Page 71 of Missing in Action

"Small doses, honey. I tolerate them insmall doses." He eyed the underwear before dropping the stack into his luggage. "I won't miss them while we're traveling."

"Of course not," I agreed. Allowing him to keep up the pretense of hating the work he did for Will and Jordan's company was important for all involved. It fed the strange siblings-and-SEALs dynamic they had going and granted them more opportunities to relentlessly bust each other's balls. It was healthy. Or something like that.

"I'm happy to finally have you all to myself for the next five weeks," he said without meeting my eyes, still occupied with his clothes. "No early mornings, no planning board meetings, no realtors calling to haggle over a deal during our dinner parties."

I tossed a pair of socks at his head. "That happened once and it was an eight-figure deal. Those are allowed to interrupt dinner parties because theypayfor five weeks of international travel, my love.”

He scoffed at that before chucking the socks back in my direction. But…it wasn't socks. It was a little box. I turned it over in my hand. "What is this?"

Wes arched an eyebrow up as he ran his tongue between his lips. "Open it."

Always a challenge with this one. "Okay. Sure. No problem, I'll just—" I stared down at the pair of black bands, understanding exactly what I was seeing but also understanding nothing. Because—because we'd always talked about the next steps in a fanciful sort of way. An autumn wedding, an island honeymoon. Or maybe a summer wedding and a mountain honeymoon. Or an island wedding and a mountain honeymoon. Who knew? Certainly not us. We'd always talked aboutsomedayand I couldn't believe my someday was coming, it was here. I still couldn't believe this was mine. That it was for keeping. “What is this?" I repeated.

Gesturing toward the box, Wes said, "We're going to Montauk for Jordan's wedding and you're going to meet everyone from the company. I know those fools and I know I don’t want to introduce you to them as my boyfriend. I wanted to introduce them tomy fiancéand—"

It felt like the floor disappeared from beneath my feet because only Wesley Halsted could propose like this. And I loved it. And I loved him.I loved him."Oh my god."

"—but then we're going to Lake Tahoe for Riley's wedding," Wes continued, strolling to my side of the bed like this was a casual conversation about where to go for brunch tomorrow and not one about being his husband. "And I don't know what we're getting into there but I wasn't taking any chances." He looped his arms around my waist. "You're off the market, baby, and I wasn't about to give NorCal any mixed signals on that front."

I blinked down at the box. "So, you bought matching rings for us? To keep the NorCal boys off my ass?"

Wes plucked the smaller band from its casing. "These are temporary," he said, holding it up. "Between the fishing trip we're taking with my dad after Jordan's wedding, the hikes we've planned around Lake Tahoe before Riley’s wedding, and the climbs in Switzerland, I knew you'd worry about scratching up a nice ring. These silicone bands seemed like a decent—though temporary—compromise because I didn't want you to worry.”

All thosesomedayconversations, I'd believed them to live in a someday far from here. Perhaps I'd been fortifying myself against the possibility Wes would need years to come around to the idea. Lowering my expectations to protect myself. And what did he do? He quietly collected those fortifications and protections and replaced them with a proposal that sounded like a military briefing.

Naturally, I burst into messy, sobbing laughter which led Wes to drop the band, bring both hands to my face, and ask, "Do you hate it? You don't have to wear it if you hate it and I'll just—"

"I love it," I managed. "I love all of it."

"Are you sure?"

Nodding, I tangled my arms around his neck, still laughing and sobbing as he sank down to the floor. I shifted in his lap, saying, "And I love how you never onceaskedme to marry you."

He thumbed sloppy tears off my cheek. "Do you need the question?"

Smiling as wide as I'd ever smiled in my life, I said, "I don't."

With that sharp, curt nod I'd come to adore, he replied, "I didn't think so."

I squeezed my fiancé as tight as I could and he gave it right back to me—until a wet nose prodded my arm. "Someone is feeling excluded," I said, sniffling.

"Come on, there's room for you too," Wes said, beckoning to Winnie Pancakes, the nine year old goldendoodle we adopted from a rescue shelter last Christmas. She scampered over, ducking her head to meet his palm. "You should know Dame Winnie helped me pick out your ring."

I ran a hand down her coat. "She has amazing taste."

"I'm going to miss you while we're gone," he said to Winnie. "You are our favorite girl but we'll bring you treats from all the places we visit. Deal?"

"Max and Jory will take great care of her," I said. "And we'll make sure to FaceTime with her so she doesn't forget us."

"Forget us? I figured you'd be more concerned with them cooking her salmon correctly or hiding her vitamins in the good cheese she likes."

I shrugged. "I mean, yes, that too. I've already sent Jory detailed directions. He'll know what to do."

After a moment, Wes asked, "I’ve never done this before. Did I get it right? Is the answer yes?"

"You’re perfect." I pressed my lips to his. "Of course it's yes. Always yes."

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