Hannah couldn’t believe she’d had office sex. Morning office sex. This, after middle-of-the-night sex. The man was an animal.
And she loved that about him. She loved a lot of things about Boone McBride. His shoulders and his smile. His generosity and the way he filled out his jeans. Definitely the way he went gooey over Bree. The truth was, she was more than a little in love with the whole enchilada.
It scared her. She’d never dreamed that she would fall in love again, certainly not in a minute and a half, which is about how long this summer seemed to have lasted. Days that dragged by before she’d arrived in Eternity Springs now flew past in an instant. Who knew that living life rather than slogging her way through it could alter time?
She was falling in love with Boone McBride. Even more frightening, she was mush for Brianna Claire. The pair had brought light and color back into her world, and Hannah’s senses reeled with the pleasure of it. She loved it. She loved.
Which meant her vulnerable heart was at risk again.
Hence, the scary part.
However, now was not the time to dwell on fears. She had shopping to do!
She’d turned down Boone’s invitation to join him at the chamber luncheon because she already had a lunch meeting with Celeste at the Angel’s Rest Boutique. Hannah was buying an entirely new wardrobe, and Celeste was giving her first shot at recent arrivals.
The door chime sounded as she stepped into the store at precisely twelve o’clock. Celeste set a small flower arrangement in the center of a small bistro table set for two, glanced up, and met Hannah’s gaze. A smile of welcome wreathed her face and warmed Hannah’s heart.
“Perfect timing! My chef just brought our meal down from the kitchen.” Celeste handed Hannah an OUT TO LUNCH sign. “Hang this in the window, would you please? Set the little clock to one thirty. I’m of a mind to have a leisurely lunch today.”
Hannah did as her hostess requested. Then she stepped farther into the shop. “What pretty flowers.”
“Cheerful, aren’t they? Nothing like daisies to brighten a table. And speaking of bright, don’t you just shine like the sun today!”
“I’m having a good day,” Hannah replied.
“Excellent. I’m always pleased to hear that from a customer. Happy shoppers spend more money.”
Hannah laughed. Celeste grinned and motioned toward the table. “It’s a cold luncheon, so we’ve no rush to eat. Would you rather shop first?”
“Definitely.”
“In that case, come back into the storeroom with me, and I’ll show you what I’ve set aside.”
Hannah followed her into the back, where an explosion of color met her eyes. On display were a mix of prints and solids, everything from shorts, tops, and sneakers to slacks and blouses and jackets. Belts and scarves. And dresses. Casual dresses and sexy eveningwear.
Red lingerie.
If Celeste had missed a single color in the spectrum, Hannah couldn’t say what it was. “If I were to buy all of this, I’d need to raise the limit on my credit card. On all my credit cards.”
Celeste’s laughter jingled like Christmas ornaments on a tree. “No pressure, dear. I wanted you to have lots of options from which to choose. Now, how shall we tackle this?”
“I don’t know!”
“I’d suggest you begin by choosing a casual wardrobe, then throw in a few business things, and finally, dressy attire. You’ll notice this is mostly cooler-weather items. Winter arrives early here in the mountains. Luckily, here in Eternity Springs, we tend to carry our fall color all the way through the spring. And of course, I have resort wear. I suspect you and Boone will want to go somewhere warm on your honeymoon.”
“Our what?” The belt Hannah had been inspecting slipped through her fingers and spilled onto the floor.
“Bella Vita Isle is popular with our winter honeymooners. It’s in the Caribbean. Lovely place. Talk to Gabi about it. That’s where she met Flynn. Cicero is from there too.”
Hannah bent to retrieve the belt. “Celeste, you are way ahead of me here.”
“Yes, it’s what I do.” Celeste reached into one of the racks and pulled out a yellow polka-dot bikini. “I insist you try this. It’s so retro, and you’ll look stunning in it.”
She handed the swimsuit to Hannah, who soon ended up with a dressing room bursting with clothing to try on. It took over an hour to work her way through all the options. When she was done, her “keep” pile was twice the size she’d anticipated.
