Page 26 of Cold Snap

She's perfect. My love, my angel.

My sweet girl that I'm going to keep warm and safe and happy for the rest of our lives together.

EPILOGUE ONE

ROSA

* Eight Months Later *

“You’re late.” I turn with a knife in my hand toward the low, sexy growl I've come to adore.

Baz jumps back with his hands in the air. "I'm teasing! Please don't kill me, Chef."

I set the knife back in the block and give the counter a final wipe. "A person can't be late when leaving work. Only arriving. Check the rulebook, Bossman."

Baz always grins whenever I jokingly refer to him as the boss. Thanks to him, his older brother Barrett and Barrett's friend Jace Wolfe, we've taken over and refurbished a restaurant in Old Hemlock Valley.

We didn't want to steal any business from the local diner and coffee shop, so we created Hemlock Lodge, a charming, casual date night getaway that's only open Thursday through Saturday evenings. I'm completely in charge of the kitchen, and the owners stay out of my hair other than occasionally suggesting a favorite dish they haven't had in a while.

I grab my purse and sweater, glancing at the schedule on the way out. There's a new hot pink sticky note right in the middle that reads, "Cat is taking over for the last two weeks of September."

I spin back toward Baz so fast he has to catch me. "What's going on? Why is Cat taking over?"

Catrina is my sous chef, and she's amazing, but I don't quite know if she has the experience to take over for any length of time.

Baz takes me outside to the truck, then falls to one knee. "You already proposed, Bossman." Fishing around in the top of my shirt, I pull out the gold chain holding my breathtaking diamond and ruby ring and wave it at him. "Remember?"

"Exactly. It's time for us to actually do that wedding thing."

My mouth falls open as I blink at him for several seconds. "People spend years organizing that kind of stuff. And we don't have the money to?—"

He places a finger over my lips. "I've told you before, I have more than enough money for anything you want. And if you want to take years to plan it, that's great. But I was thinking, maybe it would be nice to have just a handful of people here at the restaurant. A simple ceremony, a simple dinner"...his eyebrows furrow as he glares for a split second…"that someoneelsewill cook…"

I laugh as he squeezes my hands.

"And then we take off for a two-week vacation to wherever my angel wants."

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

Staring up at the fluffy clouds scudding past the peaks of Wolfe Mountain, my mind starts to turn. "Maybe somewhere in South America. Or Europe. Ooh, Hawaii?"

Baz stands and wraps his massive arms around me. Even though I suspect he's been working out less since he's always so busy driving me to and from the restaurant, he's just as jacked as ever.

"Why don't I pick up pizza on the way home and we can lounge and noodle around online until you decide?"

For a split second I hear the echo of that old voice in the back of my mind whispering that I need to start starving myself immediately if I'm going to be seen in a bathing suit any time soon.

Then I feel strong hands skim around my hips and grab my ass firmly. "You've been working too hard," he grumbles. "I don't want any of this luscious body to waste away. We're getting extra garlic bread tonight and I'm giving you a foot rub."

It all makes me think that nasty old voice is never really coming back.

Baz worships me. Treats me like a queen at every opportunity. Which means I want to treat him like my king.

Stretching up, I bring my lips to his ear. "Of all the places in the world that you've ever wanted to visit, which has the best scenery for you to admire while I'm busy sucking your cock?"

A gritty growl grinds in his throat. Then he grins. "Why don't we find out, angel?"

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