“I’ve never encountered another person in all the years I’ve been hiking this ridge. A few bears and other—”
“Bears!” I practically threw Elijah off me. He lay there sprawled on his back, laughing his ass off while I scrambled for the clothes we’d tossed about haphazardly. He was still having a good time at my expense when I cleaned myself with the wipes he’d stowed in his backpack. I narrowed my eyes at him as I wiggled into my undies but turned the tables on him when I put some extra sway and wiggle in my hips while I pulled my jeans on so my breasts would bounce enticingly.
“Don’t be in such a rush,” Elijah said, crawling toward me as I put my bra back on. “I was teasing about the bears. All the noise we were making would scare them off rather than entice them to investigate.”
“Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it.” I pulled my long-sleeved shirt back over my head and reached for my vest.
“Suit yourself, but—” Elijah’s words died suddenly, and he sucked a huge breath into his lungs before bellowing, “SNAKE!” He jumped to his feet faster than I’d ever seen him move.
“Where?” I said, looking around for a timber rattler or something that escaped from a zoo someplace and had been hiding out in the Great Smoky Mountains eating unsuspecting critters and horny couples who were too busy fornicating to notice the danger until it was too late because the giant, man-eating snake was right on them. Then I saw a small, brown snake slithering off into the woods. “That?” I asked pointing. Elijah’s respond was a hard shudder, and it was my turn to laugh at his expense.
“Mock me all you want, Freckles. I saved your life just now.”
I laughed even harder. “Elijah, I’ve seen bigger snakes in our yard.”
“What? When?”
His panic only made me laugh harder until he stood there, buck-ass naked with his hands on his hips, looking at me through narrowed eyes. “I’m starting to rethink my proposal.”
If he expected me to capitulate and stop laughing, then he was going about it the hard way. I held up my forefingers on both hands to indicate how little the snake was because I was laughing too hard to speak. Of course, I deliberately downplayed the snake’s size so it resembled the length of an earthworm.
“My cock is way bigger than that, Freckles.”
“Not if you don’t put some clothes on,” I said once I could speak again. “It’s a bit nippy out here.” I tossed his briefs and jeans at him then wiped the tears from my eyes as he put them on.
Elijah had just sat down to put on his socks and shoes when I heard the sound of twigs snapping and grass rustling. I whipped around expecting to see a bear, but a man stepped out of the clearing instead.
“Howdy, folks, I’m Ranger Nelson. I was in the vicinity when I heard shouting and decided to come investigate.” His shrewd eyes roamed over our embarrassed flushes and Elijah’s partially clad body, quickly surmising what we’d been up to. “Ma’am, are you here of your own free will?”
“Yes, Ranger Nelson. I’m with my fiancé who got frightened by a snake. That’s what all the yelling was about.”Fiancé.I knew I was going to find a way to work the word into every conversation.
“Sir?” Ranger Nelson asked, verifying my statement with Elijah. It was good he didn’t take for granted that I, as a woman, posed no threat to a big, strapping man.
“Our cabin is at the base of the ridge, and I wanted to show Maegan how beautiful the area is in autumn. We hiked up here to have lunch.”
“I agree,” the ranger said. “I’ll let the two of you get back to your…um…lunch.”
“Thanks,” I said, feeling my blush from head to toe. Thank God he hadn’t arrived a few minutes earlier.
After he left, I looked at Elijah and said, “Never encountered another person, huh?”
“You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
I wished I could slow down time to draw out the weekend a little longer, but it seemed to pass by in the blink of an eye. Elijah must’ve tipped off my parents that I’d said yes because they threw a barbecue to rival all others to celebrate the Miracle twins getting engaged. Later that night, tucked away in the peace and quiet of our bedroom, I alternated between watching Elijah sleep and staring at the gorgeous ring he placed on my finger.
“I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world, and my life couldn’t possibly get any better,” I whispered.
THE FOLLOWINGSUNDAY,MAEGAN ANDI headed north after brunch to see my parents. As predicted, the radiation was starting to take its toll on my dad, and he was often asleep when I called home to check on him. Mom assured me the radiation oncologist said it was normal and good for him to rest as much as he could. I also knew Dad couldn’t fully rest knowing there were things around the house that needed done to prepare for oncoming winter, so Jack and I agreed to do all his usual chores around the house.
“I’m not too proud to accept your help, boys,” Dad said when we showed up ready to work.
Of course, Mom was only interested in seeing the beloved ring on Maegan’s hand. “Oh my goodness!” she exclaimed. “It looks perfect. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was meant to be yours all along.”
“I can’t tell you how much your trust means to me, Brenda.” Maegan choked up a bit then giggled to cover it up. “I will treasure it forever.”
“It’syourring now, Maegan. Maybe someday you’ll be giving the ring to Elijah’s and your son to give to the woman he loves.”
