Surrender to Me (Boggy Creek Valley 4)

When I glanced back at him, his cheeks were red.

“What?” I asked.

Hunter rubbed at the back of his neck. “Nothing. I just wanted a big shower.”

“The tile is beautiful. I love the spin on the classic subway tile. This looks a bit more rustic.”

“Yeah, I liked it too. I wanted something to keep the historical feel of the house, but with a bit of a twist. That’s why I went with black grout. It ties it in with the floor.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Come on, I’ll show you the upstairs.”

We headed upstairs and found three more bedrooms and one full-size bathroom. In the newer addition to the back of the house was a large sitting room. A closet sat at the very back, as well as stairs that led down to the kitchen area.

“The house is beautiful, Hunter.”

A look of relief washed over his face. “You like it, then?”

I nodded. “I do, I love it!” He looked out one of the windows and frowned. I placed my hand on his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Tell me what’s going through your mind right now.”

He let out a soft exhale. “I don’t want to push you or presume anything…but I guess my dream has always been for you to live here. With me. Someday.”

I felt a grin explode on my face. “You really thought about me when you were making changes to the house?”

He nodded and let out a small laugh. “I did. I kept telling myself I was crazy but…I just never gave up hope.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck, lifted up onto my toes, and pressed my mouth to his. Hunter drew me against him and deepened the kiss.

I heard barking from outside and realized we had left Jack out there.

“Jack,” I said, stepping back from Hunter.

“He wants to show you the surprise.”

“Because a house isn’t a big enough surprise?”

“No, it’s not.”

Hunter and I walked down the steps and out the front door to find Jack sitting patiently with a giant stick in front of him.

“That’s one big stick, buddy,” I said as I picked it up and threw it. Jack looked at it, then back to Hunter. I frowned. “Is he really waiting for you to give him a command to fetch a stick?”

Hunter laughed. “No, he knows where we’re going. Come on, Jack, let’s show her.”

Before we started to walk around to the back of the house, Hunter stopped. “Do you need gloves? We’re eating outside, and I took measures to give us some warmth, but you might still get cold.”

Reaching into my coat pocket, I pulled out my gloves. “Got them right here.”

He smiled and kissed the tip of my nose. My dang stomach flipped over again, but this time a delicious pressure also built between my legs.

“Ready?” he asked.

With a giggle, I replied, “So ready!”

Being back with Hunter had been so amazing and emotional. When I was with him, I was almost able to forget everything. It was so nice to be happy again. To feel so alive. A part of me was scared to death the floor would fall out from under me at any moment. But knowing Hunter was by my side again, after so many years apart, helped to ease that fear. I knew now that we could face anything as long as we were together. It had been a long and hard lesson to learn, but I was so glad he had never given up hope and I had decided to try and live again.

As we walked around the side of the house, Hunter pointed out a few things. “Over there is a huge, fenced-in garden. I counted twenty raised flower beds.”

“Twenty!” I nearly shouted. “Can we go see it?”

He laughed. “After we eat. There’s an area back over behind the garden that’s pretty flat. You’ll have to take a look at it. I think it would make a great place for some beehives. We could easily make a pathway from the house, as well as a road, since I know you have to move hives sometimes.”

Lord, I nearly melted right there in the snow. To know he had thought about all of this made me love him even more.

Hunter pulled me along while I tried to look through the trees at the spot he was talking about. I ran into the back of him when he came to a sudden stop.

“Ooph.”

“You okay?” Hunter asked.

“Why did you staaap…”

My voice tailed off as I looked at the large white gazebo that stood only a few feet away from us. It was beautiful. White pieces of fabric hung all around the structure and blew in the breeze. A table sat in the middle holding beautiful place settings for two, along with a huge vase of flowers and candles in large votives. It was the most romantic thing I’d ever seen.