Matthew’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t mean that I don’t want to spend time with you, because I do. I’ve missed you. I love you. I want us to spend every damn hour of the day together, and it’s killing me that I haven’t told you.”
With trembling hands, she wiped her eyes. “You love me?”
“I’ve never stopped loving you. I was sure coming to Bozeman was only a temporary move, that you’d wake up one morning and realize you’d made a mistake. But you haven’t, and I’m sorry I doubted you.”
Ashley found a tissue and blew her nose. “Does this mean I can say hello to you when I see you in town?”
Matthew pulled her into her arms. “You can do more than that. I want to be part of your life, to be the man you love for the rest of your life.”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and sighed. “That sounds like a great plan.”
Matthew’s smile wavered. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Nothing he said could have made Ashley love him any less. “You’re moving to Washington, D.C.?”
“No, but I did buy a property in New York City.”
Ashley frowned. “You did? Why?”
“I wanted to make sure the youth center didn’t close.”
“You bought the warehouse? You’re the developer Bonnie told me about?”
“I called a friend who’s a property developer. He thought the warehouse and vacant lot were a sound investment. We signed the sale and purchase agreement just before you moved to Bozeman. I don’t own all of it, only a small part, but it’s enough to—”
Ashley’s mouth landed on Matthew’s. She didn’t need to know how much of the property he owned. What mattered was that he cared enough to make a difference. The center was changing the lives of so many people, and he’d done something incredible to make sure it didn’t close.
“Wow. I should buy a new building more often.”
Ashley grinned. “You can help me buy the house I’ve seen.”
Matthew nibbled on her earlobe. “I don’t know if it would be a good investment.”
She sighed as his lips wandered down her neck. “Why wouldn’t it?”
“You might not be there long enough to enjoy it.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Matthew’s lips moved to her mouth. “We’ll see,” he whispered, before devouring her mouth in a kiss that left her breathless, and needy, and a whole lot of other things that could only mean one thing.
She loved Matthew Gray, and he loved her.
Five Months Later…
Matthew ran his hands along his jeans. Sweaty palms were the least of his worries. Sean was supposed to be home an hour ago, and he still hadn’t arrived.
He tried his brother’s cell phone for the tenth time. Nothing.
All Sean had to do was collect a box from the jeweler’s and bring it out to the ranch. The whole day had turned into one disaster after another. The Christmas lights his family had owned for years had refused to work. The pine tree he’d chosen was too tall for their living room, and Ashley had a bad cold.
Tonight was supposed to be perfect, to be something Ashley wouldn’t forget. At the rate he was going, they’d be lucky to make it out of the house alive.
He checked the oven, turned over the vegetables, and called Nathan.
“I don’t know where Sean is.” Nathan sounded as worried as he was.
Matthew picked up the keys to his truck. “I’m driving into town to look for him. Can you come across and keep an eye on the oven? I’ll call Ashley and let her know what’s happening.”
