In Japan, Juliet had gone through the Big Chop, cutting off her relaxed hair and letting it grow out in it’s natural state of tight little curls that almost reached her shoulders these days.
From there it had been one adventure after another: the Ice hotel in Sweden; Carnival in Brazil; scuba diving in Australia; walking along the Great Wall in China.
Soon they were going to embark on the biggest adventure of all. She just had to tell Chance about it first.
“I’m so pooped!” Anna said with a Swiss lilt to her voice.
“Are you?” Juliet asked teasingly. “Well, I guess we better get you back home to take a nap.”
“Nooo!” the little girl protested, finding renewed vigor.
Juliet just laughed.
“I think Uncle Chance needs a nap, sweetie,” he said, coming to rest on the towel next to Juliet.
There was a bit more protest from their five-year-old ward for the day, until Juliet reminded her about the little kitten that had taken up residence on the patio outside of their hotel room. There were cats and kittens all over this island and this particular one was Anna’s favorite.
After gathering up their things, Chance placed his arm around Juliet’s waist as they walked back up the winding narrow road—the only vehicles on the island were scooters and golf carts—to their hotel. Anna skipped ahead of them, singing some little song to herself as she went. Juliet watched her with a smile, thinking about what a blessing children were.
“I know,” he whispered down to her.
She looked up at him, her brow wrinkled in confusion. It cleared when she saw the look on his face. She had found out yesterday, waiting for the right time to tell him.
They had been trying for a month now. In Rome, they had just decided it was time to start a family. Like everything about their relationship, it had gone completely against the societal expectations. But this past year had strengthened their union more than any vows could. And they both wanted kids. Juliet had quit her birth control pills the next day.
“How did you find out?” she asked in genuine surprise.
He just laughed. “How many times do I have to tell you I can read you like a book, more importantly, your body.”
She stopped on the road and turned to face him. “So…how do you feel about it?”
He reached out a hand to stroke her cheek. “Do you even need to ask?”
Her smile broke through larger and brighter than ever. “Oh, Chance.”
She threw her arms around his neck and stood on her toes to kiss him.
“Eww!” Anna cried, having turned back around just in time to see them.
They both pulled apart, laughing.
They were celebrating in the little restaurant by the dock. They sat by an open window where the balmy night air flowed through as they enjoyed their meal.
“I’m thinkin’ we should maybe think about heading home—for good.”
“What about the Maldives?” Juliet asked. It had been next on their list of places to go.
“We can save that for the honeymoon.”
“Honeymoon?”
“Well, I can’t very well take you back home without makin’ an honest woman of you, can I?”
He pushed his chair back and stood up, coming around to kneel beside her chair. He dug into the pocket of the jeans he was wearing and pulled out a ring that had a single large, dark purple stone in the center.
“Oh my God!” she gasped as several different thoughts ran through her head. It was the exact same type of crystal that she’d been staring at in the geode when they’d first met. How had he gotten it? When had he bought it?
Wait…he was proposing!
“Yes!” She said before he could even open his mouth.
He laughed. “Are you going to even give me a chance to ask?”
She reached down and placed her arms around him. “You should have read it all over my face, Chance.”
He laughed even harder before it was silenced with a kiss. The other patrons in the restaurant clapped and cheered.
They had a small ceremony on the island, conducted by the captain of a ship that had brought tourists into port. Anna’s parents were the witnesses and she was thrilled to play flower girl.
They both knew a ceremony with their families would have to be held when they got back to Texas. This one was their way of cementing the past year and having a moment just for themselves…all three of them.
“And do you, Chance McCoy take Juliet Dumas as your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold…?”
They stared at each other as the captain recited the well-known vows.
Juliet may not have been as good as Chance at reading people but she could read his answer all over his face before he even answered. I do.
Also by Camilla Stevens
WRIGHT BROTHERS SERIES
Mr. Wright & Mr. Wrong
Mr. & Mrs. Wright
So Wrong
CALIFORNIA NOVELS
One Night
Sweet Seduction
TEXAS HEAT ROMANCE SERIES
Home Run
About the Author
Camilla Stevens is a New York transplant from Los Angeles. At night you can find her typing away, usually with a glass of wine, getting all the steamy, humorous, Happily Ever After stories out of her head and down on the page. You can usually find tulips, her favorite flower, making an appearance in most of her novels.
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High Stakes: A Texas Heat Romance Page 21
