Page 82

Chapter24

If I thoughtmy first two days with Colt were the best days of my life, I was proven wrong by the four days we spent as a couple at The Westerly.Those first two days were a magical beginning, but they were only abeginning.

A year had given us perspective, but more than that, it gave us knowledge.Our connection was immediate but it takes time to understandwhyyou connect with someone.What those quirks are and how they came to be.For both of us it came from a passion for our work.It drove us to work hard but it also drove us to worktoohard.

But now we had eachother.

“This way,” he called over his shoulder.My fingers were threaded through his as I followed him up a dirt path.I noticed the elevation change and based on my knowledge of the island, we had to be getting close to thebeach.

The island wasn’tthatbig.

We’d spent the first two days together in my old bungalow.We barely left the bed.Why would we?We finally had each other, someone to deliver food night and day, and the perfect scenery.A giant white bed with open windows and billowing white curtains?It wasparadise.

But Colt had asurprise.

And because I loved Colt and surprises, I followed withoutquestion.

“Here we are.”He paused at the top of the rise andsighed.

I scrambled up beside him and the sight before me made my jaw drop.“Whatisthis?”

“It’s ours until weflyhome.”

A private house on a cliff overlooking a beach?If our bungalow was paradise, then this was heaven.“But...how?”

He looked at me like he was amused by my lack of understanding.“Irentedit.”

“But...this has to cost a fortune.”The bungalow was a fortune so this had to be...more than afortune.

“Well for one, the staff at The Westerly was delighted to learn about our story and hopes we will returneveryyear.”

“I’m sure they do,” Isnorted.

He shook his head and sighed.“They wanted us to have this.”Then he leaned down to whisper in my ear.“And you don’t have to worry about me or the ranch any longer.”He placed a soft kiss where my shoulder met my neck.“Everything went smoothly.The deal is done and Landry Ranch is now safely back in theblack.”

“You waited two days to tell me!”I punched him in the arm, which he took instride.

“I was waiting for the money to clear.”He rubbed his arm.“But thanks for thecongratulations.”

I threw my arms around his neck, my sundress fluttering around us as the wind caught it.“Congratulations, Cowboy.Youdidit.”

Not that I ever had any doubts.I liked to think everyone who worked as hard as Colt worked, believed in his company the way he did, would eventually makeitwork.

“We should be set for a long time to come.This distribution deal is the one I’ve been waiting for.”Then he swept me up in his arms.“No more work.Only play for the nexttwodays.”

And playwedid.

Dirty, kinky, sweet, slow.We diditall.

I was walking the beach in nothing but my sarong when he called me up to the house.It was a gorgeous day.The sun shining, the wind strong, the salt heavy in the air.I’d felt called to walk the beach and enjoy as much of it as I could.When else would I ever have a completely private beach toenjoy?

When I walked inside I was greeted to two things.A large black case on the kitchen counter and Colt grinning.“I have asurprise.”

My eyes flicked back to the case.“Inthere?”

He nodded like a kid on Christmas morning.“But first, a letter from my mother.”He held out a sealed whiteenvelope.

“What is it?”I would probably hold a little bit of a wall up between us for a while even though I understood her protective instincts.They were what I loved so much in Colt and he’d clearly inherited themfromher.