Page 50 of Straight to You

T he air smells like salt, sunscreen, and something tropical, and I feel completely free.

Logan doesn’t know exactly where we’re going yet.

All he knows is we landed in Mexico this morning, after I dragged him through customs, then stuffed him into a shuttle with tinted windows.

He’s been trying to get it out of me since we left the house this morning, but I held my ground.

I didn’t even tell him we were coming to Mexico.

I packed his bag, his passport, and a few other items for him, so he had no idea.

Now, we’re walking down a winding stone path lined with palm trees, heading toward the private villa that comes into view just as the ocean does.

It has whitewashed walls, a pool on the terrace, and a view that looks like it was ripped straight from a honeymoon brochure.

As soon as we get there, he stops walking and stares with parted lips.

His sunglasses tip down slightly as he turns back to look at me.

“Is this where we’re staying?” he asks in disbelief.

I shrug, biting back a grin. “Yup, only the best for the World’s Best Boyfriend. ”

“Holy shit, Ryder!”

“You don’t know this, but last year, when things were bad, I promised myself I’d take you to a resort in Mexico when it was all said and done to thank you, and now, here we are.”

“Holy shit,” Logan breathes, tugging off his sunglasses. “This is incredible!” He turns and stares at me for a beat, like he’s not sure if he wants to kiss me or cry, before he pulls me into his chest and buries his face in my neck.

“I don’t deserve you.”

“Well, you’ve got me anyway, and I’m not going anywhere.”

We stay there like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other with the ocean in the background and the sun warm on our skin.

Eventually, we wander inside, hand in hand, exploring the villa that’ll be ours for the next seven days.

There’s champagne on ice. A king-size bed draped in sheer white fabric.

A tub big enough for two. And on the table by the window, a note: “Welcome, Mr. Stevens and Mr. Hart. Congratulations on one year together.”

It’s perfect.

Logan snorts. “I can’t believe it’s only been a year. It feels like we’ve lived a dozen lives in that time.”

He’s not wrong; so much has changed in twelve months.

Logan quit his job four months ago—finally.

It took him longer than he expected, but he did it after spending most of the last year working remotely and building his freelance business on the side.

Once he got to an income point he felt truly comfortable with, he took the leap, and now he’s fully on his own.

His work is incredible—just like him. Watching him build his business from the ground up and light up over client projects has made me unbelievably proud of him.

We also adopted a dog last fall, a mutt named Beans, and it’s ironic because as much as Logan hates beans the food, he loves Beans the dog.

We take her on long walks and argue about who’s better at training her—me, obviously.

At night, she curls up at the foot of the bed while we curl into each other, and I love that she makes our family feel complete.

Logan walks out onto the terrace, tugging his shirt off as he stares at the pool. “Private pool. You went all out, huh?”

“I figured we earned it,” I say, smiling at him.

“You packed my swim trunks, right?”

“Nope, you’re going in naked,” I smirk at him. I did pack them, but he doesn’t need them right now.

“I can get behind that.”

“And I can get behind you,” I say as I waggle my eyebrows at him.

He laughs and turns to face me fully. Sunlight spills across his chest, and I’m struck all over again by how much I love him. How beautiful he is. How much softer his eyes have become now that stress isn’t living behind them.

“I love you,” I say.

He softens immediately, walking toward me until he’s standing so close I can feel the heat of him. “I love you, too. Thanks for bringing me here, Ry.”

“I’d take you anywhere.”

He smiles, and I could live inside that look forever.

So I take a breath, reach into my pocket, and say, “Actually, there’s one more thing.”

He watches me curiously until I pull out the small box I’ve been carrying all day and drop down to one knee. His lips part, eyes wide as they flick down to the ring inside. It’s black and sleek, with a textured center and polished edges.

“I know it’s only been a year of us dating,” I start.

“But after everything we’ve been through, after all the ways you’ve loved me and held me and helped me come back to myself, I don’t want to waste another second not calling you mine in every way I can.

You’ve been my best friend since the moment we met, and I feel like we were always supposed to end up here.

You’re it for me, Logan. You’re everything, and I can’t imagine a future where we’re not husbands.

” I swallow hard, eyes locked on his. “Will you marry me?”

He blinks at the tears forming in his eyes, and he nods fast. “Yes,” he breathes, pulling me up off one knee and into his arms. “God, yes. I love you, baby. I want forever with you.”

When I break away, I slip the ring onto his finger, and he kisses me with so much passion. I can feel his dick start to get hard against my leg, and when we finally break apart, breathless and grinning, he says, “So, should we break in the bed first as an engaged couple?”

I laugh at that. “I was thinking the pool, actually.”

Logan hums thoughtfully. “Then the bed. Then the shower. Then the balcony.”

“Then probably the floor because you’ll be too weak to make it anywhere else,” I add and waggle my eyebrows.

He shoves me. “You are such a cocky little shit.”

“Only because I know it’s true,” I beam. He’s right, though, I have become cockier since I realized I like dick.

We both laugh before I take him in my arms and tackle him into the pool. We both pop out of the water laughing before he jumps into my arms and kisses me senseless.

This time last year, we were fighting for our lives. And now, we’re fully living them.

And we’re not done yet.

There’s so much more I want with him—more places, more quiet mornings, more days where the only thing that matters is the way he looks at me across a room, and I forget how to breathe.

We’ve already survived the worst. Now we get to build the best.

Together.

THE END.