Celeste pulled salads from the break room refrigerator and set them on the table along with bread and iced tea. “So I take it Boone agreed to your proposal for the shop?”
“Enthusiastically,” Hannah replied, her cheeks warming with a blush. “You were right. Boone wanted the property. It was quite a coup for me.”
Celeste studied her. “You sparkle when you talk about him. Tell me you’re not blind to the feelings you have for Boone.”
Hannah delayed her response by taking a sip of her iced tea. “It’s complicated.”
“Love always is. If you care to talk, I’m here to listen.”
Hannah’s lips twisted in a rueful grin. “Boone told me you’re an excellent therapist.”
“Unlicensed, but I do have a good sense of direction when it comes to life trails. You’ve traveled far since you arrived in Eternity Springs, Hannah. Tell me, what is preventing you from reaching your destination?”
“I’m not a speeder. Before my life fell apart, I was the driver who set the cruise control for two miles per hour beneath the speed limit. Slow and steady, that’s me. But this thing with Boone—and with Bree—I feel like I’m strapped into the driver’s seat of a car. Boone is riding shotgun. I’m bearing down on the gas, and right ahead of me is a collapsed bridge. My instinct is to stomp on the brake this very second because I’ve made this jump before and crashed, but Boone is beside me saying, Jump it. Do it. Do it. You can do it.”
“Boone does have a convincing manner.”
“I know! And he lives this large, movie-fantasy life where the cars all jump the bridge and make it safely to the other side. Sometimes in slow motion. He’s convinced we won’t crash, and he’s trying to get me to believe. I haven’t managed to say no to him yet. Not that it even matters, because I want to do it.”
“So go for it, Hannah. We have a saying here in Eternity Springs. Leap like a lunatic.”
“Celeste, I’m driving a Prius!”
“Oh, honey.” Celeste sat back in her chair. “Boone McBride wouldn’t be caught dead in a Prius. He’s a Maserati man all the way.”
“I know. That’s why this is hard. The crash hurts, Celeste. It hurts real bad. I know that if I slam on my brakes now, I’ll slide up to the edge, but I won’t go over. I’ll live.”
“You’ll live.” Celeste nodded. “But will you be alive?”
“No.” Hannah shut her eyes and slumped back in her chair. “What do I do?”
“Why, you get out of that Prius.” Celeste rose and asked, “Have you finished your lunch?”
Hannah had barely started it, but her appetite had disappeared when she started talking about her fears. “Yes.”
“Then come with me.”
Celeste led her outside of the boutique and along the path that led through the Angel’s Rest rose gardens and toward the hot springs. But instead of veering left to the pools, she went right. A moment later, they arrived at the structure that once had been a carriage house. Celeste opened a door on the side and pressed a button. As a machine began to hum, a wide door opposite them began to rise. The sunlight revealed a trio of gleaming vehicles. “My babies,” Celeste said. “My Gold Wings.”
Hannah had heard that Celeste rode a motorcycle, but she’d never seen her out and about on one.
Celeste crossed to a storage rack containing a selection of helmets and clothing. Lifting a helmet, she held it toward Hannah. “My dear, your healing heart is holding on to fear. That’s understandable, but for you to be free, to be alive, you must conquer your fear. Come join me on a ride.”
Hannah took a physical step back. “I couldn’t. I don’t know how. I’ve never ridden. I’d crash. Motorcycles are dangerous!”
“Hannah, you’re driving a Prius.”
“Not in real life.”
“Aren’t you?” Celeste’s blue-eyed gaze became knowing. She placed a helmet in Hannah’s hand, along with a gold leather jacket and a matching pair of chaps. “Allow me to share a little bit of history with you. Many, many, many years ago, I drove a Ford Pinto. It was a hand-me-down car from my sister who bought it thirdhand from a nun who had purchased it from a grad student at Clemson. It was powder blue and had yellow shag carpet inside. I did a lot of living in that car. It was a fine vehicle—until it caught fire. It was a fuel tank design flaw.”
