Sierra pressed her forehead against his chest, breathing in the scent of smoke and sweat and the indefinable something that was purely him. “It’s over?”
“It’s over.” His arms tightened around her. “Detective Martinelli has enough evidence to put him away for life.”
“And us?” The question slipped out before she could stop it. “What about us?”
Rowan pulled back to look at her, his blue eyes serious. “I love you, Sierra. I’ve loved you since we were kids, and I’ll love you when we’re both old and gray and sitting on this same porch, watching our grandchildren play in the yard.”
“Our grandchildren?” Laughter bubbled up from her chest, bright and breathless. “Aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves?”
“Maybe. But I’ve wasted ten years, and I don’t want to waste any more time pretending I can live without you.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “Marry me.”
The words hung in the October air between them, simple and profound and everything she’d dreamed of hearing since she was eighteen years old.
“Rowan—”
He silenced her with a kiss that tasted like promises and homecoming and forever. His mouth moved over hers with desperate hunger. Sierra melted against him, her hands fisting in his shirt as he backed her against the porch post. His hand tangled in her hair as she arched against him.
Oh, he could make her lose herself again.
Happily.
Forever.
“We should go inside,” Sierra whispered when they finally broke apart. “You need food, a shower, medical attention for that arm.”
“I need you.” His voice was rough with want and exhaustion.
“Inside.” She took his hand, leading him toward the front door. “Where it’s warm and private and Huck won’t wake up to find us making out on the porch.”
He laughed. “You do know that someday he’s going to find out that…”
“What?”
“Well, that I’m staying. And that he’ll probably end up with a brother or sister.”
He had come into the house and now put his hands on her hips. She hung her arms around his neck. Met his eyes.
Oh, she had words inside her. Invitation.
And his gaze in hers contained a hunger that made her breath catch.
“But…” he said softly, “I want to do this right. All of it. The proposal, the wedding, the life we build together.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying soon. Very soon, I’m not going to stand in this hallway.” He pulled her close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. “But tonight, I’m not the renegade who sneaks you into the barn and leaves you with a broken heart. That man’s gone.”
“Tamed?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get crazy. But maybe a little.” His voice gentled. “I want us to have everything we should have had ten years ago. So, we’re going to do this right.”
“Rowan—”
He kissed her forehead, gentle and reverent. “Good night, sweetheart.”
Before she could protest, he put her away from him and headed down the hallway.
“What about your medical attention?”
