loved me, Essex.”

“Who says I love you now?”

“Me. You called us your family. You’re living under my roof, sleeping in my bed, and eating food at my table. You took on a woman that upset my kids—twice—and you called us your family. If you don’t love me yet, then I guarantee that you will before this weekend’s over.”

Emotion builds in my chest. My head, heart, and belly feel like they have fluffy pink clouds floating around in them. Teeny tiny pixie-like fairy people jump from one cloud to the other, shouting “Weeeee” in squeaky pixie voices as they go.

I open and close my mouth several times, but not a single word comes out.

“And just so you’re aware, I meant what I said earlier, I’m gonna marry the fuck outta you.”

“When?” I wheeze.

“Whenever we can make it happen. I looked online the other day at what needs to be done about a visa and all that kinda shit. We’ll get an agent, let them deal with it.”

“The other...but I...this is—”

“CowSex, Gracie. That’s what this is. Fuck KimKay, BrAngelina, Hollywood, their twenty-eight kids, and whoever the fuck else. What we’ve got is real. Our very own fairy tale. Once upon a time, a Cowboy tackled an Essex Girl to the ground, they had CowSex, filled a house full with CowSex babies, and lived happily ever after.”

“KimKay?” I don’t even bother to fight my smile.

“Whatever the fuck they’re called. Just say yes.”

“Is that the end?”

“If you say yes, it’ll just be the beginning.”

“Yes.”

He grins down at me as snow starts to fall.

“Really?”

“Nah, I was joking.”

His smile falters for a second but soon returns when he catches mine.

“Koa. Stop. What are you doing?”

He slides all the way down my body to his knees. Right there in the middle of the Christmas market people that were walking past, have now stopped to stare, and snow is falling all around us.