“Fine,” she muttered, glaring at Noah who at least looked ashamed, his hand still extended for Matt to take.
Matt, who’d waited for her to agree before gripping Noah’s hand in a rough man-to-man shake.
“Harp, I’m sorry,” her brother said, coming around the counter. “I just thought … he was just taking over the garage. I saw how you two looked at each other, and I wanted to make sure he succeeded before you two hooked up and maybe you got dragged down. I was … I shouldn’t have gotten involved.”
Which was a big I’m sorry from the Marine.
“No, you shouldn’t have.”
“Forgive me?” Noah asked.
She frowned, but he was her family. Her blood. Her mom would be so hurt if her kids were at war. “Fine. But promise me, never again.”
His eyes lit up at her words. “I promise.”
“Then okay. I guess I forgive you.”
Her brother pulled her into a hug.
As she stepped out of his embrace, she turned to tell Matt they could go … and he was kneeling. Seriously, down on one knee, a jewelry box open in his hand, a beautiful, round diamond ring sparkling at her.
Her mouth opened wide and closed.
“Now that that’s out of the way, Harper Sanders, will you marry me?” Matt asked, that sexy gaze holding onto hers.
She swallowed hard. “I … but we just got together. We need time to –”
“Get to know each other?” Matt let out a laugh. “We’ve known each other forever, and we have a lifetime to learn everything we don’t know. Haven’t we wasted enough time?”
“Yes.” She blurted the word, having no need to think things through. This was the man she’d dreamed of having. The man she wanted to have a future with. Children with. “Yes!”
He slipped the ring onto her finger and then she was in his arms, tears dripping down her face as she glanced up and saw her brother looking at them, a pleased expression on his face.
Chapter Five
Harper took the steamed milk and poured it gradually into the Espresso, starting in the middle, holding the pitcher high so the poured milk would sink to the bottom. When the cup was mostly full, she continued to pour but this time closer to the top, shaking her hand back and forth to make ripples in the foam. As her last step, she lifted her pour higher again and dragged a line through the center of the heart to make a point at the bottom.
And voila. A perfect heart-shaped foam in her cappuccino.
Her ring twinkled as she worked, and she grinned. Every time she looked down at her hand, she smiled, unable to believe the difference between today … and just last week. And all it had taken was one disgruntled ex-date to fiddle with the belt on her car and force Matt to take a hard look at his life without her in it.
“Somebody looks happy,” Emily said as she came out from the kitchen, rubbing her hands on her apron.
“Somebody is happy.” Harper held out her hand for her best friend’s inspection.
Emily screamed. “You’re engaged! Oh, my God! I know you told me you finally got together with Matt in Denver but … oh, my God!” She picked up Harper’s hand and smiled. “I am so happy for you, my friend. Nobody, and I mean nobody deserves this more than you.”
After a long hug that squeezed the breath out of her lungs, Harper pulled back. “I love you, Em. You’re a great friend.”
“Back at you.”
The bell rang over the door, and they both turned at the same time. “Matt!” Emily exclaimed, running over and giving Harper’s man a tight squeeze, too. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks.” A red flush highlighted his cheekbones above his beard. “Can I steal my girl?”
It was Harper’s turn to blush at his words. Words she’d never get tired of hearing.
“Sure!” Emily headed back into the kitchen.
“What’s up?” Harper asked him.
He looked around the shop. “You have someone covering the counter?”
She nodded. “We’re good. What did you need?”
His eyes darkened as they raked over her body. “You. Now that we’re a couple and I can see you whenever I want, I can’t get enough,” he said in a growly voice that hit her low in her abdomen.
“Come with me.” She grasped his hand and led him across the store to where her private office was located, her pulse picking up with every step.
They made it into the office, and he slammed the door shut and locked it behind them.
Matt immediately lifted her up and into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, holding on as he slid his mouth over hers. His tongue plunged in deep and he devoured her as if he needed her to breathe. Harper had never been desired this way before or needed so much, and she reveled in the frenzied rush of his kiss.