by Honor James
“I know. That’s why I said you only had to put it on when we got close. You’d never last under it the whole way to the house.” He smiled. Settling in his seat, he did up his belt and started the engine. “Seatbelt,” he told her before backing out of the spot and heading toward the ranch.
She laughed as she buckled up. “You know me well.” She took his hand in hers; she couldn’t help herself. She had to touch him, needed to touch him. Since that moment a year earlier she found herself touching him as often as possible just so she could be sure she wasn’t dreaming.
Shaking his head at her, he squeezed her hand. “I’m learning,” he said, shooting her a grin and a wink. “So, how was your day? Any crazy hair requests from the Valentine-addled minds of the female population?”
Laughter spilled from her, and she nodded. “Dawn was in today,” she told him with a giggle. “Evidently, she has a new beau and she wanted to have her hair put up in a beehive style but to have a hole in the middle of it, so that she could put a picture of the two of them dangling there by fishing wire. It was the most absurd thing I’ve ever seen, but she loved it. Oh, and she said that you and I owe her,” Jackie reported. “Last year, she asked me why I hadn’t jumped you and your delicious man-meat, and it made me angry. Pissed me off that someone other than me was thinking of getting you naked. Bad, I know, but I think that was part of why I might have come to your ranch that night.” And oh, what a memorable night it had been!
“You were thinking of getting me naked before that night?” he asked with a grin. Men, focusing on what they considered the important stuff. “You never once mentioned that, my dear. I think you need to tell me more about all these thoughts you had about me and my man-meat. Which, by the way, is just a nasty-ass description.”
“Yes, it is a terrible description, and yes, I had thought of you naked more than once. I told you that I’ve had the hots for you my whole life. When I saw you in the rodeo three years ago it was all I could do not to come down off the stands and lick your chest when you peeled out of your shirt after riding the bull. Weird and strange, but total truth.”
He made a face at that. “Probably best you didn’t. All you would have got was a mouthful of grit. Bleh.” He stuck his tongue out a little before laughing. “All right, blindfold on now, Missy. We’re close enough that you may not see anything until I say otherwise.” Jackie knew that he had to have her put the blindfold on now or else her surprise might be ruined. One thing about Jackie, she certainly was an inquisitive cuss and she absolutely hated surprises, which only made the blindfold all the better in his mind, and honestly in hers as well. It would do the woman some good to build up some anticipation. Besides, good things came to her when Grant Franklyn blindfolded her or better yet tied her up.
Putting the blindfold on after giving Grant a grin, she tied it tightly around her head. “Okay, I can’t see anything now, Darling.” She began to search for his hand blindly once more. “How about you take my hand again, please?”
His hand caught hers and laced their fingers together. He didn’t say anything, so all she could hear was the sound of the engine, the soft music from the radio and the occasional crunch of the tires on the road. She could feel each turn and knew when they’d reached the ranch by the fact he slowed and that small rise right at the start of the drive. Then they were stopping, and it was silent.
His hand slipped from hers, and she could hear him moving, the door opening and closing and then the crunch of his boots on the gravel of the parking pad. Her door opened a moment later and her seatbelt was removed before his large hands guided her out of the truck. It was a little disconcerting being led around by him, yet interesting at the same time. He told her when to lift a foot, where she was, and where to turn.
Inside, he took her jacket from her and then guided her to where she knew the living room was. That’s when he set her in place and told her not to move. She could hear him moving around, soft rustling sounds of clothing and something else. Then, soft strains of music but nothing else. “Take off your blindfold,” he said softly from in front of her and, below?
Nervously Jackie took off the blindfold and blinked once, and then a second time. She looked down and saw Grant there with his hat at his knee and a ring box in his hand. Tears began to fall, and she looked to the table with a candlelight dinner for two, and then back to him. “Grant?” She whispered his name. That was all she could do in that moment. She could only whisper his name because her gaze was on the ring inside of the box. It was not a friendship ring, but something far more.
“I know we both despise the trappings of Valentine’s Day and how commercial it’s gotten. But on this one thing I thought we might bend a little. This has been the very best year of my life, Jacqueline, and I want it to never end. So, with that in mind,” he let out a long breath. Reaching for her hand, he held her fingers in his and stared up at her. “Would you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife? To keep loving me and being in my life for the rest of our days?”
Jackie felt her tears flow even harder. She nodded and squeezed his hand. “Yes, Grant. Yes, I will marry you. I want this life with you to never end.” It was funny, they both hated Valentine’s Day, but on this one, she was in love. “I want this to continue, as well. I want our life together to continue, and I want to be Mrs. Franklyn.”
Grinning, he slid the ring on her finger, tossed the box over his shoulder and then scooped her up into his arms. Kissing her, he held her close and smiled against her lips. “Thank God you said yes. I didn’t have a Plan C worked out,” he admitted with a laugh.
Jackie laughed and hugged him tightly. “All you needed was a question.” She admitted to him and kissed him back. “I love you, Grant. I want the rest of our lives to be together. I want the rest of our lives to be spent in love instead of hate. So in this I’m happy that we met during that wretched day.” Leaning in, she kissed him again. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Cowboy. Now, how about we go to bed and reheat our food later?” Her laughter trailed after her when he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder like he had that very first night a year ago. Laughter had found its way into their hearts and home. Now, and forever more.
The End
www.honor-james.net
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Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
