Chapter 1
K A T
"Why do you insist on leaving your clothes all over the damn floor?!" I huff, picking up Jesse's work attire that he has left on the floor like some kind of decadent King. I mean, what am I? His girlfriend or his servant?
"Sorry!" Jesse calls back from the bedroom poking his head out of the door to grin at me. "Ah babe, before you put them in the wash will you check my pockets? You know what I'm like."
"Of course, anything for you, King Henderson," I purr sarcastically, rolling my eyes as I stomp down the stairs. On the way down I stop to gaze at the photos on the wall from our latest trip to Orlando, Florida. Swimming with the dolphins had been on Jesse's bucket list, so I'd decided to surprise him with it for his birthday. The smile on his face said it all.
A pair of pants hit the back of my head as I ripped them away, crying out in horror.
"Jesse! Just, NO!"
"Babe, come on, dirty pants is the glue that keeps our relationship-"
"Finish that sentence, and you'll be sleeping on the sofa tonight," I warn, as he grins at me over the bannister.
"Have I told you you're beautiful today?"
I laugh to myself, walking away as I hear him follow me down the stairs, his feet thudding in the way that told me he was doing his miss-a-step hazard dance.
"One day you'll fall."
I make my way to the utility room, setting the basket on the side as I begin to fill the washing machine. Life really had come to this- getting excited about clean clothes. I pull Jesse's work trousers out of the basket, dutifully checking the pockets as I groan. My fingers touched something hard, and I exhaled with exasperation. This man and his memory- honestly. He had probably left a tool in there, and I would've washed it, buggering up my entire machine. This fictional situation only adds to my annoyance, as I drag out the offending item.
It's a wooden box of some kind, and I examine it with curiosity before placing it to the side.
"Actually, you'll need to open that."
I whirl around to see Jesse grinning at me from the doorway, his eyes twinkling with excitement as I look back at the plain box.
"What? Why?"
"Hang on, let me just-" Jesse sighs, before dropping to one knee.
For a second I'm confused, but then his eyes fall on the box, and he drags it into his slender fingers. My breath leaves my body instantly when he snaps open the box.
A beautiful diamond ring winks back at me, as my hands clap my mouth.
"The thing is, the dirty pants are important. Because you wash them without thinking. You do things for me, without being asked. Without realising it...you've become more than just my girlfriend. You've become my partner in crime."
I laugh nervously as he glances down at the sparkling ring.
"I know you've wondered why I've been working so much more lately. Because I wanted to get you this ring. The minute I saw it the price tag didn't matter- it was yours. It captured my attention the way you did when I met you."
He takes a deep breath then, before offering it to me. His voice, usually so calm and controlled, is slightly shaky when our eyes meet.
"Katherine Saviour. I love you and I always have. Will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife?"
I was nodding as I threw my hands around his neck, my heart pounding in my ears as he wrapped his arms around me, burying his head in my neck.
"Of course I will," I whispered as our lips found one another, and I kissed Jesse as my fiance for the first time. We pulled away and I bit my lip with anticipation, unable to tear my eyes away from the ring that he slid so easily around my finger.
"Honestly, Kat, it didn't even need resizing. It was made for you."
I admire it on my finger, before looking up to see Jesse gazing at me lovingly.
"You're amazing, Jesse Henderson, and I can't wait to marry you."
We embrace then, and I can't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
"I had hoped you would say yes, so I hope you don't mind that I booked a little something for us to celebrate."
I blink rapidly as he hands me an envelope, shifting his weight from one foot to the other excitedly as I tear it open.
"An audience with Giles McRoy," I murmur, my eyes lifting up to Jesse's as he grins. "An intimate evening with a candlelit dinner followed by a murder mystery like no other. At the end, you will have the opportunity to meet Giles, and have him sign his unreleased copy of his new book should you wish to purchase it."
"Is that-" Jesse begins as I throw myself at him, tears running down my cheeks.
"Oh my God, Jesse! This is too much!"
We stand together, and I feel our hearts beating against one another through our close proximity. His scent fills my nostrils as I nuzzle into his neck, and he strokes my back softly.
"Nothing could ever be enough for you, girl."
His lips dot kisses on my neck and jawline, before they meet mine in a frenzied passion. It didn't matter that we had been together for seven years- we still kissed like we had just met.
That and the fact we still snuggled on the sofa and tried to solve mysteries together from the shows we both loved.
Oh, and the fact he was still the only person who could make my stomach hurt from laughing despite it being something that no one in the world would find funny.
He was My One