A/N: Hey guys, thank you so much for the reviews! We hope you like this chapter, it's gonna be uber fluffy for the next couple…hehehe. Anyways, read, love, review!

Chapter 14

"Dance with me, querida," Jesse says, taking my hand and leading me to the dance floor.

"Of course," I reply as I wrap my arms around his neck securely, smiling at him.

He smiles and slides his arms around my waist, leaning down and whispering, "You look stunning tonight."

"Well thank Cee Cee. I had no clue what to wear, she helped me get ready," I reply, looking down at the pale blue silk dress that I'm wearing.

"I will thank her," he replies, laughing and pulling me closer. I smile up at him and rest my head against his chest.

"The wedding was beautiful. I can tell that they're going to be so happy together," I whisper, looking over at Marta and Troy.

"Yeah," Jesse replies, suddenly seeming nervous. "Is everything all right?" I ask.

"Perfect. Everything is perfect, querida," Jesse whispers into my ear, kissing me tenderly.

I giggle and sway with him in time with the music until the song ends and he pulls back, looking down at me. "Yes?" I ask.

"Jesse! Dance with me now!" Anna-Maria exclaims, running over to him and practically pulling him away from me.

He laughs and looks at me helplessly. I laugh and wink at him before going to sit with Josephina.

"He's up to something..." she says, squinting her eyes over at Jesse before looking at me.

"You think so?" I ask, only half listening, my eyes fixed on Jesse dancing with his youngest sister.

"It's obvious. Can't you tell?" she asks me, raising her eyebrows and for a moment I feel dumb.

I shrug and continue to watch them, catching his gaze every so often and smiling at him. Josephina rolls her eyes and says, "You're hopeless," as she stands up and walks away.

I frown a little bit but shrug it off, grabbing a glass of champagne off a tray as a waiter walks by and sipping it slowly.

When the song ends, Jesse walks over and sits down next to me. "You're adorable," I tell him, kissing his cheek.

"I know I am," Jesse says, grinning and wrapping his arm around my shoulders before pulling me in and kissing my temple.

We stay quiet for a while until he whispers to me, "Susannah?"

"Hmm?" I ask him, smiling as Marta and Troy dance by themselves in the middle of the dance floor. They look so in love.

"Can I ask you something?" he whispers, removing his arm from around my shoulders.

"You can ask me anything, though I might not be able to hear you in here," I say, chuckling.

He laughs and shakes his head. "I think you'll hear this," he says, standing up.

He starts to say something but just then Mercedes comes walking over to us and goes up to Jesse, "Can I speak to you...in private?" she hisses.

He glares at her and says, "Whatever you want to say to me, you can say in front of her."

"Fine. Don't do it, don't ruin her life by asking her to marry you," Mercedes says and I gasp before quickly looking at Jesse.

"Asking me...to..." I stammer and now I can feel every eye in the room on us.

"Don't do it, Jesse. You know you'll only hurt and abandon her," Mercedes says, glaring at him. I look tentatively up to Jesse and to be quite honest, it scares me.

His face is lined with guilt, like he actually believes what she's saying. "Jesse, don't believe her!" Josephina exclaims and all three of us look over at her.

"Mercedes you have CROSSED the line! At Marta's wedding too!" Josephina exclaims, marching up to us.

"Stay out of this," Jesse begins, but Josephina interrupts him. "No, Jesse, you love Suze, right?"

"Yes, I love Susannah very much," Jesse says, looking down at my anxious face.

"Then do what you came here to do," she says. "Don't let a bunch of lies get in the way."

Mercedes glares between the both of us before storming off and I see her arguing with her husband at the door before she instead rushes off to the Ladies' Room.

When she's gone, Jesse looks down at me and I say, "So...you had a question for me?"

"Come with me, querida," Jesse says softly, taking my hand in his and leading me out of the banquet hall.

He takes me outside into the courtyard. We're surrounded by millions of flowers and twinkling lights. It's like something out of a movie.

"I'm so sorry for the way Mercedes acted in there...I've been having to say that too much lately, I know," Jesse says, sighing.

"It's all right, really," I tell him, laughing a little.

"I'm...I love you, querida. So much. I'm sorry for what Mercedes said in there, I'm afraid it spoiled the mood," Jesse says, sighing.

He takes my hand and continues, "But...part of me knows she's right. Being with me puts you in danger and I'm being so selfish by keeping you here. I just...I love you too much to let you go. I want to be with you forever."

"I know what you mean Jesse. The thought of not being able to be with you whenever I want to...I don't like it. I want to make waking up to you a reoccurring occasion," I say and against my will I start tearing up.

He chuckles a little and nods his head. "Yes, querida," he says, kissing my forehead softly. "Those were my thoughts exactly."

"I'm glad we're on the same level," I say, laughing a little bit. This is all that I can muster up over my tears.

