“Don’t make me an offer you’re not willing to keep.”
She frowned for a moment, unsure of what he meant, then closed her eyes again as she remembered what she’d shouted to him on waking up to the scent of coffee and bacon. Marry me.
She thought about that, about mornings like this being the norm in her life. Neither of them had traditional occupations, so there would never be those mornings of dashing about while showering, shaving, donning office wear and grabbing a bagel and a fast kiss before heading out the door for some god-awful commute.
No, her mornings consisted of getting up, admittedly early, but pulling on jeans and boots, and making her commute to the barn, and having a thermos of coffee while she kibitzed with her four-legged coworkers, before heading up to the main house to see what Vivi might be whipping up for breakfast. Hannah and Avery would roll in about then, and they’d discuss what needed to be done on the farm that day, then head out to the fields, or to town, or to whatever was required to keep the place humming.
They worked hard, all four of them, and put in very long days, especially at the end of the growing season and all through the harvest, but it was a true labor of love. She was outdoors, where she was meant to be, in this beautiful place that was now home, surrounded by people she loved and who loved her right back. She watched the fields coming to life, knowing the lavender would grow and bloom because of what the four of them had done with their own hands. Her stables—her very own stables—and the field beyond were home to horses who had been given a second chance, a new lease on life.
She loved every part of that. With her whole heart.
Cody would be proud of her, happy for her, as would her aunt and uncle. She was exactly where she was supposed to be. Admittedly, watching Hannah and Avery each find someone to share all of that with had made her think about that part of her life. The one part she’d yet to fulfill.
Since moving to the farm, she hadn’t given that part of her life any thought. She had no time, and even less inclination. Things were good. Why go muck it up with potential drama and heartache, and didn’t relationships always seem to go hand in hand with both? Then Hannah had met Will, and Chey had watched her friend fall so beautifully and completely in love. Not without risk, or a fair share of drama, but the payoff . . . Chey closed her eyes, smiled. She was openly, wholeheartedly thrilled to see Hannah find her second chance at happiness, at love, and most importantly for her, family.
Then Avery had met Ben, and if that hadn’t been the most adorable thing ever, Chey didn’t know what was. The only thing bigger than Avery’s brain was her huge heart. Turned out the same was true for Ben. They’d all taken great glee in watching the two of them figure out they were meant to be together.
“And crap, even Vivi is dating now,” Chey realized, smiling as she thought about how that particular date had ended, but still. Chey had a suspicion that while Paul Hammond had been crossed off Vivi’s dance card, now that she’d unearthed it again, it was only a matter of time before new names got penciled in.
Which leaves you, she thought, sitting in bed, while the man who spent the better part of the night making the most beautiful love to you is out there making you breakfast. Then could most likely be coerced back into bed for more of the same with very little effort on your part.
She closed her eyes and her grip on her coffee mug tightened a bit. If only it would be, could be, that simple. Hannah and Will, Avery and Ben, they’d figured it out. Yeah, but they all live in Blue Hollow Falls full time.
And she was wasting what little time she had with Wyatt worrying about when she wouldn’t have him near. She set her mug on the tray and got up, then carried it into the great room. He was still on the phone in the kitchen, his back to her while he stood at the stove. She gave him his privacy, as much as was possible, anyway, and set the tray on the oversized ottoman that doubled as a coffee table. She picked up her gifts from Wyatt and walked over to the big stone fireplace, where she arranged them on the old railroad tie that served as her mantel.
She had other treasures up there as well. Three massive-sized pinecones that she and Cody had collected as kids, standing upright like soldiers. An old shoe from her first horse, leaning upright, with the open end at the top, so it could collect good luck. A tied bundle of dried lavender that Avery had given each of them at the end of their first season. And a piece of driftwood and sea glass that Wyatt had given her on their caravan’s one and only surf-side rodeo in Southern California. She wondered if he’d seen them this morning, if he remembered giving them to her. Of course he had. And of course he did.
She placed the bird nest on top of one end of the driftwood, then propped the arrowhead, point down, into a small crevice at the other end so it stood upright. She picked the sprig of lavender up and carried it back into the bedroom, leaving it on her nightstand instead.
She should brush her hair, wash her face, put on actual clothes. Instead she walked back out to the great room, one arm wrapped around her waist, hugging the soft material of Wyatt’s shirt to her skin. She picked up her mug from the tray, then went to the big picture window with a view across the field where her horses grazed to the mountain peaks.
She felt him behind her before his arms slid through hers and circled her waist. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to that perfect spot on the nape of her neck, then pulled her back against him.
“Sorry,” she said, still cradling her mug as she took in the view and reveled in feeling cared for by the man standing behind her. She was blissfully content with her world at that moment and wanted nothing more than for it to go on forever. “I wasn’t trying to eavesdrop. I can go back in the bedroom if—”
“No, I’m done. And it wasn’t anything you couldn’t listen in on.” He turned her in his arms, so she faced him. “In fact, it was kind of about you. Among other things.”
Confused and curious, she reached out to set her mug on the small table that sat next to the big, leather easy chair, then turned back to face him. “Tell me more,” she said, sliding her arms over his shoulders and toying with the curls at the nape of his neck.
He made a sound that was half growl, half purr, and she smiled when she saw his eyes darken as desire flared. She suspected he saw the same in hers as her body leapt to life.
“I thought we’d talk about it over breakfast,” he said. “Which is ready.”
“Earning your keep,” she said, trailing her fingertips over the nape of his neck, enjoying his visceral reaction to her touch. “I like it.”
He leaned in and caught the lobe of her ear between his teeth. “I thought I did that last night,” he murmured.
“Well, I like to think that was more of a mutual admiration kind of thing.”
“Indeed,” he said, trailing kisses along the side of her neck. “I know I was a big fan.”
“Some might say huge,” she replied, letting out a little gasp when he pushed the shirt down over her shoulders and nuzzled the crook of her neck, while simultaneously scooping her up and urging her legs around his waist. “I’m detecting a pattern here,” she said, smiling as he let her head drop back, allowing him free reign to go . . . wherever his mouth and tongue wanted to go.
“This way I don’t have to let you go while I get us where we need to be,” he said, surprising her by not carrying her to bed, but simply turning and sinking down into the big leather chair, with her now straddling his lap.