“Oh, no. Were you injured?”
“Superficial burns. I will say it was an exciting moment in my life, my own crash below the bridge, so to speak. What changed my life was the man who helped me escape from the burning Pinto. My hero rode a Hawg.”
“A hog?”
“A Hawg. A Harley. That ride was the closest thing to flying I’d found on earth up to that moment.”
Celeste chose a helmet for herself and pulled on a white-fringed leather jacket. “It’s why I ride. Traveling in a car is like watching the screen in a movie theater. The screen can be huge with surround sound or even three-D effects, but you’re still a passive observer. Traveling on a motorcycle turns you into a participant. You are in the movie, no longer watching it.”
Yearning rose inside of Hannah, but fear held her back. “I kind of think we’re getting our metaphors and our realities mixed up here.”
“Not really. I’m inviting you to step out of the movie. Ditch the Prius and climb onto a Gold Wing and experience the life you are living.” Celeste laughed a soft, tinkling sound that reminded Hannah of wind chimes. “My message to you, Hannah Dupree, is that I ride not to escape life, but so that life doesn’t escape me. I leaped like a lunatic from the back of a Pinto onto the wings of a Hawg, and I’ve been soaring ever since.”
“You’ve never crashed?”
“I choose my route with care. I follow the rules of the road. But life is hard. Crashes happen. None of us get through without a spill or two, so you wear a good helmet and a good set of leathers for protection and hit the road. Then if you lose your balance or run into an unexpected obstruction and literally hit the road, you get up, dust yourself off, and climb back into the saddle.”
Hannah stared at the helmet, jacket, and chaps. She licked her lips.
Celeste said, “We will take a spin around the grounds of Angel’s Rest while I give you a safety lesson, and you grow accustomed to the ride.”
Hannah filled her lungs with air, and exhaled in a whoosh. “Does a Gold Wing go fast?”
“I’ll answer you this way. You can keep up with a Maserati if you want.”
Maserati Man.
Yes, she wanted. She absolutely positively wanted. Leap like a lunatic.
Slowly, deliberately, Hannah strapped on the chaps, slipped into the jacket, and pulled on the helmet. She slung one leg over the saddle of a silver motorcycle and met Celeste’s gaze. “So tell me how to start this thing.”
It didn’t take Hannah long to learn to handle the Gold Wing, and Celeste led her on a mostly back-roads ride through the mountains. Eventually, the drive took them around Hummingbird Lake. When the road to Boone’s home came into sight, Hannah gestured that she wanted to turn. They stopped the cycles in front of the house. Spying the nanny pushing Bree in a stroller along the path around the lake, Hannah waved.
She removed her helmet and stared out at the lake. “Thank you, Celeste.”
“So you enjoyed our ride?”
“I did. I loved it. I’m reminded of the advertising poster for Refresh that’s posted around town. It’s a photo of a white-water rafter with the caption LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE.”
“You found your wings.”
“I did. I have.” She gave Celeste a sidelong glance and asked, “So does the Angel’s Rest Boutique sell wedding gowns by any chance?”
Celeste clicked her tongue. “We’ve sold a few. But you’ll want to make a trip to Redemption, Texas, and shop at Gillian’s Bliss Bridal Salon. Her mother is a genius. She’ll find you the perfect dress.”
“Hmm…” Hannah nodded. “Boone is taking me to see Enchanted Canyon in October. Can you buy her gowns off the rack, or do you need to order ahead?”
“I’m sure Bliss Bridal will provide whatever you need when you need it.”
“That’s good.” A wistful smile spread across Hannah’s face. “My girls would have loved Hummingbird Lake, loved Eternity Springs. I will miss them every day for the rest of my life.”
“Yes, you will.” Celeste linked her arm through Hannah’s. “I have a theory about the littlest angels, you know. My theory is that they are made guardians for new souls. They’re closer to the work. Experienced, so they know what to watch for.”
“You’re saying Zoe or Sophia might be Brianna’s guardian angel?”
