Legend (Arizona Vengeance 3)

“I know this is really fast.” I pluck the ring from the box and take her left hand in mine. “We’ve known each other less than six months. But I have never been more sure of anything in my life. I want you to marry me, Pepper, because I don’t want to take another step in this life without knowing you’ll be mine forever. But more than anything, I want you to be Charlie’s mom. She’d be the luckiest little girl if you agree to have her.”

“Oh, wow,” she murmurs as she stares at me.

“If it helps, I called your dad this morning and got his blessing.”

“Shut up,” she exclaims in awe.

“Will you marry me?”

“Legend,” she says softly with a tilt of her head. “I’m overwhelmed. I never imagined this would happen.”

“You’re not answering my question,” I tell her with a mock glare. “Let me put the ring on and see if that gets you to move things along.”

Pepper giggles as I slip the diamond on her finger. It fits perfectly because I looted her jewelry box this morning and grabbed one of her rings so the jeweler could size it. “Now…will you please answer my question?”

She stares at the engagement ring a moment before lifting her eyes to mine. “I am beyond moved you would want me to be Charlie’s mom. I’m over the moon you want me to be your wife. I love you and the answer is absolutely yes, I’ll marry you.”

I was 99.9 percent sure Pepper would say yes, but damn if that one-tenth of a point chance she might not didn’t have my body locked tight. I heave a sigh of relief and lean over to give her a hug. It’s gentle as I can manage so as not to move her.

When I pull back, I ask her, “Want a big wedding? Or do you want to elope?”

“How about we elope and then have a big reception?” she suggests.

“Or a destination wedding,” I offer. “We could go anywhere in the world to do this?”

“I’d like to do it sooner rather than later,” she tells me with a grin. “I don’t want you changing your mind.”

“I can have a justice of the peace here in an hour,” I tell her and she blinks at me in surprise.

“I’d like to be able to get out of the bed and celebrate my wedding night with no pain,” she tells me. “So we do need to wait just a little bit.”

“Agreed,” I tell her and then reach back into the white bag and pull out the bottle of sparkling grape juice. I hand it to her to hold and dive back into the bag for the two champagne glasses I’d brought.

She purses her lips. “A celebration. You were awfully sure I’d say yes.”

“Ninety-nine point nine percent sure,” I tell her as I trade her the bottle for the glasses. “And we have to settle for grape juice since you’re on pain meds and I’ve got a game tonight.”

I start to remove the foil around the cork but Pepper lays her hand on my arm. “Hey…I really, really love you, Legend.”

I go still and hold her gaze. “I really, really love you too. Always.”

“Always,” she agrees.

I smile and pop the cork. Our life is now begun.