He grinned.“Beatrice will always be my first love here in Vermont.”
“And I’m sure I’ll never hear the end of it.”
Lawson swooped her up into his arms as they entered the clearing.When they reached Beatrice, Dani unlatched the tailgate and lowered it.Lawson set her on the edge.He leaned down and kissed her softly.“Wait right there.”
Then he opened Beatrice’s cab and grabbed all the pillows and blankets.He hopped into the truck bed and arranged them.When she shifted to help, he pointed at her.“Wait right there.”
She let him fuss with the arrangement, and then he motioned for Bibi to join them.
Her furry friend made the leap easily and curled up in her favorite corner.
Then Lawson hopped back to the ground and moved to stand in front of Dani.His hands guided her thighs wider, and he stepped into the spot.
She looped her hands around his neck.“Hi.”
“Hi yourself.”
He kissed her softly, so sweetly her heart ached.With love.With need and desire.With all the possibilities in front of them.
He eased back when he slowed the kiss and rested his forehead on hers.For a long moment, they held each other in the starlight.
He pressed his lips to her forehead and then dropped to one knee in front of her.
Dani’s heart galloped joyfully as she reached for his hands, and willed down the tears.
Lawson took both of her hands in one of his and dug into his pocket.He pulled out a jewelry box and flipped open the lid.“I love you, Dani.More than I knew was possible.Marry me.Have a future with me.”
She laughed as the statement registered.“I didn’t hear a question.”
He grinned.“Not taking chances.I know what I want, and it’s you.Beatrice may have been my first love in Vermont, but you have my heart—all of it.You’re amazing, and I want to spend my life with you.Working on trucks and metal spinners, caring for bees and any little ones who come our way.I want it all, Dani.I want you.Marry me.”
“Yes.Even though it still wasn’t a question, the answer is yes.I love you so much, Lawson.You brought me and my world out of the shadows.I couldn’t love you any more than I do, but I know I’ll love you even more tomorrow and all the tomorrows after that.Of course, I’ll marry you.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger and kissed it.Only then did she look at it.Smaller stones surrounded a central diamond.“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s too dark to see, but the smaller stones are citrine.They’re the color of the honey you make and remind me of you.”
Tears filled her eyes.“It’s perfect, Lawson.Perfect.Thank you.”
His laugh was rough and rumbly.“You’re welcome, but I think that should be my line.Thanks for coming into my life and making it better.”
Dani tugged him closer to kiss him again.“The perfect setting, the perfect proposal, the perfect man.I’m a lucky woman.”
Lawson’s grin turned even sexier.“And you’re about to get luckier.”
Then he kissed her again and took them both to the stars.
The following day, Lawson continued to feel invincible.With Dani as his fiancée, he could do anything.
The first thing on the agenda was calling Babs.Well, that wasn’t the first thing, but he’d already taken care of that.He and Dani had made love as the sun’s early rays had crested the trees surrounding Beatrice’s field.Then, they’d done it again when they reached her cottage.
Theircottage.He’d officially moved in.
It had taken Evelyn less than ten seconds to spot the ring on Dani’s finger when they’d gone to the farm to move over the rest of Lawson’s things.
That had prompted a group celebration lunch of sandwiches and cookies that Amber had been experimenting with for the B&B.
That afternoon, while Evelyn and Dani were having fun with the welder, and Lawson was fixing up his restoration space and making room for Bonny.
