Page 42

“One of the things Lisa wanted was for Jenn to have this. She doesn’t know I have it.

” Ian smiled sadly. “She always loved trying it on while growing up, and Lisa told me to give it to the man who won her daughter’s heart when he was ready to propose, as long as I approved.

” He handed the box to Doug, who couldn’t stop staring at the ring as he accepted it.

“I approve, Doug. While I wasn’t happy about you and her in the beginning, you’ve since proven to me that I can trust you with her heart. You have my blessing.”

While blinking back tears that threatened to fall and swallowing a thick lump in his throat, Doug transferred the box to his left hand and held out his right to the man he would soon consider his father-in-law. “Thank you, Ian.”

Ian grasped Doug’s hand and pulled him into a fatherly embrace, slapping him on the back several times. “You’re welcome, son.”

Doug couldn’t stop the tears from falling after that, even if his life depended on it.

It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday as the boat gently swayed a few hundred yards offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

A mild breeze, the pink bikini Jenn wore, and the U of T baseball cap on her head kept her from getting too hot.

After they’d dropped anchor, Doug removed his T-shirt, showing off his tanned, muscular physique.

His blue swim shorts hugged his hips, and she eyed his taut ass whenever he bent over.

Damn, the man was fine, and he was all hers.

Last night, when he asked if she wanted to go fishing, she agreed immediately.

She loved being out on the water. Sometimes, they went out on Grandpa Chuck’s larger boat with family and friends or invited a few people to join them on the A Salt Weapon , but mostly, it was the two of them.

One day, she hoped they could teach their children how to fish.

Even if they didn’t catch any keepers or anything at all, it was still fun.

Over the past year, they’d talked about marriage and kids several times, but she never pressured him into proposing.

She suspected that when the time was right, he would, but a ring and a piece of certified paper wouldn’t make that much of a difference to her.

She already had everything she needed. Every day and night, he showed her how much he adored, cherished, protected, and loved her, and she returned each sentiment as best she could.

“Hey, Jenn. Put on a little more sunscreen. Your nose is getting pink.”

Case in point. He always looked out for her, yet still let her have the freedom to spread her wings. He treated her like she was his equal, and instead of fighting her battles for her, he stood beside her, ready to step in only if necessary.

Any serious arguments they had over the past year could be counted on one hand and never lasted long. There hadn’t been a single instance when they’d gone to bed mad at each other.

A few weeks after everyone knew they were dating, Tahira Knight, wife of Omega Team member Darius Knight and the princess of Timasur, a small north African country, was at the compound for a barbecue.

Her face lit up as soon as she saw Doug and Jenn together.

The woman was a firm believer in soulmates and could supposedly see people’s auras.

Jenn wasn’t convinced about the latter, but if what Tahira had said was true, about seeing reds, pinks, purples, oranges, and yellows surrounding the couple, she was all for it, even though it sounded like a tarot card reading.

According to Tahira, reds meant passion and vitality.

Pinks were for love and compassion. Purple symbolized unconditional love and spiritual connection.

Orange suggested a sense of sexual vibrancy and excitement about life.

And finally, yellow depicted joy. All described exactly what Jenn felt being in Doug’s arms.

After putting more sunscreen on herself, she gave him the tube of lotion for his face and then applied the protective spray to his back, chest, shoulders, arms, and legs.

As she rubbed it into his skin, she felt a little frisky and ran her hands up his legs under the hem of his shorts to squeeze his tight ass cheeks.

He jerked and moved away. “Hey! I told you. No nooky until we catch dinner.”

Standing, she tossed the can and tube back into her tote bag.

“Fine. Fish first, but then I’m taking you down into the bunk and attacking you.

” She could’ve jumped his bones right there on the deck, but several other fishing boats were close enough to see the occupants, but far away enough that they couldn’t hear them or get their lines tangled.

Neither she nor Doug was an exhibitionist, so they would take their sexy time below, away from curious eyes.

Returning to her fishing pole that was in a holder attached to the boat, she was about to reel in the line to see if there was still bait on her hook when she felt a bite.

The rod bent and the line went taut, suddenly heavy.

Whatever was caught on the hook made the tip of the rod bob up and down. “I’ve got one!”

“Reel it in!”

Excitedly, she started to bring the fish up, increasing and then releasing the tension as she spun the reel’s handle. About halfway up, the line snapped and sent her stumbling back a few steps, but Doug grabbed her arm to steady her.

“Darn it!” Not only had she lost the fish, the lure, and the hook, but she hadn’t won their bet—yet. It’d become a game for them every time they went fishing—the first person to bring up a keeper didn’t have to clean what was caught later for dinner.

Doug set his pole in a holder as she reeled in the now-slack line.

When she was done, he took the rod from her, grabbing hold of the line flying in the wind.

“I’ll fix it for you. Do me a favor? In the outer pocket of my duffel bag, there’s a new box of lures I picked up because Chuck recommended them.

He said he caught some nice-sized fish with them last time he went out. Get the box for me, please?”

“Sure.”

She turned toward the passenger seat in the cockpit, where his duffel was lying on the ground beneath it.

Lifting it, she set it on the seat and opened the zipper of the bag’s front pocket.

Her eyes narrowed in confusion. Instead of a box of lures, the only content was a small, red velvet box.

Her hand trembled as she reached for it.

A box like that could only contain one thing.

Her breath caught as she picked it up. Instead of opening it, she spun back to face Doug, only to find him down on one knee.

He took the box from her and opened it. Her right hand flew to her mouth when she saw her mother’s engagement ring nestled inside, recognizing it instantly.

She thought it was buried with her mom, along with her wedding ring. How had Doug gotten it?

Tears flowed down her cheeks in rivulets as Doug took her left hand.

“Jenn, you’re a part of me that I never knew was missing.

But then you made me open my eyes to see what was right in front of me all along.

You’re my lover, my best friend, my fishing buddy, my confidant, and now, I want you to be my wife.

I want to have children and grandchildren with you.

I want to grow old with you. When I asked Ian for permission to propose to you, he gave me this.

He said your mother left instructions for him to save it and give it to the man who won your heart.

I hope that man is me. Will you marry me? ”

She nodded enthusiastically before he finished the question, as her body shook from a combination of shock, exhilaration, and pure love. “Y-yes! Absolutely, one hundred percent yes!”

As he released her and removed the ring from the box, she dropped to her knees.

He retook her left hand, holding it steady as he slipped the ring on her finger.

It fit perfectly. Cupping her jaw, he drew her close and kissed her.

“I love you. Thank you for waiting for me to get my head out of my ass.”

“I love you, too, and I would’ve waited forever.”