Page 47 of Huckleberry Hill (Saddles & Spurs #1)
Chapter Forty-Six
The Ranch
I stepped out onto the porch and slid into my most comfortable slippers. My jaw dropped when I saw that the walkway to Declan’s cabin was lit with candles in mason jars, lighting my way underneath a starry night sky.
When I arrived at the cabin, I bent down and picked up a pair of candy-cane patterned socks resting on the lowest step.
The next pair of socks had Santa Claus on them. The pair after that had gingerbread men. I followed the trail of socks into the cabin.
“Declan?” I called out.
There was no answer.
I continued to follow the sock trail—all of them were Christmas themed. The path of socks led into the bedroom. The bottom drawer of the dresser was open and a pair was hanging out. And then only one sock with a mistletoe pattern hung out of the top drawer. I had to open it to get to its mate.
Something was inside the sock; an obvious, square-shaped object.
Declan appeared in the doorway and leaned against the doorjamb.
“Where did you come from?” I asked.
He grinned. “I was hiding in the bathroom.”
I turned my attention back to the sock. “What’s in there?”
“Why don’t you find out?”
I picked up the sock and put my hand into it, my fingers encountering a smooth velvet box. I pulled it out and stared at it.
With a deep breath, I opened it.
A gorgeous, traditional diamond solitaire twinkled back at me.
“Declan,” I whispered.
“I love you, Hadley.” He pushed away from the doorjamb and came to me. His hands cradled my cheeks. “Marry me.”
“Yes,” I breathed helplessly.
He took the engagement ring from the jewelry box and slid it onto my finger. He then linked our hands and brought them to his chest. “Come to bed with me.”
He undressed me slowly, like a present he wanted to cherish forever. He worshipped my body with his tongue and fingers, mindful that I still had some bruising on my side. But he was gentle and unhurried, drawing out my pleasure until I could no longer contain it.
And when he thrust into me, our eyes met and held. He began to move, and something built between us. Something I couldn’t deny.
We’d already made a baby together.
I’d fallen in love with him.
But this . . .
This was something different.
Something that had no words, because words weren’t enough to describe it. It was the feeling that I was home. That he was my home.
Across time.
Across space.
He was the home I’d been searching for and that I’d been blessed to find.
We came together, our simultaneous release powerful. So powerful it brought tears to my eyes.
He kissed the tears as they fell from my cheeks and then he held me close.
We didn’t speak for a long time. Our hearts slowed and beat in rhythm, our skin cooled. He pulled the covers up around us.
“Your proposal was perfect,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against his jaw.
“I’m glad you thought so. That call from Bowman was to get me away from the dinner table so I could light the candles and make a sock trail. Then I texted Muddy so she’d send you to the cabin.”
I chuckled. “Christmas socks.”
“Christmas baby.”
“It was perfect.” I snuggled deeper into him and held out my hand with the engagement ring. “This is stunning. You have good taste.”
“It’s an antique European diamond, but I had it placed in a modern, yet classic setting.”
“When did you do this?” I asked, lifting myself up so I could look at him.
“If I tell you it’s going to make me sound insane.” He rubbed his jaw, the raspy sound of his whiskers thick against his skin. “The night after we slept together the first time.”
“You didn’t.”
“Told you. I sound insane.”
I kissed his nose, his cheeks, and then his lips. “Well, I’m insane about you, too. So I guess it worked out in the end.”
“Yep.”
I laid back down and closed my eyes. “Tempest is still with the puppies?”
“Yeah. She’s going to stay the night with them.”
“They’ve bonded.”
I traced a pattern on his chest.
“I called your sister.”
“When?” I asked.
“Few days ago. Told her what I was planning.”
“Did you, now? The little sneak managed to keep it a secret from me. What did she say?”
“She gave her blessing, but she did warn me not to hurt you or I’d have to answer to her.”
I sniggered. “You have to remember she’s feral.”
“Feral and protective,” he said. He ran a hand up and down my back. “We need to pick a wedding date. And I’d like it to be sooner rather than later.”
“June 3rd,” I said.
“You said that fast.” He paused. “That wasn’t when you were getting married to the bastard, was it?”
“No,” I assured him. I lifted myself up and looked at him. “It’s my mother’s birthday. I don’t know, maybe it’s weird. Maybe it’ll taint our wedding anniversary, but I thought . . . I don’t know. Maybe it’ll ease the pain a bit? And it’s like she’ll be included even though she’s not there.”
He stroked a thumb across my cheek. “June 3rd is perfect.”
I smiled and turned my head to kiss his wrist. “Is there anything you won’t give me?”
“Doubt it.”
I bit my lip.
“What?” he asked with a grin. “What do you want?”
I rolled on top of him and straddled him. His hands slid up my body and gently caressed my breasts. “I want to have my way with you.”
His grin was slow. Hot. Devastating.
“Bear snack, you can have me any way you want me.”