But this wasn’t too soon for him. He was in love and knew this feeling would last forever. His brothers had known it the moment they’d seen him with her and expressed both shock and dismay that he’d somehow managed to “bag a babe like Mallory.”
He removed the engagement ring from under the pile of shirts in his dresser drawer. Two days ago, she’d almost caught him. He would have asked her then, but he’d planned this down to the letter. Christmas Eve. He would chop down the best tree in the forest for her because nothing else but the best would do. Then he’d build her a fire and get down on one knee. He hadn’t expected his nerves to get the better of him or the fear that coursed through his blood at the thought he might lose her.
When he walked back to the living room, the box shoved in his pocket, he found her sitting cross-legged in front of the Christmas tree. She turned and smiled, and he seriously thought his heart would burst out of his chest. He was a tough guy, but some days he didn’t think his heart would hold up.
“I made hot chocolate,” she said.
And she’d decorated the lower half of the Christmas tree. Yeah, he was an idiot for getting one this tall. “It looks really good, babe. I’ll get the top half, don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry I thought it was too big. It’s actually perfect.” She went into his arms.
His head fit snugly as he rested it on hers. “You don’t have to be sorry. I’m the sorry one. I’ve been a grump and I know it. I just had to talk to you about something, and I kept putting it off. Because I’m nervous.”
She pulled back to look up at him, her eyes wide, and he wasn’t entirely sure if that was fear or surprise flashing in her gaze. Her lower lip trembled. “Why are you nervous?”
He took a step back to have the space to do this right. Sweaty hand full-on shaking, he pulled the ring box out of his pocket and went down on one knee.
“Mallory, would you—” But he didn’t get the rest of the words out, because she jumped him, pushing him back to the ground.
“Oh, my God! Yes, yes, yes!”
Sugar leapt from the pillow she usually dozed on and barked, apparently worried she had to defend him. “Yark! Yip! Yark!”
On his back, he held up the open box. “That was easier than I thought it would be.”
She was straddling his hips. “I didn’t let you finish. Go ahead. It should be easier now that you know my answer.”
He laughed. “Will you marry me and put up with my crazy ass for the rest of your life?”
“Yes, Liam Turlock, I will, because I love you and your ass so much.”
Then she kissed him, hard, and he felt it all the way to his heart.
She held out her finger and he slipped the ring on. “It’s so beautiful,” she said, her eyes watery.
He stood up, taking her with him. “Whew, I’m so relieved.”
“I can’t believe you doubted for a minute I’d say yes.”
“Probably because sometimes I think this is too good to be true. I’m a lucky man.”
“No. I’m the lucky one,” she said.
Then he picked her up and carried her into their bedroom to celebrate.
Thank you fo reading Liam and Mallory’s romance! To read any of the other books in the Starlight Hill 8-book series of standalone books, go here.
You may also like the Wilder Sisters, another small town romance series with two standalone books, Country Gold and She’s Country Strong.
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Also by Heatherly M. Bell
THE HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE BOOKS:
BREAKING EMILY’S RULES: HEROES OF FORTUNE VALLEY
AIRMAN TO THE RESCUE: HEROES OF FORTUNE VALLEY
THIS BABY BUSINESS
THE RIGHT MAN, a novella
THE WILDER SISTERS BOOKS:
COUNTRY GOLD
SHE’S COUNTRY STRONG
COMING IN 2019
MIRACLE BAY
And
FROM HARLEQUIN SPECIAL EDITION:
MORE THAN ONE NIGHT
Starlight Hill: Complete collection 1-8 Page 135
