The Fall Up (The Fall Up #1)(74)

I laughed without humor. “What kind of voodoo did you have to do to get her approval?”

“None. I told her my ideas. She asked a few questions. Then said okay.”

I blew out a breath. “And what are these ideas, Levee? Convince me, because right now, I’m not so sure I agree with the good doctor.”

“You will.” She smiled confidently. “Did you know that our bridge is one of the only ones left in the country without a suicide prevention barrier?”

Unfortunately, I did know this. It was one of the facts I’d obsessed about after Anne died.

I nodded.

“Did you know the city has approved a plan to put one in place? But it’s ridiculously expensive and the state hasn’t been able to fund it yet?”

Now that I didn’t know.

I shook my head.

“The Fall Up.”

“What?”

“The Fall Up. That’s the name of my album. I’m going to write ten songs about my journey to the top of that bridge. Then my journey back down. I want to tell it all. I started writing a few nights ago, and at this rate, I’ll be done in a few weeks.” She suddenly pushed out of my lap and onto her feet and began pacing the length of the couch. “God, it felt liberating, Sam. Molding all of that pain and darkness into something positive.” Her eyes lit as she stopped. “I want to help people, but you’re right. I have to make my life a priority. But why can’t I do both? Those two things don’t have to be mutually exclusive. So, with The Fall Up, I’m proposing I get the therapeutic relief of telling my story through music, and I donate every single penny I make so that no one can ever use that bridge as a weapon again.”

A lump of emotions suddenly formed in my throat. I couldn’t pinpoint what emotions they were, exactly, because never in my life had I felt anything like it before.

In that moment, even as the memories of Anne ravaged me, I fell even more in love with Levee Williams. I shouldn’t have been surprised by this idea of hers.

It was thoughtful.

Smart.

Beautiful.

Kind.

Brave.

Exactly like Levee.

I swallowed hard, fighting to keep my manhood intact and the * tears at bay. But shit, I was overwhelmed.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by that, either.

It was definitely Levee.

Standing up, I hugged her tight, tucking her head into the crook of my neck. She didn’t even have a choice in the matter. She didn’t exactly fight me though.

“I can handle it, Sam. I swear to God. This will be a really, really good thing for me. And if, at any point, I’m taking it too far, I know you’ll be there to reel me back in. Please say yes.”

After clearing my throat, I said the only thing that possibly made sense. “Marry me.”

Her head popped up in surprise. “What?”

Cupping each side of her jaw, I repeated, “Marry me.”

“Wha… Why?”

“Because I love you. Because you love me. Because every second that you aren’t my wife, from this moment on, will be agonizing. Because I’m ready to start our lives together. Because I have absolutely no concept of romance and just blurt shit like this out, but I swear to God I’ve never, in my entire life, meant something more. Levee, marry me.”

Her bright eyes filled with tears. A single one spilled from the corner, giving me the answer I knew I would receive, easing my entire world.

Her voice was thick with emotion as she attempted to tease, “But where’s the other half of my photo album?”

Smiling, I wiped the tear away from her cheek. “I’ll finish it this weekend. I’ll sell my liver to buy you a proper ring too. I’m sorry I did this a little out of order, but I couldn’t wait. The Fall Up, Levee? It’s f*cking brilliant. Of course I support you.” Placing my tear-soaked thumb over her lips, I whispered, “Say yes.”

She held my gaze and, in a very serious tone, spoke around my thumb, “I’ve made worse life decisions, I suppose.”

I gave her an unimpressed glare then replied, “I can attest to that. I listened to your performance with Lionel the other night with my mom.”

She returned my glare, but a smile crept from under my thumb.

“Say it,” I implored.

Taking my wrist, she guided my hand away from her lips. While wrapping her arms around my neck, she took my mouth in a slow kiss that said even more than the tear, but it still wasn’t the one word I needed to hear.

“Say it,” I urged as she forced me on to the couch.

She didn’t follow me down. Instead, she made her way to the door, twisting the lock on the handle before very sensually removing her jeans.

“Fuck. We should go home,” I growled when she mounted my lap and immediately went for the button on my jeans.

Nipping at my neck, she murmured, “Can’t wait that long.”

“Jesus.” My eyes flashed to the door as she stripped her shirt and her bra over her head in one swift movement.

“I love you,” she breathed, finding my cock and dragging it through her folds before aligning us.

“Does this mean you’ll marry me?” I asked, leaning forward to suck her peaked nipple into my mouth. Then I raked my teeth over the sensitive flesh before releasing it.