Cowboy Up (Coming Home #3)

There really is no way to describe what it feels like when all the pieces of you that had been out of sorts your whole damn life start to click together. When all those years of twisting them up because you couldn’t figure out what you were missing are unraveled in an instant when you find what your purpose in life truly is. For me, I knew my place was here on the ranch and that my protection and love went to my siblings and only them. Because of my parents, I knew allowing myself to find what Maverick and Quinn had would be something too risky. I had resigned myself to that life, only recently feeling like I was spiraling, with my siblings no longer needing me. But then I met this woman and those pieces started shifting until I knew without a doubt that my crazy, shy, wild-when-she-wants woman was my purpose. My reason for waking and my reason for breathing. The woman who made the risk of loving her unquestionably worth it, because with her love, that risk is really just a reward. I would have done this weeks ago, but it wasn’t until today that I knew it was time. I take her hands in mine and wink when her eyes grow a little wider. Not looking away from her, I drop to my knee. Her hands jerk in my grasp as she watches me. I inhale deeply and start putting mental pictures of this moment away so I’ll never forget what it looks like to ask for forever with the person who holds your purpose.

“Caroline Lynn Michaels,” I start, having to pause when a lump of emotion crawls up my throat before continuing. “There will never be a time in my life, yours, and whatever waits for us beyond that when my heart won’t beat a little quicker because of what my love for you does to me. You came into my life and showed me how wrong I’d been about so many things without even tryin’. I never wanted more for myself than what I had runnin’ the ranch and seein’ my family thrive, but then your love made me need things I hadn’t ever allowed myself to think of before. Without you, there isn’t anything here on this earth worth findin’. Not a goal I can set for my life that would mean anything to achieve. My purpose. Everything I could possibly achieve. It’s all you now. You’ve turned my house into our home, put me back together when I hadn’t even realized I’d been broken, and given me so much more in four months than some people will ever get in a whole lifetime. We burned our way through our own paths in order to find this road we’re travelin’ on now together. I only hope I’m able to give you back a fraction of what you give me. I was made to love you, Caroline, and there isn’t anything that would make me happier than you becomin’ my wife. Marry me, Linney. Marry me today, tomorrow, or the next day, and let me spend the rest of our lives provin’ that I deserve the honor of you.”

“Oh, God,” she cries, her whole body shaking with her soft sobbing. The tiniest sounds come from her while she struggles to compose herself.

I release her right hand, keeping hold of her other, and reach into my pocket to pull out the ring I bought almost four months ago. Right after our second dinner at the ranch. I knew then, just like I knew when I stupidly denied it to myself the night I met her, that she’s my forever.

When the sun catches the diamonds, Caroline stops trying to control herself and cries harder. I place the ring against the tip of her ring finger and wait, looking at the diamonds as they reflect thousands of colorful prisms in the sun, feeling my own eyes burn, knowing that this moment will forever be one of the greatest triumphs in my life. Her body shudders as she sucks in a choppy gasp, and I glance up just in time to see her looking down at our hands with her chin quivering and more wetness starting to pool in her eyes. This time, there are no sounds, just her tears running silently down her cheeks while she watches me intently. A lesser man would feel some dread over the prolonged silence from the woman he just asked to be his wife, but not me. I know what she’ll say. I’ve known for months now that her answer would be yes, no matter when I asked. It’s what drove me to the jeweler to begin with, needing this ring to be ready when the moment came. Confident as I was, I knew she’d be like this. She wouldn’t be the woman I love if she didn’t need to work through the overpowering emotions slamming into her. If I need to kneel here until the sun dips below the trees, I’ll do it. I’ll give her all the time in the world to give me—us—the beginning of everything.

By the time we leave here tonight, I’ll have my ring on her finger; our bellies will be full with the food waiting for us; and there’ll be grass stains on our clothes from when I love my future wife slow and soft under the blue skies, endless green pastures, in the spot that was my only salvation for thirty-five years. Used to be—not now. Not with the love of a damn good woman showing me my way.

Her hand pushes forward in my hold with a sharp jerk, the movement causing the ring to slide down to the middle of her finger, stopping at her knuckle. I’m unable to look away from the big round stone surrounded by tons of smaller diamonds, what it symbolizes hitting me with a maelstrom of emotions. None of them bad, either. No panic, like I had felt when this was almost forced on me by my ex. No fear when I think about my parents’ marriage. Nothing but excitement for what my future with Caroline holds. I swallow thickly before glancing back up at her. Her silent tears are still cascading down her tan cheeks, but she’s giving me a huge, blindingly happy, toothy smile. Even though I knew it in my gut, seeing how happy she is and knowing those tears are because she’s that happy, I feel my own expression break as my joy is given free rein.

“Yes,” she finally answers in a small whisper so soft that if there had been some wind, it would have carried her word away with it before it reached my ears. Awe present in her hushed tone, her stare is locked on our hands as I slide the ring the rest of the way down her slim finger. She continues to look down, only giving me her eyes when I lift her hand and press a kiss against the ring. I hold my lips there, watching her chest shake as she pulls in rapid breaths. It’s the pure, unmasked joy lighting every inch of her that has me silently vowing I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she never loses that happiness while we love each other for the rest of our lives.

I climb to my feet, bending down to dust the dirt off my knee, before stretching to my full height. Caroline looks so tiny standing before me, holding her hand out in front of her face as she admires the ring.

“You look good wearin’ my diamonds, Linney, love.” My voice must have broken the spell she had been hooked in, because her head snaps up and she jumps. When our gazes collide, I see she hadn’t really stopped the crying like I thought. “You’re killin’ me with the tears, darlin’.”

“I’m so happy, Clayton Davis.” Her whole body shakes as she gets choked up. I can’t help it when my chest puffs slightly. I feel damn good about being the reason she’s feeling this way—even if it’s coming with some tears.

“How about you get in my arms with your mouth on mine and show me just how happy you are?”

She doesn’t hesitate. She jumps, and her arms go around my neck at the same time her legs circle my hips. My hands instantly go to her sweet ass, pulling her closer and keeping her right where I want her. The heat of her pussy is unmistakable against my hard cock, even with the layers keeping us apart completely. She peppers my face with kisses, her soft lips moving frantically as she covers me from forehead to jaw. When she lifts, after pressing one last kiss to the side of my jaw, I expect her to finally give me her mouth. Instead, she tips her head back, and shouts up to the sun and the bright blue sky, her back arched, with her tits right in front of my face, while holding on with her hands hooked together behind my neck. Her body bounces, excitement flowing, and I groan when I feel that movement milk some pre-come from my needy cock.

“My dark cowboy is goin’ to be my husband!” Caroline shouts. Her whole body quivers with excitement as she looks back at me. “You’re goin’ to be my husband, Clayton,” she tells me, her lips curled in a beautiful, happy smile.

“You’re gonna be my wife.”