Celeste’s blue eyes twinkled. “It’s a lovely thought, isn’t it? And speaking of little angels, here one comes now.”
Serena pushed Brianna’s stroller up the sidewalk toward the deck. Focused on the waving fist within, Hannah said, “I love her, Celeste. I love her so much already, and it scares me half to death.”
“Well, it’s a mother’s lot to worry about her children. That never ends.”
“But at least Bree has her guardian angel, doesn’t she?”
“Or angels. They sometimes work in pairs.”
Celeste spoke with authority. Hannah wasn’t about to refute the claim. “I’d like to spend a few minutes with Bree, if you don’t mind delaying our ride for a bit?”
“Actually, I need to get home. I have another appointment this afternoon. I’ll go on, and you can return the bike and retrieve your purchases at your convenience.”
“You think I’m safe riding solo?”
“Sweetheart, you have your wings and my Wing mastered. Which is why I have something to give you.” Celeste unzipped a pocket on her jacket and removed a delicate chain and pendant. Hannah recognized it right off. Delight washed through her. “The Angel’s Rest blazon?”
“For those who have embraced love’s healing grace. Congratulations, Hannah. Welcome to Eternity Springs.” She fastened the chain around Hannah’s neck.
“Oh, it’s beautiful. Thank you! Boone is going to be so jealous.”
“I know.” Celeste laughed cheerily. “Isn’t it fun? Now, there is no rush on the vehicle switch. You take all the time you need. I’ll have all your purchases boxed up and ready when you come.”
“Thank you.” Hannah threw her arms around her friend and hugged her hard. “Thank you for everything.”
“My pleasure, dear. It’s my job.”
She finger-waved goodbye, and moments later, Hannah heard the engine on one of the Gold Wings fire up and depart. She went forward to meet Bree and Serena. “How’s everybody doing?”
“Fabulous,” the nanny replied. “We’ve had a nice walk, and now our little angel is ready for a diaper change and a nap.”
“Let me do it,” Hannah said. “I need a little Bree time.”
“She’s all yours. It will give me a chance to grab a glass of iced tea, sit on the deck, and call my mother. I promised her I’d check in today. Holler if you have any problems.”
“I will. I’ll give you heads-up when I leave.”
Hannah focused on the baby, speaking to her while she lifted Bree from the stroller. “Hello, beautiful. Did you enjoy your outing? I’ll bet you did. It’s a beautiful day.”
Brianna let out a few fussy cries as Hannah carried her into the house and then into the nursery. “It’s okay, baby. You’re a tired girl, aren’t you? Let’s get this diaper changed, and then we’ll rock. Mama has a story she wants to tell you.”
With practiced hands, she quickly changed the diaper, keeping up a gentle patter all the while. Hannah offered Bree a pacifier, which the infant latched fast, and then they settled into the rocking chair. Ordinarily, when she rocked Bree, Hannah would sing. Today she placed the baby against her shoulder, patted her back, and said, “Go to sleep, little love. No worries. You know why? It’s because you have your own special guardian angels watching after you. Isn’t that awesome? Let Mama tell you about your sisters, Sophia and Zoe.”
Hannah held Brianna long after the infant drifted to sleep, rocking her, remembering, crying just a little bit, laying her ghosts to rest. Eventually, she kissed Brianna’s brow, rose from the rocker, and carried her to her crib, where she ever-so-gently lay her down. “Sweet dreams, precious.”
Hannah fingered the pendant around her neck and whispered, “Andrew, accident or not, I forgive you. I forgive me.”
She sent a text message to Boone before she left the house. Climbing onto Celeste’s Gold Wing, she took the road back to where it all began and waited for her future to arrive.
Boone was a wreck.
As he drove his truck up toward Lover’s Leap, his mind whirled like a top. He’d spent an hour working the phone, to no avail. It was a Saturday afternoon in August. Offices were closed. People were on vacation. Hell, half of Texas found the way to southern Colorado this time of year. If he scouted the campgrounds and fishing spots, he might find the people he needed to contact.
