Page 29 of Country Winds (King Creek Cowboys #9)

O ver the next week, thoughts of Ellie consumed Tucker. He loved her so much, and he had just let her go. Worse, he had stomped all over things that were important to her, just because he wanted her to be something she was not.

Finally, he came to a decision, and he needed to see Ellie again.

He traveled to Scottsdale and called Ellie’s cousin Leeann to ask her a favor. Leeann was cool to him, which told him Ellie had told her what had happened.

It took some convincing, but Leeann finally agreed to his request.

After he left Scottsdale, he drove straight to Ellie’s home. He lightly rapped his knuckles against her front door.

A few moments later, the door opened, and Ellie’s beautiful face had a surprised expression. She looked fabulous, as if she were stepping out for a magazine shoot.

He swallowed. “You look amazing, Ellie.”

She tipped her chin up, her expression calm. “I’m about to leave.”

He gave her a little smile. “For dinner with Leeann?”

Ellie furrowed her brow. “How do you know that?”

“Because she set up a dinner for us.” He wanted to touch Ellie, to draw her into his arms, but he had to hold himself back.

Ellie frowned. “Why would she do that?”

He looked into her beautiful blue eyes. “May I come in?”

She hesitated then opened the door wider for him. This time he sat on the couch. She started to sit in the armchair, but he patted the cushion beside him. “Please sit next to me.”

Hailee jumped into the chair across from the couch and watched them.

Ellie looked wary and confused. After a long moment, she moved to the couch, but put about a foot of space between them and faced him, her hands in her lap, waiting for him to speak.

He cleared his throat. “I’ve given this a lot of thought over the past week. I’d like to see if we can come to a compromise.” He hurried to add, “Please give me a minute to explain.”

“All right.” She gave a single nod. “Explain.”

“I can build a professional studio at the ranch for you to use so that you don’t have to go to L.A.

as often.” He raised his hand to stop her before she could interrupt him.

“During the week, we could have someone we trust with the kids when you are working.” He went on, “And I will be with them as much as I can. I’m self-employed, so I can manage my schedule. ”

Ellie listened to him, her features still calm. He wondered what was going on in her head.

“When you travel, I’d like to go with you so that we can spend time together, and we’d have someone we trust look after the kids. Maybe you could keep travel to once a month at most, since you’d have a studio to work out of.”

“What if I need to go to Japan?” She seemed to be testing him. “I’m usually there a week.”

Tucker blew out his breath. “That’s a hard one.” He thought about it. “We can wait until it happens to figure it out.” His heart had been pounding and worked its way up to his throat. “I’m not saying I’m against it. I just think we would have to determine that based on the current situation.”

He waited for her to respond as his heart beat faster.

After a moment, she said. “This is all hypothetical. Who says we’re getting married?”

Ellie watched Tucker’s face as he studied her. He slid his hand into his back pocket and brought out a chocolate brown box, like the box the earrings were in that he gave her for her birthday. Was he giving her another piece of jewelry?

He reached for her hand and put it over his heart. “Do you feel that? It’s for you.”

The thump was a little fast. Was he nervous?

Then he set the box aside and took both her hands in his, looking deep into her eyes.

“You know I love you with all my heart. I love you more and more each day.” He squeezed her fingers.

“I will do anything in my power to make you happy. Whatever you want me to do, I will do. Whatever you need, I will get it for you.”

Ellie’s skin tingled as he spoke from his heart. It was in his eyes, in his words, in his presence.

“Ellie McLeod, will you marry me?”

She stared at him a long moment, unable to say a word. Then she broke into a smile and threw her arms around him. “Yes,” she said in his ear. “Yes, I will marry you.”

Tucker crushed her to him, holding her so tightly she could barely breathe. “I love you so much, Ellie.”

“I love you just as much.” She realized tears were running down her cheeks. Tears of happiness.

She pulled away and smiled at him, and he brushed her tears away. “I have something for you.”

He picked up the velvet box and opened it. A two-carat heart-shaped chocolate diamond was set in a swirl of small white diamonds in rose gold.

Her eyes widened, and her heart thumped against her breastbone. He took her hand and slid the band onto her ring finger.

She held her hand up and looked at the diamond ring. “It’s so beautiful.” She lowered her hand and threw her arms around his neck. “It’s perfect.”

He kissed her long and sweet. Now this was the happiest moment of her life.