“I know,” he whispered.
He took her hand and slipped something on her finger. She could barely see it through her tears, but it didn’t matter what it looked like. What it meant, mat
tered.
“Marry me, Irene Louise Fairchild. Love me and let me love you for the rest of our lives.”
“Yes, Billy, I’ll marry you,” she answered. “And I’ll love you, and let you love me. Forever.”
The drive back to the ranch was serene. That’s what he was feeling—serenity.
“Where is everybody?” she asked when they drove up to the house.
“Camp-out.”
“Camp-out? It’s freezing. Where did they go?”
“My house.”
“Your house? All of them? Don’t the boys have school tomorrow?”
“I’ll take you there tomorrow. It’s in town.”
“I’ve been there. Remember?”
“No, Renie. This is our house. Here, in Crested Butte. You and me. And Willow.”
She gasped. “What did you do? You didn’t sell the ranch did you?”
He looked at her and smiled. “No, of course I didn’t sell the ranch. Silly girl.”
“But, you bought a house here?”
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to. Are you ready to go inside?”
“I guess so. Are we staying here tonight? Alone?”
“Yep, we are.”
“Then, yes. I’m definitely ready to go inside.”
They were just inside the front door when Billy spun her around, and ran his hands under her sweater.
“Everything else off, except this,” he murmured.
She led him into the great room and motioned at the fireplace. “Light the fire.”
“Oh, baby, you have no idea how lit my fire already is.”
Renie spread a blanket out in front of the hearth, and tossed a couple of pillows on it.
“C’mere, so I can hug you,” Billy said. “God, you’re so sexy.” He sat down with his back up against the coffee table. Renie sat in front of him. She leaned back and closed her eyes.
“I want to remember every moment of this night.” He moved his hands from her waist to her breasts. “I love this sweater,” he said, nuzzling his cheek against her shoulder. “But not as much as I love what’s under it.”