He was almost ready to try it. Anything would be better than facing Hannah with the news that had slithered through his mail slot today.
He’d considered keeping the news to himself, but that would only delay the inevitable. Hannah needed to know.
Oh, God. Please, God. Give me the right words.
He’d rehearsed a dozen different ways to say it after he received Hannah’s text, distracted shortly by the fact that she was riding Celeste’s motorcycle up to Lover’s Leap and wanted him to meet her there. Hannah on a bike? Another day, another time, he’d think that sexy as hell.
Today all he could think about was hanging on to his girls.
He didn’t speed. In fact, he took his time, making a full stop at every stop sign and driving well below the speed limit. He added five whole minutes onto the usual drive time from town to Lover’s Leap. Nevertheless, he did arrive.
She was sitting beyond the stone wall in the same spot where she’d sat the first time he’d met her. The sight of her took his breath away. So beautiful. So alive.
Probably wouldn’t hurt anything to move her back away from the edge before he shared his news.
Not that she’d jump, but during times of emotional distress, accidents happened.
He shut off the engine and climbed out of his truck. Better if he eased into this slowly. Better for him, anyway.
“Hey, Hollywood.”
The smile she turned toward him was as pretty as a sunset against a field of bluebonnets. “Hello, Texas.”
“You’re wearing leather chaps.”
She laughed. “I am. I have a leather jacket too. It has lots of zippers.”
He strode toward the wall and took a seat. “How do you feel about role-playing in the bedroom, Biker Girl?”
“Well, it would be a new experience for me, but I’ve discovered I’m game for new things.”
He patted the space beside him. “Join me?”
She repeated his gesture. “How about you come to me?”
“Ah, hell, Hannah. Any other time. Any other place.” He rested his elbows on his knees, leaned forward, and dropped his chin to his chest. “I gotta tell you something.”
Following a pregnant pause, he heard her stand and move toward him. “Sounds like a confession,” she said lightly. Sitting beside him, she added, “Does it have anything to do with New Year’s Eve?”
He gave her a sharp look. “What have you heard? No. Wait. That can wait. I gotta tell you this, and get it out there.”
Her smile faded, and concern creased her brow. “What’s wrong?”
“You have to trust me.”
Her hand clutched his thigh. Her tone intensified. “Boone, what’s happened?”
“It’ll be okay. Truly, it will. I’ve been down this road before—well, a similar road, anyway—and I have experience. I know what I’m doing. I’m a good attorney, an excellent attorney. This won’t happen. I don’t want you to freak out and … and … oh, hell, Hannah. I’m scared.”
Hannah closed her eyes. “It’s Brianna, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I’m going to be sued for custody.”
“Rachel changed her mind?”
“No. It’s the grandparents. The father’s parents. I got a letter from Ashleigh, and then I called her. She gave me the details. The woman knows everything that’s going on in the legal field in Fort Worth. Somehow, the grandparents found out about Brianna, and they’ve decided they want her. We’ll fight it, of course. They won’t win. I will not let them win. But things might be, um, unsettled for a while.”
“Will we have to give her up to someone?”
“I cannot see that happening. I will not allow that to happen. I know the attorney representing the grandparents, so I tried to reach him but couldn’t. Honestly, I’m hopeful that this is a shot across our bow. I’m guessing that these are grieving parents who lost their son and want to know their granddaughter. They think this is the way to ensure that it happens.”
“Well, that’s stupid. All they had to do was ask. Right?”
“Right.”
“So why are you scared?”
Boone shoved to his feet and began to pace back and forth in front of her. “I’m afraid that my patience is going to bite me in the ass. I haven’t had time to lock this thing up. Under the circumstances, I wouldn’t blame you for running for the hills. You need to protect your heart. I get that. But, ah hell.”
He went down on his knees in front of her and took her hands in his. “Don’t leave us. Please, Hannah, don’t leave us.”
“Oh, Boone.”
