The words rolled over her like a wave, knocking the air from her lungs. She froze, her heart pounding against her ribs so hard it hurt. The sound of the ocean faded, the stars above blurred, and all she could hear was the echo of his voice.
Her throat went dry. "What?"
Stefan's hand was warm where it cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing her skin. "Let's get married tonight. There's a chapel here where weddings hold at any time of the day." he repeated, steady as the tide.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She searched his face for a hint of teasing, for a smirk, for anything that would tell her he wasn't serious. But there was nothing only raw sincerity shining in his eyes.
Her chest tightened. She took a shaky step back, her feet sinking into the sand. "You don't know what you're saying."
He stepped closer, closing the distance she had tried to make. "I do. I know exactly what I'm saying."
