The late afternoon sun shone warmly through Ethan's kitchen as Rayna stood at the counter, chopping fresh parsley for the pasta sauce she was preparing. The sound of the knife against the cutting board filled the room, accompanied by the soft bubbling of the tomato sauce simmering on the stove. She hummed a happy tune, swaying slightly as she worked, wholly absorbed in her task. She had always loved to cook, but cooking for Ethan gave her a sense of satisfaction she'd never known before. She hoped dinner would be ready before he returned from work at his family's company. He had quit his previous job and rejoined the family business two months ago.

Suddenly, a firm slap landed on her backside, making her yelp in surprise. She turned quickly, her cheeks flushed, only to see Ethan grinning mischievously.

"Ethan!" she scolded, though laughter bubbled up from her chest. "Do you have to do that every chance you get?"

Ethan leaned casually against the counter, arms crossed, his expression unapologetic. "Absolutely. You accused me of doing it when I didn't, so I've decided it's my life's mission to be a shameless pervert—for you, of course." Rayna rolled her eyes, though a smile tugged at her lips. "You should let go of the past."

"Not when that past includes you. I'm letting go of anything without you in it," he said with a wink, kissing her.

Rayna giggled, shaking her head as she returned to her parsley. "Why didn't I hear you come in?" she asked, her back to him.

"Because I didn't want you to," Ethan said, inhaling the rich aroma of garlic and basil that filled the air. "What can I do?" he asked, looking for a chore. "You should go freshen up and relax"

"We can do that together when we're done," Ethan interrupted, and she smiled.

"Alright. You can help me clear the sink and keep me company," she said, grateful for his willingness to wait.

"Sure," Ethan said, walking to the sink.

They worked in silence for a while. When he finished clearing the sink, he settled on one of the stools at the island, propping his chin on his hand and watching her with a curious glint in his eyes. "So, how was your day? Did you have fun with Evelyn and Maya?"

"It was nice," she replied, tossing the parsley into the sauce and stirring. "We had lunch and caught up. It was really nice spending time with them."

"I'm glad you had a good time," Ethan said warmly.

A comfortable silence settled between them, broken only by the occasional sound of stirring and clinking utensils. She contemplated telling Ethan what had been on her mind all week. Her heart raced at the thought. How hard could it be to say "I'm ready now"?" she thought, biting her lip. But this wasn't the right moment—she'd wait until dinner.

"So, how's work going?" she asked, shifting the focus to him. "You and Melvin managing to keep things civil at the shipyard?"

Ethan grinned, his eyes lighting up. "It's going well, actually. Mel and I have our moments, but we've been handling things pretty smoothly. We just finished the specs on this custom yacht for a tech billionaire—it's going to be—" He stopped abruptly, a sheepish smile creeping onto his face. "Wait. I'm rambling. Sorry, I don't want to bore you."

"Bore me?" Rayna put her hands on her hips. "Babe, I love seeing you this passionate about something. I worried you wouldn't enjoy it and was scared you might regret quitting your job, but so far, you seem to be fitting in just fine."

Ethan's smile widened, his shoulders relaxing. "Fitting in wasn't the issue," he said. "Shipbuilding is in my blood. It's stressful, sure, but I love it."

"I'm glad you do," she said, returning to the stove.

"And just so you know, even if I couldn't fit in, I wouldn't regret quitting my job to be with you. I'd just keep trying until I found something else I loved that wouldn't keep me away from you," he said, standing beside her.

Rayna's heart warmed at his words, and she sighed contentedly as he kissed her nape. Moments like this reminded her why she loved him so deeply.

After Rayna finished preparing dinner, they freshened up together before sitting down to eat.

Halfway through their meal, Rayna decided it was time. "So"

"How," Ethan said simultaneously. They both paused, then laughed.

"You go first. So what?" Ethan asked, gesturing at her.

"No, you first. How what?" she insisted, her cheeks warming.

Ethan laughed, leaning back. "Okay, how about we both say it at the same time?"

Rayna nodded. "Deal."

They counted down. "One, two, three—"

"I'm ready to get married."

"How much longer do you want before we get married?"

Their words hung in the air for a moment before they both burst into laughter, realizing Rayna had answered Ethan's question.

"Are you serious right now?" Ethan asked, his grin widening.

"Dead serious," Rayna replied, her cheeks flushing.

"What about your apartment? Do you think you can let it go now?" He asked, and she nodded.

"The only place I want to be is by your side. I want to sleep and wake up next to you. You're my home," she said, and Ethan reached across the table to take her hand, his eyes soft and full of affection. "I've been wanting to ask you for weeks," he admitted. "But I didn't want you to feel rushed since I promised you could take your time."

"And I've been wanting to talk about it for a while now," Rayna said softly. "But I didn't want to seem like I didn't know what I wanted."

Ethan squeezed her hand, his smile warm. "Well, I'm glad you brought it up now because you just made me the happiest man alive. Let's do it, sugar. Let's start planning our wedding." Rayna smiled, her heart swelling with joy. "I can't wait," she said happily, her gaze locked with his.