Lone Star Holiday Proposal

Nolan took her hand, slid the ring onto her finger and stood, pulling her to her feet. Raina lifted her face to his.

“I love you, Nolan. So very much. I was scared, I’ll admit it. And probably too quick to look for reasons not to love you. I didn’t want you to be able to hurt me and I didn’t trust my own judgment anymore. But I do now. I love you and I’d be the happiest woman in the world to marry you. I’m so lucky to have you.”

“I’m the lucky one, Raina. I never expected to be given another chance at love and life the way I have with you. And I want to spend the rest of my life showing you how much you mean to me.”

He kissed her and, in her arms, found the sense of belonging that had been missing from his world for far too long. Her lips were sweet and tender and tasted of the promise of a future he never dreamed he’d want again. And yet, with Raina, he knew the future would be truly wonderful and that it was something he wanted to grasp with both hands and hold on to and cherish forever.

“They’ll be doing the fireworks soon,” he commented as they came up for air and he saw the crowd thinning in the great room as people started to move outdoors for the display. “Did you want to go outside to watch?”

Raina shook her head. “No, let’s go home instead...and make our own.”