“I know you’ve bonded with Bree already. You love her. I see it in your eyes as you gaze down into hers. I hear it in your voice when you speak to her. You struggled to resist her, but she’s irresistible. She won your heart. Now it’s my job to make certain it doesn’t get shattered again. I will do that, Hannah. Your heart is precious to me. I love it. I love you. I will protect your precious heart. You have my word. You can trust me. You can lean on me. I am here for you and Bree and for our family. Because that’s what we are—a family. Maybe we don’t have a legal license yet, but we are a family. You and Bree are my family. And I will protect our family with my life. I’ll be your strength. You have my word on that. So don’t leave us, Hannah. Please, don’t leave us.”
She reached out and tenderly cupped his strong chin in the palms of her hands. She stared deeply into his silver-gray eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Tension began seeping from inside him like air from a slowly leaking balloon. “You’re not?”
“Except maybe to Texas if our fight for our family takes us to Fort Worth. I love you too, Boone.”
He exhaled a heavy breath and rolled back on his heels, rubbing his hands up and down his thighs. “Whew. Okay. I knew you were falling for me. Wasn’t aware I had a one hundred percent commitment.”
“Then why have you reserved the Honeymoon Cottage at Angel’s Rest for New Year’s Eve?”
“Where did you hear that? No, doesn’t matter. We can talk about that another time.”
“Now is good. We are not going to lose Brianna. I have total confidence that Boone McBride, Esquire, has what it takes to settle the situation with her grandparents in a way that’s good for everyone involved. I also have it on good authority that Bree has two little guardian angels watching out for her.”
Sophia and Zoe. One corner of Boone’s mouth inched up as he pictured older sisters with wings fluttering over Bree’s crib.
“You and I are meant to be Brianna’s parents,” Hannah continued. “She is meant to be our daughter. We will fight for her. Fight for what is best for her. And we will win. I have no doubt, so we don’t need to discuss it any further at the moment. I want to talk about this wedding. I’ll have some say-so in the planning. Frankly, New Year’s Eve in Eternity Springs doesn’t work for me.”
Wedding. Planning. She said wedding and planning. The last of Boone’s tension disappeared in a blast of joy. She loved him. She’d said it. She couldn’t take it back.
Then, because a man must do what a man must do, he rolled to his feet and faced her, his stance wide, his arms folded. “Marrying me on New Year’s Eve in Eternity Springs doesn’t work for you? Why the hell not?”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s cold.”
“I’ll keep you warm.”
“And I don’t like snow. Oh, flurries are fine, and a storm or two is okay, but feet on the ground for months on end?” She wrinkled her nose. “Not a fan.”
Boone was tempted to lean down and nip at that cute little nose. “Well, that’s a bit of a problem for someone who has moved to the mountains and started a new business, don’t you think?”
“It is. Luckily, I’ve thought of a way to fix it.”
“You have, have you?”
“Yep. Consider it as an addendum to my business plan. I’ve already talked to Angelica about it.”
Now, that one shocked him. “Angelica!”
“Seems the children’s store in Redemption is up for sale.”
“Wait a minute.” He held up his hand, palm out. “A moment ago you said you weren’t going anywhere. Now you want to leave Eternity Springs? You want to move to Redemption?”
“From October to March sounds good. Maybe April. Come home to Eternity Springs for the good weather and the tourist season.”
“Oh. Well…” He slowly began to nod.
“Your cousins and their new wives have both settled in Redemption. It’s an easier trip for your parents to make from the ranch. Brianna should grow up with family, don’t you think?”
“I do, but—”
“Of course, our friends here in Eternity Springs are family too. It’s the best of both worlds, the way I see it. I realize this schedule could pose a problem with your legal practice, but frankly, from what I’ve seen, you don’t do all that much work.”
“Hey!” he protested. “It takes a lot of effort to keep Benjamin Karr from disinheriting his daughter.”
Hannah rose from her seat atop the rock wall. She faced him and reached for his hands. “Teleconference. It’s all the rage.”
