“I want you to mean it.”
“I do. Because I know whatever it is you want, I want.”
“Marriage?”
“Yes.”
“Babies?”
“Yes.”
“Forever?”
“Yes.”
He stared at her for one long moment. “Then come with me.” He climbed out of the helicopter, then walked to her door and helped her down. Taking her hand, he led her across an open meadow dotted with wildflowers and shrubs. He stopped her near the drop of a slope, stood behind her, and put his hands onher shoulders. “Don’t move. Don’t look back. Just give me a few minutes to set up your surprise. Okay?”
“Who could look away from this breathtaking view?”
“I feel that way every time I look at you. I never want to look away.” He kissed her on the back of her head, then warned again, “Don’t move.”
She waited while he went back to the helicopter. There was a lot of rustling behind her, but she didn’t turn, just waited patiently, knowing this was important to him.
Finally, she felt him close behind her again. “Turn around, sweetheart.”
She did and found him on one knee, holding up a gorgeous set of rings. She didn’t even think, she just gave him the word he wanted to hear. “Yes!” Tears blurred her vision before she blinked and saw his eyes lit with delight and a smile so big, her heart overflowed with love for him.
“At least let me say what I wanted to say before I cut the camera and do what I promised I’d do.”
She blushed and looked around, but didn’t see a camera.
He took her hand, kissed the back like he’d done earlier, then looked up at her, his gaze so earnest and open. “I fell in love with you without spending a single second in your presence. I don’t even know exactly when it happened. Maybe it was when I realized that Monday was my favorite day because it was the day you were in my house, making it feel warm and homier than any other day of the week. Maybe it was when I started thinking of ways I could mess up my place, so I could have an excuse to bring you there. Maybe it was when you gave me that first romance book and I finished it feeling lighter, more hopeful than I had in forever. Maybe it was the way every note you left, every treat you made, every distraction you gave me pieced my heart back together because I knew someone cared. Not because you were family, but because you somehow connected with me.
“I don’t know exactly how you did it, but week by week, all a hundred and seven of them before I found you in that ravine and almost lost you, you made me want to be a better man. And now I am because you’re finally beside me. I’m whole when you’re with me.” Tears unbidden rolled down his cheeks, telling her how much he really meant every word. “To tell you I love you, just never seems enough. No matter how many ways or times I show you, it never seems enough. But I do love you. I will always love you. So say, yes, one more time and make me the happiest and luckiest man on the planet. Will you marry me, continue living this amazing life with me, build a family with me, and love me the way you do so well?”
She didn’t wipe her tears either. “I would be so happy to be your wife, to live my life with you, to have babies with you, to keep loving you, the only man who ever held my heart and protected it and me. Yes. Yes to all of it.”
Hawk pulled the big diamond ring out of the box and slid it onto her trembling finger, explaining, “The other one is for you to wear under your gloves while you work.”
How thoughtful.
She cupped his face and kissed him with all the love in her heart as he stood and pulled her in close, wrapping her in his strong, protective arms and dipping her back, making her laugh against his lips. He pulled her upright and turned to the side, his arm still around her. “Wave to our family.” He pointed to the camera he’d set up on a rocky outcropping.
She did.
Then he kissed her again, took her hand, and showed off the beautiful, sparkling rock.
She still didn’t know where the camera was, she was too busy looking at the man she loved. Her future husband.
Hawk turned back into her and kissed her softly. “I knew you’d say yes, but I was nervous anyway. I wanted this to be perfect.”
“It was amazing. Look at where we are.” The majestic mountains overlooking the valley was a beautiful sight on such a warm and lovely day. She couldn’t ask for more.
Hawk kissed her again then just smiled at her for a moment before he stepped back and showed her what else he’d set up. A thick blanket lay on the ground with a large wicker picnic basket, a silver bucket filled with ice and a bottle of prosecco, and a huge bundle of red roses.
“I thought I smelled roses in the helicopter. I thought it an odd air freshener choice for you.”
Hawk laughed. “Yeah. I had all this stashed in the back seat.” He waved for her to sit.
