Redemption

Chapter Fifty-Two

"Maybe if you'd actually spoken up, then I wouldn't have brought it up! You stay so tight-lipped around your folks that it's hard to believe that you were ever a family." He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his wind-blown hair to calm his anger, though it was doing very little to help the situation. Neither was the yelling. "I'm starting to think this was a mistake," he mumbled, though she more than likely heard him. Her ears had the habit of being turned off one minute and then turned on and set on high the next.

"What was a mistake?" she asked, her panicked voice reverberating off of the trees that surrounded their path. He couldn't honestly be talking about their relationship, could he? Despite the constant and recent fighting, this was the greatest connection she had ever made with a man before.

"Us, Danni! How can I expect for you to have an opened and honest relationship with our children when you can't even open up to your own parents?" He crossed his arms over his chest to make it seem like this conversation wasn't affecting him as badly as it was. His whole body was shaking and his mind was going a mile a minute as it ran through every consequence that his actions would bring upon them. He couldn't believe this was happening. After everything they'd been through, had it finally come down to this? Was this even the end?

"I don't know! How can I expect us to have any children when you won't even ask me to marry you?" She wasn't sure where that question had come from, but she was proud she had voiced it. Why hadn't he asked her if he wanted to so badly? It was a difficult question for him to answer, but she didn't care. The truth would be better than skirting around the subject like they had for so long.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. He hadn't expected that question to come from her mouth and he wasn't quite sure how to answer it.

She crossed her arms in a mimicking manner and gave a smug expression. "You're always telling me how much you love me and how you want to marry me, yet you never do a damn thing about it!"

"I do want to marry you!" He was becoming exasperated from constantly reminding her of that.

"Then, why don't you ask?" She was struck with déjà vu, suddenly. How many days ago had this argument occurred?

"It never seems to be the right time," he answered truthfully, his voice softening to a whisper. Pain filled his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to put a ring on her finger, but if all they would do as a couple was argue, it wouldn't be much of a marriage. "All we've been going lately is arguing and with this case on top of everything, it never seems to be the right time."

The conversation turned immediately civil after their outbursts. Her expression softened and her arms moved lower to rest over her stomach. "There's always going to be a case, Bobby. There is never going to be a time when a case won't get in the way, so that's a poor excuse. Why don't you want to marry me?" It wasn't an accusatory question, this time. She truly wanted to know the reason why. If he didn't want to, all he had to do was say so and she wouldn't push him anymore. She could be content with just being with him. But, he had said it and she couldn't help but wonder.

He took in a shaky breath as he gathered his bearings and let it out slowly. "I'm scared," he admitted.

She reached out and lightly touched his arm, leading him toward a nearby bench. He followed suit, but remained on the edge of his seat. "Of what?" she asked, softly.

"I'm scared that I might find something good with you and then lose everything with one slip-up on the field. I could lose you and the life we would have and that scares me to death." He leaned forward in his seat and folded his hands in front of him. His head was turned toward her, but he wasn't really looking at her. To see the pain in her eyes would push him over the edge and break down. Of course, the pain in his heart wasn't helping much. He didn't want to lose her and he didn't want to jeopardize the good their closeness created.

Her fingers entwined with his, grasping firmly to show him how that frightened her as well. "I know how you feel, but you know better than to dwell on the what-ifs. Bobby, I love you and I will always love you." With her one had clutched firmly in his, she raised her other to his cheek in hopes of rubbing away the worry lines that had formed. The boyish features of her Aussie hunk were so much more appealing that the one she saw before her. She wanted to see the light in his eyes again and those adorable dimples pierce his cheeks. He just didn't look the same without them.

"I love you too," he whispered as her forehead leaned against his. He smiled and closed his eyes as her lips lightly ran over the tip of his nose and traveled lower until they connected with his. He leaned back, welcoming her kiss and delving further as his tongue gently caressed hers. Pulling back slightly, their foreheads remained connected as their noses rubbed against each other. They were allowing time for their hearts to return to their normal rhythm, but Bobby's wouldn't until he did what was needed. "Marry me?" he whispered, his lips brushing lightly across hers.

She couldn't ask if he was serious or not, this time. She felt no need. She only pulled away to stare at him as he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and removed a small, black velvet box. He carefully got down on one knee, her left hand shaking slightly as he held it firmly in his. His own shook as he opened the box with one hand, revealing a dazzling 14kt white gold band, adorned with small, triangular-shaped etching around the circumference. Five luxuriant Princess-Cut diamonds were set, equaling to 1.5 carats.

"It's gorgeous," she squeaked as her free hand automatically reached up to wipe the stray tears from her eyes. She wanted to be able to see him clearly as he looked up at her with pure, unadulterated love in his eyes, like he was right now.

He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed her smooth, yet cold knuckles before asking again, though properly. "Danni, I love you more than life itself, and though my fear may never leave me, nothing—not even God Himself—will ever change that. Please, say that you will be my wife. I don't want to spend a day without you by my side. Danielle Elizabeth Talbot, will you marry me?" His voice had finally regained its usual, jovial tone as he watched her emotions shift before his eyes.

She couldn't say "yes" fast enough before she jumped into his arms, making him tumble onto the pavement, where he held her tightly before slipping the ring onto her finger. It was one of the greatest moments of his life with that one simple action; it was one he would treasure forever. He kissed her hand as he slipped the ring in place before kissing her lips with so much passion that he thought his heart might explode.

They remained on the ground for a while longer, a few couples and dog walkers passing them and staring puzzled at their actions. Of course, all Bobby had to do was say: "She said 'yes'" for them to understand. Soon, the coldness of the air had finally gotten to them, chills running over both their bodies. Although, being on the ground didn't help them much. He stood up first, pulling her to her feet and into his arms where he kissed her again, more passion spilling out of his person and into her.

"You're still not off the hook, yet," she mumbled against his lips as her arms snaked around his neck and began running through his hair. Her teeth lightly grazed his lower lip, making him elicit a slight groan from her torturous ministrations.

"If this is my punishment, I think I can handle it," he said before cupping her chin and delving deeper into her mouth. The slight moan she emitted was his reward as his hands wrapped around her waist, pulling her tight against his hard chest.

She giggled, one hand trailing down his neck to rest upon his broad chest. She wanted to feel his heartbeat increase as she teased and taunted him right in the middle of the park, but before she could, she pulled away abruptly and stared at him. He groaned softly as he tried to reach in and pull her back to him, yet she didn't comply, which made him curious.

"I've got it!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide and a triumphant smile on her lips.

He gave her a puzzled look and a drawn out "okay", before he lowered his head and tried, once again, to capture her lips within his own. He wasn't sure what she had and probably didn't want to know, so he continued with what made sense.

"Bobby," she said as she pulled away again, holding his face in her hands so she could get him to understand. She could see that a haze had engulfed him for the time being and the only way for it to dissipate was for her to deny his wanting. She'd had enough experience with it to know how to get rid of it. "I remember where I've seen Palmerro before. C'mon!" She was out of his grasp and already on her cell phone in the blink of an eye. He raced to catch up with her, catching the beginning of her telephone conversation. "Mattie? It's Danni Talbot," she informed him just in case he didn't remember her, though she highly doubted that he would forget her. She smiled when he gave a surprised, but cheerful greeting. "I'm good. Listen, I need you to do me a favor."

Bobby distinctly heard the phrase: "Anything for you, Beautiful", before Danni left his suddenly stationary self to cross in the crosswalk. He quickly caught up to her again, placing his had at the small of her back as if to remind her that he was the only one who could call her "Beautiful".