Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1208

"You…"

Juniper's answer nearly sent Shanley into a depressive spiral.

She stepped out for one conversation, and suddenly she didn't want to be with him anymore? Did her parents say something to change her mind?

That didn't make sense. He had been on his best behavior lately; he hadn't made a single misstep.

"Why don't you want to date me anymore?" Shanley's lips pressed into a tight line, his handsome face scrunching in distress as he stared at her intently, his voice turning raspy. "Is it because I didn't listen to you when I went to the rescue? If so, you have every right to be angry."

"But isn't breaking up a bit of an extreme punishment?" he finished miserably.

"I don't want to date because we can just get married instead," Juniper said, her bright eyes sparkling as her lips curved into a gorgeous smile.

"Married?" Shanley repeated the word blankly, before his eyes widened in sheer, unadulterated shock. "Juniper, what did you just say?"

"Let's get married." Juniper tilted her chin up, looking him dead in the eye, enunciating every syllable. "Let's get married, Shanley."

"Are you serious?"

Shanley froze completely, his outrageously handsome face locked in stunned disbelief. He was so shocked he couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

A ruthless corporate shark stuttering? It was almost comical.

"Lean in closer. Do I look like I'm joking?" Juniper grabbed his collar and yanked him forward.

"No." Shanley finally snapped out of his daze, an impossibly wide smile breaking across his face. His dark eyes flushed with intense emotion. "It just doesn't feel real. How did I get so lucky to score a girl this perfect?"

"Yeah, you got lucky, Schwartz." Juniper raised an eyebrow, her tone lazy but fond.

"Let's go."

Without missing a beat, Shanley threw off the covers and immediately tried to get out of bed, completely ignoring his injuries.

"Is there any possibility," Shanley stepped back toward her, his voice dropping an octave in desperation, "that your parents misremembered your birth year, and you're actually of age in this jurisdiction?"

"Why don't you go ask them?" Juniper leaned against the headboard, flashing him a highly entertained, wicked smile.

Shanley clamped his mouth shut.

"Get back here." Juniper patted the mattress beside her, her tone turning practical. "My mom is waiting for me to sleep over. I'm on a tight schedule."

Shanley obediently climbed back into bed, pulling her into his arms and pressing a kiss to her hair. "If we can't legally get the papers today, let's just get engaged first. How does that sound?"

"Whatever you want," Juniper replied lazily, closing her eyes as she leaned into his embrace.

"Deal." Shanley suddenly looked like he had just downed a gallon of espresso, practically vibrating with energy. "I'll arrange for our families to officially meet so we can hammer out the engagement details."

Whether it was an engagement or a wedding, he was determined to give his girl the grandest, most spectacular event imaginable.