Cece rounds the corner and sees the whole rooftop before she even sees me. She takes it all in and the look on her face is priceless. Worth the $1000 florist bill.
"Oh my GOD! Brooks?" She asks when she finally sees me.
I'm still standing because I don't want to give a speech on my knees. Also, I plan on spending a lot of time on my knees later.
"Hi babe," I beam at her.
She walks up slowly, looking chic and flawless in her cuffed jeans and white blouse. You'd never be able to tell she spent 10+ hours in the studio.
"Brooks," she says over and over, shaking her head smiling. "Brooks."
My face already feels like it did at the premiere the other night. Stiff and sore from smiling so much but refusing to let up.
"So, no dinner with Miles," I tease when she finally reaches me. "But something even better."
I take her hands in mine and search her honey eyes. She's already welling up with tears.
"Cece, this past year has been a whirlwind. It's been a lot," I admit. "But I've loved every second of it. The calm and the crazy. With you, things are easy and right. It just feels right."
"Oh my God," Cece whispers beneath her breath as I slide out the ring.
There is a flicker of doubt, less than a flicker really. It only lasts a millisecond. But in that millisecond, I see my whole life as it could be with someone else. But that's not what is. I remind myself that I cannot live on could be's. And the flicker dies quickly as I see the look on Cece's face.
Come on, Brooks. Keep calm and propose already.
"Will you–"
"Yes, yes!" She screams, crying.
"Will you let me finish asking?" I laugh.
Cece is already jumping on me, kissing my neck and cheeks and forehead.
I slip the ring onto her finger, and it looks like it's been waiting to settle there. Relief floods through me, cleansing me like a wave resets the sand.
I bend down and kiss Cece so deep I can hardly breathe. She responds with enthusiasm, leaning into my waist and pressing herself against me.
I pull her over to the couch, which is now painted purple and blue beneath the pergola's shade as the sky darkens on the horizon. Cece laughs as I pop the champagne bottles and start overzealously pouring into our flutes.
Some of it sprays onto her blouse, which now clings to her perfect body. It's begging to be ripped off and I am happy to oblige.
Cece falls on top of me onto the outdoor sofa. Champagne be damned. Tastes better on her neck than it does in the glass anyway.
Our shirts slide onto the floor and Cece is already undoing my jeans. I am ready for her in record time as she wets her sweet lips and takes me into her mouth.
Barely two minutes later I am pulling her up and on top of me, unable to wait anymore.
I slide the jeans over her perfect peach ass and pull her down on me. Cece moans at my greed and buries herself in my neck.
I hope no one is on any nearby rooftops. Doubt this pergola is covering much right now.
Let the paparazzi come.
...
"I can't believe this ring!" Cece says with her head against my chest. She holds it out in front of us and it glimmers in the candlelight.
"I can't believe how good it looks on you," I admit, kissing the back of her neck.
"It really does, doesn't it?" She asks, gleeful.
She spins in the bath to face me. The rose petals have turned the water a baby pink color. It somehow brings out the amber in her eyes.
"When do we start planning? When can we tell people?" She asks.
"When do you want? Not like things can stay secret very low, especially you being you," I remind her.
"True." She bites her lip. "But I want to try to keep this just ours for now. you know, at least for a little."
"That mean you want to take the ring off?" I raise an eyebrow. My finger trails her abs down to the water between her legs.
"Hell no. I'll just try to hide my hand at all times," Cece giggles, breathing heavily. "Of course, we'll have to tell my parents. And your mom and brother, oh and Lauren."
"Not the type of news they should see online, agreed." I nod. Water displaces around us as I pull her closer to my face.
Her lips yield to mine, and I twist her around so she lays in my lap.
"We're gonna have sex all night long, aren't we?" She teases, grinding into my waist again.
"I was planning on it. Didn't propose for nothing," I joke, cupping her jaw in my hand and politely yanking her face to just inches from mine.
"The truth comes out," Cece laughs into my mouth.
"Always does."
I like the idea of keeping our engagement a mini secret for now, not that I expect it to last long. Like Cece said, the truth comes out.
Truth.
I shove the flicker away again, suppressing it into a dark place where I can pretend it doesn't exist. At least not tonight.
Cece flings her arms around my neck and wraps her legs over mine. She bites my lip and it drives me wild. She knows it.
Fuck truth.
I breathe Cece in, reveling in the absolute glory that is this moment.
YOU ARE READING
Never Really Over (Bremmy 3)
ChickLit*THREEQUEL* Even when they're done, all things are never really over. It's been one year since Emmy left for the airport, two tickets in hand. A long, eventful year. Brooks has successfully launched the flagship Edge and snagged a model girlfriend...
