Page 134 of Cowboy Heat

Mine isn’t taking his eye of Micah at the moment, but he relaxes a little and smirks.

“I amnota helicopter parent,” he says. “I’m more of a…satellite parent? I’m in orbit. You can’t see me, but I’m alwaysaround.”

I laugh and take his hand. Gently, I get him to turn to me. Those baby blues send the best kind of chill through me when they glide to my gaze. The smirk is definitely helping.

“That was the sweetest, creepiest thing I’ve ever heard,” I tease.

Beau’s hands find his hips and rest there. He sighs, mock dramatic.

“I think the word you’re looking for, Miss Lawson, ishilarious.”

“Oh sure, that’s it.”

Beau nods.

“Glad we could clear that up. I’d hate to have to pull in the doc to defend me. But I will if I have to.”

That gets me laughing and Beau joins in.

It could be the dead of winter, and I’d still be as warm as I am now. That feeling overtakes me, as it does often, and I push up onto my tip toes and kiss the man good and plenty.

When we’re done, Beau has a smile on, but it’s a smile I know is mine alone. It’s the same one I see in bed every night, in the quiet of the kitchen in the morning, and all the many moments we share together in between.

He has a smile for everything, I’m finding. Smiles I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

Not the smile he gave when Micah and I nervously told him that if he wanted to be with me that he’d be getting Micah too, that we were a package deal that I’d never break up again. The smile for when he told me that he’d love nothing more than to be a part of our family, just as he wanted us to be a part of his. The smile he also was wearing when he offered to take us on our first ever cross-country trip we’ll be leaving for in a week’s time. The smile he was wearing when he told me that he had no intention of selling his share of Blue Lolita.

Though, the smile he’ll be wearing tonight?

The one I’ll see right before the engagement ring he’s holding for me?

Well, that one will be one of my favorites.

Until then, I’m lost in this one now.

I’m not complaining.

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