Montana Desire

There was that quiet voice that told me that if he was going where I thought he was, then it wasn’t too fast. Because I already knew, too, that this was it. Grant and I were together, and that wasn’t going to change.

“There’s only one thing I could think of that could make it better.”

Grant sank to one knee, and I was already crying. I covered my face with my hands, trying to clear the tears so I could see him and remember this moment.

A box appeared in his hand, and in the dim light, a ring shone.

“I love you,” he said. “That’s not going to change. Ever. And the thought of waking up next to my wife and having it be you? Cori, it takes my breath away. Will you marry me?”

I stumbled forward, nearly tripping on the blanket that he’d laid down, to get to him. My hands landed on his shoulders and the tears were still blurring my vision, but I could see him. So happy, so hopeful, and so mine. “Of course I will,” I choked out. “Yes. Yes.”

Grant pulled me down to him, kissing me and wrapping me so tightly in his arms that I never wanted to let him go.

“I love you,” he whispered.

I only pulled back when he did, looking down as he slid the ring on to my finger. Twisting gold with an angled diamond and little turquoise stones surrounding it. It was beautiful. Perfect.

“How long have you been planning this?”

“The physical proposal?” he asked. “Not long. But I knew that I wanted to marry you before the fire, Cori. From the second I realized that I was in love with you, I wanted you to be my wife. That was why I didn’t want to commit to anything. My wife. Not my caretaker.”

“I wouldn’t have cared.”

He smiled. “Which only proved my point that I wanted to marry you.”

“Before the fire.” I took his face in my hands. “That was so fast.”

“I don’t care,” he said. “I knew.”

In a second, I was on my back, his mouth on mine. “Careful of the candles,” I laughed.

“We’re getting married.” He grinned.

I couldn’t stop the blinding smile that spread across my face, and I let him kiss me, let us get lost in each other before we pulled back. “There’s just one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Evelyn will kill us both if we get married before her and Lucas. Harlan and Grace were one thing. I think we might drive her mad.”

He laughed, full and bright. “Fair enough. I don’t need a fast wedding. We can wait, as long as I get to put that second ring on your finger.”

“You will,” I promised.

“After all,” he said. “We’ve got forever now, right?”

“Right.”

Grant kissed me again, and everything else dropped away. We had forever.

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