“Sorry, I’m just nervous,” I said, still giggling like a schoolgirl. He was holding the ring at the tip of my finger, so I pushed my hand forward so the ring slipped down to my middle knuckle, meeting him halfway. “But yes, I’ll marry you, Axel Broxton.”

He pushed the ring, a ginormous princess-cut diamond surrounded by two tiers of smaller square diamonds, all the way onto my finger. “Whew!” he said loudly, and everyone around us laughed. Then more quietly he said, “I love you with all my heart, Blaire.”

I put my newly-ringed finger on his face and said, “I love you, Axel. Forever.” He stood and swept me up into his arms, kissing me with all kinds of messy, inappropriate tongue action while everyone clapped and cheered.

“Y’all can stop with all the gross kissing now,” Carrie’s little voice said.

“Yeah, what she said,” Beau growled.

Axel slowed things down and gave me several softer kisses as we looked into each other’s eyes, our foreheads touching. “Are you happy, Bear?”

“Happier than I’ve ever been,” I whispered.

“I plan to keep you that way,” he said, letting me slide down his body. Then into my ear, he promised hotly, “Starting tonight.” Oh. Yum. This man was simply delicious.

I was engulfed by hugs from my brothers, and they all slapped Axel on the back in congratulations. Things had been strained with them for a bit, but they’d finally settled down after Axel had a long talk with them all one night. I wasn’t sure what that conversation entailed, and honestly, I had feared for his life a little bit when he’d told me he was going to clear the air with them. But he’d emerged unscathed, and things had gone back to almost the same as they’d been before the Milan debacle. I was pretty sure Axel deciding to propose to me would go a long way in soothing their apprehension.

Ax settled Carrie on his shoulders and wrapped a muscular arm around my waist as we all headed for the stadium. Beau leaned over and whispered, “How about I let Carrie stay in my hotel room tonight. I don’t want her scarred by what I’m assuming is going to take place in yours.” He shuddered a little bit as I nodded my thanks.

Carrie kept one hand tangled in Axel’s hair and reached over to tap me on the head. “Mommy, can I be the ninja flower princess at the wedding?”

“Sure, Care Bear. Whatever you want.”

I wasn’t sure what the hell a ninja flower princess was, but at this point, I didn’t care. I had my family, and that was all that mattered.

POST-GAME WRAP-UP

POST-GAME WRAP-UP

Blaire - Four Years Later

“Mooooooom! Dex is getting bitey again,” Carrie called. “Dex, no, no,” she said to her little brother.