Page 172 of Should the Sky Fall

“It wouldn’t really count, officially,” he murmurs, averting his gaze.

Cupping his face tenderly, Cal tips his chin up so Dawson has no choice but to look at him. “It would count to me. To us.”

Dawson licks his lips. “You’re serious.”

Cal nods, removing his own wedding ring before doing the same for Dawson. He leaves them on the nightstand and clasps Dawson’s left hand between both of his, kissing the tips of his fingers.

“Will you marry me?”

Dawson’s eyes fill up with tears, one of them spilling over when he blinks. “Yes,” he whispers in a broken voice, surging up to take Cal’s lips in a frantic, sloppy kiss. “Yes.”

Cal’s eyes burn, so he closes them, kissing Dawson back with all he has left. “I’ll be so good to you, I promise.”

He’ll never take this for granted. He’ll cherish every day together like it’s their last. He’s going to make Dawson the happiest man on earth.

“And I to you.”

“That’s all you have been, Dawson,” Cal says, meaning every word. He’s been in love with Dawson from the start, but every day he falls a little deeper, a little more hopelessly for him. “One more thing. What was your name before you took mine?”

Dawson’s brows draw together in a cute little frown. “Winters.”

Winters.It’s beautiful, like everything about Dawson. “I want to take your name.”

“What?” Dawson laughs. “Cal, that’s really sweet, but…your name is connected to the company and—”

“I don’t care.” He strokes his knuckles over Dawson’s jaw. “Cal Winters sounds better anyway.”

“Technically, it’s Caledon Winters.”

Cal’s body locks up with aversion. “No.”

“God,” Dawson says, shaking his head and chuckling. “Ellis will flip his shit. First you refuse to come back to work, then you watch porn in his office, and now you want to marry me again and shed your name.”

“He’ll get over it. You’ll just have to invite him for dinner again. What?” he asks when Dawson’s smile falls.

“Nothing.”

“It’s something.”

Dawson hides his face in his hands, groaning. “It’s…really bad, especially if I say it out loud.”

“Say it anyway.”

“Just…” He gives Cal a look that’s guarded and apologetic at once. “I never thought I’d be so happy about a car accident.”

“Well, I don’t remember it, but…I’m happy for it too.”A clean slate.

Dawson giggles. “We’re a pair, huh?”

“Yes.” Cal pulls him up for a kiss. “We are.”

Chapter 29

Aftertheyfinallyrollout of bed and take a shower, they venture into the living room, only to find Donut sitting on the sofa and giving them a look of such disdain that even Cal feels bad. To make it up to him, they take Donut for a long walk on the beach, buy him a bag of treats, then spend the rest of the day watching movies with Donut sandwiched between them.

They don’t bother putting on pajamas before going to bed—a fact that Cal is very, very grateful for when the morning comes.

Because Dawson is beautiful when dressed, and magnificent when not.