Pausing one last time to make sure no one had followed him, he got out of the vehicle and carried the duffel bag into the small hunting cabin on the mainland side of the sound. Alone inside, he let out a deep breath and immediately a sense of peace took hold, mixing with sweet anticipation.
This was perfect, and he’d worked hard to get everything ready over the past fifteen hours. The place had been swept out and aired. The cooler was stocked. He’d split enough logs to heat the stove for at least two weeks. Freshly laundered sheets covered the double bed.
His pulse sped up as he stared at it, his groin tightening at the thought of all the hours she would spend in it with him. He glanced at the little vial and syringes laid out on the small table in the space that served as the kitchen, sitting next to the printed picture of her.
He picked it up and tacked it to the wall across from the bed. He liked it there. It was almost as if she were already here with him. When he brought her here, he wanted her to see it as soon as she came in.
The quiet surrounded him. A soft sighing of the breeze in the trees surrounding the cabin. Birdsong.
There wasn’t another soul around for miles. No one would know they were out here.
He packed the drug and syringes away, along with his weapon and some other supplies. He had to be ready to act as soon as the opportunity arose. And it would, just like the first time they’d met.
They were destined to meet again. She was destined to be his.
Every hour he was getting closer to finding her. Life as she’d known it was about to come to an abrupt end.
****
Bowie carried the stack of folded towels into the en suite in their bedroom. He was so preoccupied by his thoughts, he barely noticed the rush of the water turning off in the bathtub behind him.
He’d gone back and forth about this several times already today. Should he do this now, or wait? Would it matter to her? How would she react?
“I think she’s awesome. I think Chase thinks she’s awesome. What do you think?” Aspen asked, turning her head to rest it on the rim of the claw foot slipper tub so she could look at him.
Bowie grunted and set the stack of towels on the counter, more interested in the view in front of him. There were gaps in the mounds of bubbles surrounding her, revealing the most tantalizing glimpses of wet, glistening flesh beneath. “She seems nice.”
Quiet, though he understood that. He wasn’t much of a talker either, and Becca had had a tough morning with the leaked photos, and then been surrounded by near strangers all day. She seemed to have enjoyed herself, but had to be drained now.
Aspen raised a dark eyebrow at him, looking disappointed, the light catching on the small gold hoop in the side of her nose. “Nice? Wow. Talk about a ringing endorsement. This is your baby brother we’re talking about. Surely you want someone more than nice for him.”
He lifted a shoulder and leaned back against the counter to study her. He was sick of second-guessing himself and being caught up in his head. He would go with his gut, and his gut said yes. “It’s his business, not mine. And he’s a grown man. It’s not like he needs my approval.”
She made a frustrated sound. “Fine, be that way. I’ll just stick to talking about this with Harper.” She picked up the wet sea sponge, revealing the gorgeous, intricate ink on her arms, then raised one sexy leg and ran it down the length of her glistening thigh and calf. “Not that it’ll matter to you apparently, but Harper really likes her too.”
He didn’t answer, his gaze devouring the picture she presented. Aspen was the sexiest, most inherently sensual woman he’d ever met, and he still couldn’t believe how lucky he’d been to have her walk into his garage that day back in May.
When he didn’t answer she glanced at him. Then paused, a slight smile lifting her lips, correctly guessing the direction of his thoughts as she held the dripping sponge to the inside of her knee. “You’re so easy, Bowie. I’m not even trying.”
That’s what made it so hot. She didn’t have to try to turn him on.
They’d only been together for a few months, but it felt like they’d known each other forever. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say she’d transformed his life. Transformed him. He would always be a little on the gruff side and not have much to say, but he felt like a new man.
He’d never been this happy in his whole life. Had never imagined it was even possible to feel this way, until her.
And now that he had that, he couldn’t imagine his life without her.
His gut was still saying yes.
He pushed off the counter and walked toward her, enjoying the way her eyes darkened. Stopping next to the tub, he went to one knee beside it and rested his forearms along the curved rim, staring at her.
Amusement and building arousal gleamed in her eyes. And when he glanced down, he spotted a tight pink nipple peeking through the froth of bubbles. “Did you want something?” she murmured.
He met her gaze. “Yeah.” Her. Forever.
He reached into his pocket. This wasn’t how he’d planned to do it initially, but the moment felt right somehow, and he didn’t want to wait.
Pulling out the ring, he held it up in front of her. A deep blue sapphire cabochon he’d spotted on a listing for a local estate sale. The piece had been made in ‘59, same as her car, Priscilla, and the moment he’d seen it, he’d known it was exactly the ring he wanted to give his retro-loving lady.
Aspen froze, her smile vanishing, her gaze shifting from the ring to him in confusion. “What’s this for?”
His pulse was totally calm, his breathing and hands steady. Because he was absolutely certain that she was the one for him. Had been for a while. “Will you marry me?” he asked quietly. No pretty, romantic words. That wasn’t him, but she could have no doubt how much he loved her.
She gasped and sat up, sloshing water over the side of the tub, blinking fast against a sheen of tears. “Bowie…” She reached for the ring, but he grasped her wrist and slid the band into place for her.
Raising it to his lips, he kissed the base of her finger, his gaze locked with hers. “Will you?”
“Yes,” she whispered, then flung her wet arms around his neck. A laugh shook her.
Smiling to himself, he scooped her out of the tub, ignoring her shrieked protest as water soaked him and the floor. He plunged a hand into her hair and brought her lips to his, kissing her slow and deep. Just the way she loved it, the way guaranteed to get her worked up, and was rewarded by her melting against him.
He snagged a towel from the counter on the way to the door and strode into their bedroom, laying her on top of it and using the ends of the soft terrycloth to tease her while she kissed him back with an enthusiasm just short of desperation.
Once she was mostly dry, he jerked the towel free, dropped it on the floor, then came down on top of her like a living blanket. She hummed in approval and wound her legs around his, then suddenly pulled her head back to look up at him. “When?”
It took him a moment to understand what she meant. “Whenever you want.”
“Next weekend?”
He chuckled. “Sure.” He kissed his way down her neck, his hands already cupping the generous mounds of her breasts. He didn’t care when or where or how the wedding took place. Just as long as it happened.
Aspen sighed and arched into his touch, asking for his mouth, and he was only too happy to oblige. “And we can go back to England for our honeymoon?” she whispered, her words a little unsteady.
“Sure,” he answered, then sucked on the tight pink nipple that had been tormenting him.
With a throaty moan she pulled him closer, rocking against his trapped erection. Bowie was glad to see she was beyond the power of speech now, and he planned to keep her that way for a while before he let her come. He might be easygoing when it came to details about the wedding, but he wasn’t easygoing when it came to this or her pleasure.
She was his, forever. And before they left this bed, he was going to make sure she knew it with every fiber of her being.