Good question. Tony had to swallow hard and had to consider very carefully before he could answer. She was looking at him like she might hit him, and not in the sexy, riding crop way, which was making him feel guilty for making her think about it at all. To cushion the blow he took his time, leaning back on his hands in the cold sand, because he had come this far and couldn't really take it back. Besides, what had his ridiculous fortune said?
"Asking?" still came out like a question, a preemptively pained smile already twisting his mouth. "You don't have to decide now," he continued insistently. "I don't even have a..." He didn't even want to say 'ring', 'marry' was already hard enough. Instead, he pursed his lips and sighed, contemplating how to word this particular apology. This was a new one.