Accident Prone

He made plans for tomorrow that include flowers and champagne, and all the spotlight his fiery Goddess deserves. Of course, he made that a fancy evening, and if the mood is good, he will be ready to make his move… but it seems that there is no better time than right now.

Brianna felt that Quentin's hold on her loosened and she straightened her back, thinking that he wants to say something. She was not wrong because Quentin was about to talk, but she didn't expect him to slide down from the sofa and get on his knee. What is he doing?

Brianna's eyes widened when she saw Quentin pull a small box from his pocket.

Quentin licked his lips nervously and spoke while maintaining eye contact: "Brianna Harper… From the moment my eyes landed on you, my heart was yours and so was my happiness… you became the center of my world, and I knew that there is no going back. I am not perfect, but when you walked into my life, I changed, and you are still changing me for the better. You are beautiful, and smart, and amazing in every way possible. Because of you, I want to be an upright man who can take care of you and make you happy. My future is bleak without you in it and I hope you will agree to spend your life with me and continue filling my every day with colors."

Brianna was staring at the round diamond which sparkled in the box that Quentin held in his hand while his words echoed in her mind. Is he proposing? She didn't think about getting married because even dating is a concept she is still adjusting to. An engagement was the last thing on her mind after tonight's almost-fiasco. But lately, whenever she thought about the future, Quentin was in it. Does it matter if they are married or engaged or just dating? Aren't those just labels?

"What are you saying?", Brianna asked under her breath.

"I am asking you to marry me, my fiery Goddess. I don't want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to be my fiancée, my wife, my partner… in everything. I want everyone to know your status in my life, you included. Will you allow me to worship you until the end of my days?"

Brianna looked into Quentin's eyes that were filled with anticipation and long-term promises and something cracked inside her as she realized that Quentin said the right words. He always does that… melts her defenses without her noticing.

She didn't want a relationship, and she was running away from Quentin, but he didn't give up until she accepted her feelings, and here he is, on his knees, asking her to allow him to worship her until the end of his days… and Brianna will be lying if she says that he is not the most important man in her life.

Brianna smiled. "Who can say 'no' to that?"

"Is that a 'yes'?" Quentin needed confirmation.

Quentin's eyes flashed and he swiftly put the ring on her left ring finger. "You can't back out of this. A verbal agreement is legally binding."

Brianna never heard him talk so quickly and his words made her burst into a laugh.

Quentin sat on the sofa next to Brianna and cupped her cheeks in his palms. "I love you, Brianna Harper. And I promise that you will not regret this."

"I know I won't because I am doing what I want.", Brianna responded in a whisper.

Quentin inched closer and kissed her on the lips.

Brianna saw him grimacing due to the pain in his lower lip and she wanted to move away, but he held her head firmly and deepened the kiss.

She stopped resisting because she wanted to kiss him as well, even though the distinct metallic taste told her that his lip is bleeding again.

Brianna clung onto Quentin and their flavors mixed as they inhaled each other's breaths. They both needed confirmation that everything is fine because the whole evening was a roller-coaster. From a nice start, they ended up arguing and nearly splitting up, and Quentin was in a fist-fight, and then they talked… and now they are kissing on the sofa. Engaged. And the night is still young.

Brianna broke the kiss when she heard knocks on the door. She remembered that others are still here, and probably worried about them and she rushed to answer it.

Mia's eyes widened in horror at the sight of Brianna's bloodied face. "Ah! What happened? Did he beat you!?"

Mia pushed Bri out of the way and stomped inside the suite angrily, ready to give Quentin some beating.

Mia paused at the sight of Quentin whose bottom half of the face is also bloodied. "Did you two fight?"

Mia turned to Bri and saw that Liz is inspecting Bri's face.

"I think… they kissed.", Liz said.

Mia was stupefied. "Who kisses until they bleed? And that is a lot of blood."

Brianna was not sure if she should laugh or cry. That was Quentin's blood and his wound on the lip opened, but they didn't care, and… they both look messed up.

Brianna went to Quentin and hugged him. He tried to wipe her face with his palms, but he only made it worse. They looked at each other and laughed.

Liz went to the bathroom to get a wet towel so that she can clean them up and see from where that blood is coming from. Can it really be from one busted lip? Liz was not sure.

