Authors: Lisa Carlisle

A Marine’s Proposal (11 page)

Slade put her down on her feet and captured her eyes with his. The happiness that danced in his blue-grey eyes darkened to one far more intense and predatory, the way they had last night. Her throbbing heart must have stopped beating. How could she function when he stared at her that way? It stripped her mind of any rational thought.

Could this be real? That Slade wanted her, loved her, and wanted to be with her always? He actually wanted to marry her and not as some scheme.

He leaned closer and her lips trembled, anticipating the moment his lips touched hers. His lips were far too sensuous not to kiss every day. A promise she intended to keep. Her eyelids fluttered closed.

When she finally felt them, she lost herself in the kiss, forgetting all the people around them until she heard more clapping and cheers. She pulled away, laughing, and wiped the remaining moisture from her eyes.

“I hope this means you're coming back to the hotel with me,” he said.

“Of course,” she said, reflecting the buoyancy inside her. “We’re still technically on our honeymoon.”

“We’ll go away for our next one. Wherever you want to go?”

“Ooh, a second honeymoon?” She raised an eyebrow. “Maybe we didn’t screw up by having a fake marriage first after all.”

He took her hand and they strolled back to the hotel.

“Looks like my ass-backward plan paid off in the end,” he said with a lopsided grin.

“Not exactly,” Caitlyn countered. “We only needed to get a one bedroom apartment.”

He threw his head back when he laughed, revealing his white teeth that contrasted with his tan skin. “True.”

****

During the walk, Slade tossed around ideas for their wedding. “This time let's pull out all the pomp and circumstance, have a real military wedding. I'll wear my dress blues and you can wear—” He turned to her, “What do you want to wear? Your dress blues or a wedding dress.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened in surprise and then she her mouth curved up into a smile. “Oh, I have a say in this?”

“Of course. But, I want it to be right. I want it to be traditional. The swords, the salutes. The whole shebang. Plus, I want our families to be there with us. Maybe we should book leave and get married in the States. Or, maybe we should invite them here to Okinawa. Hmm, let me think this out.”

“You'll plan out every detail
again
, won't you?”

“I'm still the same old me.”

“I know,” Caitlyn said and pecked him on the cheek. “And I wouldn't want you any other way.”

Slade bent down to return the kiss her on the forehead in a caring, protective manner. “I'm going to try to be a better man. A partner. I know I can't control everything and marriage is a partnership.” He held her hand. “So forget everything I said and tell me how
you
want our wedding.”

Caitlyn's smile grew even wider. “Well,” she began with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “First, we have to talk food and figure out what kind of caterer to get.”

“I'm glad to see you have your appetite back.” The corner of his mouth curved into a grin.

Caitlyn summoned the naughtiest look she could muster. “For more than just food.”

Slade's mouth dropped halfway open. “I'm loving married life already.”

“Let’s hurry back to the hotel.”

After another block, Slade stopped to face her. “Oh no, I just thought of something.”

“What?”

“What if you get nervous walking down the aisle and—”

Caitlyn knew exactly what he was going to say. She erupted in laughter before finishing the sentence. “Sneeze!”

About The Author

Lisa Carlisle served in the Marines on the remote tropical island of Okinawa, Japan, Parris Island, and the California desert. She then backpacked alone around Europe and lived in Paris, the city of her dreams. She currently lives with husband and children outside of Boston and loves to escape to local cafés to write paranormal and military romances.

Red Sage Publishing