4.
"I'm a picker, I'm a grinner, I'm a lover and I'm a sinner," Will musically whispers into my ear as he captures me into a bear hug. His action disrupts our balance and we fall backwards onto our pillows. I break into a fit of uncontrollable giggling in response, "playin' my music in the sun…"
In a fit of irony the sky ignites with another bolt of lightning, quickly followed by the roaring pound of thunder. We did have other plans tonight; ones that didn't include only a few glasses of wine too many and huddling under our sheets to escape the angry rain outside. But who wants to go out in this weather?
I find something about that thought to be extremely funny and the laughter again pours from me. Will giggles as well, reaching for his glass beside our nightstand. He snatches the glass in one quick motion, whipping his head back to slide its contents down his throat. My laughter roars.
"It's empty!" I giggle. He too laughs at his folly.
I nearly topple over reaching across him to retrieve the empty glass. He playfully dangles the item far above my head and out of arms reach. As I launch myself towards him his free arm catches me one again and reels me in for a kiss. Our lips melt together and I am happily crushed in his embrace. When we break away he keeps our foreheads linked. His dark eyes stare deeply into mine and I am hopeless unable to translate his action into words. All I can do is giggle.
"What's so funny?" he asks, chuckling as well. Our skulls slide apart and Will has to catch me to keep me from tumbling over the edge of the bed. My laughter causes my sides to ache and I'm no longer able to produce any sound. While his guard is down my fingers glide into his hand capturing the wine glass. I release it from its prison and press the glass to William's lips. When I pull it away residue from my cherry red lipstick—now transferred onto his lips—is visible. His realizing this causes another wave of giggles to attack us both.
"Y'know what?" he hiccups between chuckles.
"What?" I latch myself to him, squeezing my arms around his muscular torso.
"You get really giggling when you're drunk."
"Well your voice gets really high-pitched when you're angry!" I retort.
"NNNOOooooOOo…" Will teases. I nod "yes". Suddenly his fingers are crawling up my sides.
"Stoopp!" I squeal, wriggling in his grasp. I'm seized by laughter as his hands continue to torture me via tickling. Of course he doesn't listen. Instead of letting me go he tackles me onto my back. I squirm, tangling the both of us in our sheets.
"Say it," he coos into my ear. His hands have no found the ticklish spot behind my knees.
"No!" I squeal.
"Sat it!" he kisses the soft skin behind my ear.
"Uh uh," I shake my head away.
"Pleasssee?" he begs, sounding childish. I'm practically in tears from his barrage of tickling.
"Fine, fine!" I yell, "I love you!"
The attack ceases immediately.
"What was that?" he asks again, pleased with himself and smiling deliriously. I wrap my arms around his neck above me.
"And here I thought you were supposed to be the one living to make me smile," the grin widens. I can't bear to dispute it so instead his lips I plant a small kiss on the tip of his nose, "I love you," I whisper.
"Well, you know what that means," I says in a serious tone, breaking my bonds around his neck so that he can prop himself up with one elbow.
"What does that mean?" I play along, although I miss his warmth.
"It means you have to marry me," he replies earnestly.
"Ha ha ha!" I laugh in reflex, loud and clear, "O-kay!" I snort.
"I'm serious," he pouts.
"No you're not!" I accuse and giggle, "You never act serious!"
"Oh come on now. I already bought a ring and everything,"
"You did not!" I smack him playfully against his shoulder. He leans in closer. I lean in hopes for a kiss as well. Instead of him placing his mouth on mine he reaches for a spot behind my ear.
"Yes I did. See?" he says, pulling a sparkling piece of jewelry from the air. I gasp. The band is silver, a single large stone glitters upon it. The crystal is tinted with the slightest shade of lavender.
"You did…" my voice is nothing but a girlish whisper now.
"So you see, I was right," he takes my motionless left hand and gracefully slips the ring onto my finger, "you have to marry me."
No words are able to form in my throat. I'm afraid he'll mistake my silence for a "no" but when our eyes meet his grin explodes. I realize mine has too. We can't ever help but smile in each other's presence.