"We didn't fight.", Bri said. "We had a talk and things happened."

Mia's eyes were darting between Quentin and Bri. "I see the mood is better. What things happened?"

Liz got out of the bathroom in time to hear Brianna say: "We are engaged."

Brianna lifted her left hand, to show the ring as proof of her words.

Mia's eyes widened. "Oh… We were worried if you are fine, but it seems that things are better than fine."

"Congratulations!", Liz exclaimed, and she was about to give Brianna a big hug, but then she stopped. "Let me clean you up first. I don't want blood on myself."

Hunter and Max peeked inside the suite. They were waiting further down the hallway, to hear if it's safe to get in because if Bri and Quentin didn't patch up things, they didn't want to come inside. But they heard Liz shouting congratulations and they assumed that it's OK.

"The mood is good.", Max said while frowning at Quentin's bloodied appearance and then at Brianna who is being cleaned up by Liz.

"We are engaged.", Quentin said smugly.

After a second of silence, Max and Hunter broke into smiles and they walked in to congratulate.

By the time they all exchanged congratulations, Liz finished cleaning up the newly engaged bloodied couple and they confirmed all that blood came from Quentin's lip. He is a heavy bleeder.

Liz and Mia were checking out Brianna's ring and asking for the details on how Quentin proposed. They also wanted to know how the whole phone call situation ended.

"I'm sorry, Bri…", Liz said guiltily. "I think that we were fanning the flames."

"Don't be.", Bri responded. "This would come up one way or another, and it's better now before I accumulated more anger within me."

"Don't allow that, Bri.", Mia advised. "I know that you are used to keeping things for yourself in order not to burden others, but in a relationship that is not the way to go."

Brianna opened her arms, and Liz and Mia stepped into a three-girl hug.

Quentin was on the other side with Max and Hunter.

"Thanks, Max, for pointing out the problem with Kendra. It helped us talk things out and I realized that Kendra is toxic."

Max smiled. "Anytime, Q. Do you know how to deal with her?"

Quentin confirmed. "There is only one way. I will get her away from me and Bri, and make a clean cut."

"Wait until Monday.", Max advised. "You said that she is involved in organizing this weekend. Don't give her a chance to mess it up."

Quentin thought that Max has a valid point. A jealous and hurt woman can do many things and she already almost messed-up this weekend. But... "Who is to say that she didn't mess up something already?"

Max shrugged. "She will do her job well in order for you to have a good image of her. If you tell her to scram, the rules of the game change, and she will not need to be polite."

Quentin agreed with this.

"You guys are experts in pacifying your women.", Hunter said.

Max and Quentin smiled smugly, and their smiles fell as Hunter continued... "If you didn't sleep around like the sluts you are, you would have more time to spend on the woman who counts instead of wasting energy on chasing away nobodies."

Max and Quentin were speechless, which is rare. Hunter delivered a deadly strike and they were unable to retaliate.

After the hugging ended, Liz, Mia, and Brianna joined the guys.

"We thought of going down to the casino and playing some cards.", Max said while eyeing Quentin and Brianna. "Considering that you are freshly engaged, do you want to join us, or to celebrate in private?"

Liz elbowed Max and spoke in an urgent whisper: "There is no need to make it so obvious."

Mia giggled. "Max was talking about ordering a private dinner and maybe some wine, where they get to remember sweet moments from their relationship and plan for the future. Why do you sound like Max asked them if they will roll in the sheets?"

Brianna was not the one to miss this chance to tease Liz. "It seems that since you are dating Max, you have naughty thoughts."

Brianna gave Max a thumbs-up. "She needed to loosen up a bit."

Max saw that Liz is blushing and he pulled her into his embrace.

Liz looked at her girlfriends in outrage, but she didn't want to say anything because they banded against her. And Bri is right. Since Liz is with Max, she is having naughty thoughts. He has that effect on her. 

Liz buried her face in Max's chest and waited for the heat from her cheeks to subside.

Quentin hugged Brianna from the back and responded to Max's original question: "We will order dinner here and maybe we join you later. If we don't, we will see you at brunch tomorrow."

Liz, Max, Mia, and Hunter congratulated them again and left the suite. 

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