"So...Susannah Simon, mi querida, love of my life," he says, getting down on one knee and reaching into his pocket. "Make me the happiest man in the world. Marry me."

I gasp as he opens the small deep blue velvet box, his eyes gazing adoringly at my face as I look at the brilliant ring inside. My eyes immediately tear up even more as I look down at the circular purple stone set in the middle with sparkling diamonds accenting it around the edge. Purple just like the mood ring from our very first date.

"Y...Yes, Jesse, of course!" I manage to choke out through the tears that are falling down my face. He grins, slides the ring onto my finger and stands up, taking me into his arms.

"Thank you querida," he whispers as he holds me tightly and I shake my head in disbelief of the whole situation, hugging him back just as hard.

"I love you so much, Jesse," I whisper to him, leaning up and kissing him tenderly as he holds me even tighter.

"And I'm so in love with you, Susannah. I was thinking...well, we should make this a short engagement. Why waste time?" Jesse says tentatively.

"I totally agree," I tell him, smiling. "The sooner I'm Mrs. Jesse de Silva, the better." His whole face lights up at this and he says, "That has a nice ring to it."

"Yes it does," I say, grinning at the double meaning before looking down at the engagement ring places on my left ring finger, where it fits as perfectly as if it were custom made just for me.

He sighs and tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "I can't believe you said yes," he whispers, a dazed smile on his face. "How did I get so lucky?"

"How could you think I WOULDN'T say yes?" I demand, getting up on my tiptoes and kissing him passionately. "Oh, and FYI...I happen to be the lucky one."

He laughs and kisses me again. "Whatever you say, querida," he says. "We'd better get back inside."

However, it seems that half of the people inside end up coming outside at that very moment, all squealing with delight and laughter as they come up to us, 'ooohing' and 'ahhhing' at my ring and congratulating us both.

The biggest reaction, however, was from Josephina, who wrapped me in the tightest hug ever and started screaming how happy she was in my ear. It'll be ringing for weeks.

Jesse and I eventually separate ourselves away from the group and head inside, where Mercedes is scowling like a 2 year old at her table and Jesse's mother, who has asked me to call her Carlotta, is sitting smiling at her table.

Jesse takes my hand and leads me over to his mother's table. "I forgot to tell you, querida," he begins as we sit down. "The ring, well most of it, was my mother's."

"Of course the center stone was replaced, but the design is original," she comments, her face positively glowing as she looks at the two of us.

"Well, it's beautiful, Carlotta," I tell her, smiling as I look down at it, hardly believing that any of this is happening.

"You will make sure a beautiful bride, Susannah. When will the wedding be? I also want to start speaking to your mother, as soon as you let her know," she tells me.

"We haven't really decided anything yet, Madre," Jesse says, laughing a little as he squeezes my hand. "We don't want to wait too long, though."

"That's a good idea. I know so many couples who just wait. And wait...and wait," she says, laughing. "It took Mercedes nearly two years to finally set a date."

The smile on Jesse's face falters at the mention of his oldest younger sister and his mother shakes her head. "Don't you dare listen to her, Hector, you hear me?" she asks. "The past is over, she ought to know that by now. No one blames you anymore."

"I know, mama. I'm so grateful you accepted my apology after the way...after how I..." Jesse says, not able to finish his sentence.

I squeeze his hand tightly, letting him know that I'm here for him and that I'm not leaving. "It's over now, Jesse," his mother tells him softly. "You've grown into a respectable man who couldn't have found someone better to share his life with. I couldn't ask for anything more."

"Thank you," Jesse whispers, leaning over and kissing her cheek. "You don't know how much it means to me, you saying that, and also what you said about mi querida."

"It's nothing but the truth," she replies, but by now Jesse is staring into my eyes with complete adoration shining out of them and I have to say, I can't pay attention to much else.

"Why don't you two get out of here. I think Marta will live, unless you want to stay for the bouquet toss and whatnot," Carlotta says.

"What do you say, querida?" he asks, bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing it softly. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Sure," I reply, nodding my head and reaching up to tuck a piece of my hair back, catching sight of my ring as I do.

He watches where my eyes go and we both smile and I can honestly say I've never been happier. I couldn't be happier.

We both say our goodbyes to his mother, and then to Marta and Troy, before making our way out of the reception hall with our hands clung tightly together.

"So, home now? Or do you want to go tell Cee Cee and Adam the good news?" he asks, stopping when we get to our car. "The unbelievably amazing news that soon you'll be mine. Forever."

"Well I'm already yours Jesse. It's just a matter of legal whatsits," I say, giggling.

He grins and leans down, kissing me passionately. "Let's go home," he says. "I want you all to myself."

"I like the sound of that," I whisper back, throwing my arms around his neck.

We kiss for a few more minutes before getting into the car and going home. Let's just say that that night, we did anything but sleep.