Page 10 of Mine to Possess (Veteran K9 Team #3)

Betty - Three months later

Are you coming straight home after work?

My phone buzzes with a text from Barron and my heart swells at the written word: Home.

Even though we’ve slept in the same bed almost every night—except on the weekends he goes up to the mountains or the occasional night when he pulls overnight security at the center—we’ve only been officially living together as of last weekend when I moved all of my clothes and a few choice furnishings that I didn’t want to leave behind for my mom.

She’s moving to Colorado this week—Linc is actually in Arizona with her right now, helping her pack everything up so they can drive here together—and although Linc asked her to move in with him, she chose to take over my apartment for the next six months until the lease is up.

After being self-sufficient for the last twenty-three years, she’s struggling to trust him and their relationship with her whole heart.

While they dated half of November and all of December—spending almost all of their time together— she went back to Arizona in January and they’ve been doing the long distance thing for the last two months.

I know Linc hates it. He’s miserable—which breaks my heart—but I understand my mom’s fears considering what my father did to her.

Regardless, Barron and I agreed early on that we would stay out of their relationship, just as they agreed they would stay out of ours. Of course, she’s still my mom, so we just avoid double dates whenever possible and talk about our men like girlfriends do versus mother / daughter.

Even though she is slow-rolling cohabitation with Linc, I—on the other hand—couldn’t wait to move in with Barron.

We have a team meeting at four thirty, and then I’m coming straight home. Why?

I have a surprise for you.

You do? What? Why?

You’ll have to wait until you get home, bunny.

Careful, babe. If you spoil me too much early in our relationship, I’m going to expect it all of the time.

You should expect it all of the time. I want to spoil you, take care of you, shower you with love and affection every day for the rest of our lives.

That’s a long time.

Not nearly long enough. I can’t wait to come home to you tonight. Or vice versa. Whoever gets there first, it doesn’t matter, as long as we are there—together. I love you.

I love you too. See you tonight.

My boss, Sariah Morvick, walks into the office that I share with three other social media team members, and sits at the small conference table we have in the middle of the glass-enclosed space.

We’re presenting to her this afternoon, so I’m a bit surprised she’s here right now considering our presentation is still two hours away.

“Hey Betty.” She glances at my teammates' cubicles, all three of which are not at their desks. “I heard you moved in with your boyfriend this weekend.”

My jaw goes slack. “You heard that?”

Why would my boss hear something like that?

She shrugs. “It’s a small office. I guess that means you’re happy in Spring City?”

I nod. “I am.”

“Are you also happy here at Taylor & Morvick?”

Panic quickens my pulse and I glance around the room, wondering if I am being set up. “Am I about to be fired?”

“No, no, no. God no.” Sariah’s eyes go wide and she vehemently shakes her head.

Smacking her forehead, she chuckles softly.

“You’ve been here six months and I wanted to see how you were liking it.

This was supposed to be a casual, informal mid-year conversation—” she rolls her eyes “—but I guess I screwed it up.”

I sag in relief and chuckle with her. “I really like it here. This team is great, and I think we’re doing a good job.”

“You’re doing a great job, and between you and me, I’d like to mentor you. I see a lot of me in you, and I think you could go far here—if you want.”

“I’d love that!” My smile takes over my face.

“Great. I’ll send you a calendar invite and we’ll get started.” Sariah pushes up out of the chair and waves goodbye as she leaves the room.

I can’t believe my life. The last six months have been a fairytale and whirlwind of good fortune.

First, I land an amazing job and paid relocation to Colorado.

Then, I not only meet Barron—the only man I’ve ever fallen head over heels in love with—but my mom also falls for a good guy who treats her like the queen she is.

And then my mom secures a remote nursing position, which allows her to move to Colorado to be closer to me and Linc.

And now… my boss wants to mentor me at work. I’m truly living the fantasy.

I text Barron and my mom the good news, both responding with absolutely loving support.

The next two hours feel like a week as my excitement about getting home and celebrating with my man takes over my thoughts.

After my team and I present a flawless social media rollout plan for one of our bigger PR clients, I pack up my purse and rush out the door.

Twenty minutes later, I pull into the garage to find Barron’s truck not there.

I guess I’ve beaten him home, except Sarge is there, which means he’s done with work for the day.

There are a dozen red roses in a beautiful vase on the kitchen counter with a plate of my favorite designer cookies and a sticky note that says, “I had to run to the grocery store, but I expect you to be wearing polar bear pajama pants when I get home. Love you.”

Most men like lingerie, but Barron has a thing for the flannel pajama pants I wore the first night we were together. They have a Pavlovian effect on him, taking him from soft to rock hard in the matter of seconds—so of course, I had to buy them in every color I could find online.

I take a small bite of the confetti cake cookie—my personal favorite—and rush to the bedroom, shedding my clothes as I go.

Piling my hair on top of my head, I jump into the shower and make quick work of rinsing off.

Minutes later, I walk out of the bedroom to find Barron sitting on the edge of the bed in a sexy pose, his elbows resting on his splayed knees, his hands joined, and his dark green eyes fixed on me.

Heat flares behind his irises and he subconsciously licks his lips as he catches me dashing out of the bathroom naked.

“You’re home.”

He caresses me with his gaze and pats the space to the right of him on the bed. “Sit down, bunny.”

“Would you like me to put on some clothes first?” I giggle, practically skipping to sit down.

“It’s not necessary for me, but if you want to.

..” Although his words give me the option, his actions speak differently as he takes my left hand in his and turns to face me.

“You make me so happy, Betty, and fill my heart with the kind of love I didn’t realize I was capable of feeling.

Before I met you, I thought some people weren’t meant to find their soul mates or live a life full of love, friendship, and passion.

Unfortunately, for too many years, I’d been okay with that.

Now I want to shake anyone who thinks that way and tell them to not give up, because if they aren’t paying attention, the love of their life might walk right by.

I’m thankful I woke up before it was too late. ”

Smiling, I try to pull my hand from his so I can wrap my arms around his neck, but he tightens his grip and drops to his knee in front of me. All the air is sucked out of the room as the realization of what is happening hits me like a wall of bricks. “Oh my god.”

He smiles and pulls a ring from his pocket. “Things have moved fast between us, but I knew the night I fell asleep with you in my arms that I wanted forever. I don’t need time to think or see how things go, because nothing will change how I feel about you. I want you—forever.”

I can’t stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks, my head bobbing up and down to say yes even though he hasn’t said the words.

His smile grows wider, and my big bear of a man blinks back the tears welling in his eyes. “Will you marry me, Betty?”

“Yes.” I fling my naked body against his, and wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you so much and would be thrilled to be your wife.”

Barron chuckles and settles me into his lap with his arms around me. He slips the ring on my finger, and I’m awed by how beautiful the simple solitaire is. “It’s perfect.”

He kisses my cheek and then my lips, cradling me against his body. “Like you.”

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