Boone gazed down at their linked fingers, and his heart swelled. “I am so lucky. So blessed. It scares me to think I might have driven right past you that morning in June. I love you. With all of my heart and soul, I love you. You’ve changed my life, Hannah. You’ve completed my world. You’ve completed me. You are who and what I came looking for when I moved to Eternity Springs.”
The time had come to do this thing right. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a ring in his pocket, but that was a minor issue. His grandmother’s engagement ring was at home in his safe. He’d cook up some real romance for this evening and present it to her then.
His fingers tightened on hers as he moved to go down on one knee. Her tug halted the movement.
Love shone in Hannah’s eyes as she held his gaze. “On a morning not too long ago, I found myself here at Lover’s Leap in the middle of nowhere. Today because of you, here in the middle of nowhere, I have found myself. I have a heart that is mended and whole and ready to be shared. And I have wings to wrap around my loves as shelter from life’s storms. Wings that on clear days will enable me to soar, to leap like a lunatic and land safely with you beside me.”
Hannah caught Boone totally by surprise when abruptly, she went down on one knee. “Will you marry me, Boone? Will you marry me in October in Texas, at the Fallen Angel Inn in Enchanted Canyon, with Tucker and Jackson as your best men and Brianna and Haley as our flower girls? Will you dance a first dance with me at the Last Chance Hall and skinny-dip with me in the moonlight pool beneath the waterfall?”
She’d rendered him speechless. For the first time in Boone’s entire life, his facile tongue failed him.
He didn’t say yes. He just stood there staring down at her like six feet two and a half inches of tongue-tied Texan fool.
Hannah giggled. “Are you going to leave me hanging here, McBride?”
Finally, he managed, “This is wrong, so wrong. It’s backward. I’m supposed to be the person down on one knee! I’ve been planning. It’s Operation Lightsaber. I was going to do a big, over-the-top proposal. That’s the way we do it in Eternity Springs.”
“Beat you to it. You snooze, you lose. Besides, it’s a brand-new world, Texas. A brand-new life. So what do you say? Are you going to live it with me?”
“On one condition.” He tugged her back onto her feet. His arms slid around her waist.
“What’s that?”
He pulled her hard against him. “You don’t breathe a word about the way this happened to Jackson and Tucker. They’ll give me hell.”
She giggled again. “Nope. No conditions. No negotiations. Yes or no. What’s your answer?”
“Unbelievable,” he grumbled. “Outmaneuvered by a Yankee. I’m going to have to turn in my cowboy card.”
His lips swooped in and captured hers in a long, steamy kiss. When he finally broke to breathe, he gasped, then said, “My answer is yes. Yes. Yes. Oh holy hell, yes, I’ll marry you whenever and wherever you want, although I really like your suggestion. Now let’s go home where we can roll around naked without having to worry about rolling right off a cliff, shall we?”
“I like that plan, but first, I have something to give you to mark the occasion.” She picked up the leather jacket and tugged open one of the zippers. She placed something gold and lightweight in the palm of his hand.
Boone stared down at the chain and pendant in shock. He recognized it, all right. “An Angel’s Rest blazon? Where did you get an Angel’s Rest blazon?”
“Celeste gave it to me.”
“Celeste gave it to you,” he repeated. “You got one, and I didn’t? What the heck? That’s not the way it works!”
“Take it up with the angel, McBride. Later. Let’s go somewhere and make love.”
“The Angel’s Rest blazon.” He scoffed. “Well, that solves one problem, I guess.” He began tugging at the buckles on her motorcycle chaps.
“What are you doing?” she asked, slapping at his hands.
“I’m going to make love to you. Right here.”
“No, you’re not!”
“Right now.” He estimated he could carry her to the backseat of his truck in two point seven seconds.
“This is a public place. You’re an attorney! Besides, what about the rolling-over-the-cliff thing?”
“We’ll be fine, Hannah.” He dangled the Angel’s Rest pendant in front of her eyes before swooping her up into his arms. “After all, we’ve got wings.”