Page 37 of The Weight of Love

She pauses for a long moment.

“No, I don’t think I can do that either.”

“Oh, one more thing.”

I reach behind the machine and hand her an iced coffee with a wink.

“Because I haven’t forgotten your true love language either.”

“You should have lead with the coffee.”

“Now, get that ass to work so we can make our reservation.”

There’s a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth, so I step past her with a wink and a light smack to her ass.

“Yes, sir.”

Epilogue

Stella

It turned out to be a short deployment to Japan. Today is finally the day Clark comes home, and I cannot wait to see him again.

I head out on my drive to the Dallas-Fort Worth airport with the songs that Clark and I have been listening to on repeat. My heart is buzzing with excitement as I pull in.

I see him, and the world stops around me. He’s in his dark blue camo and looks every bit the hero he’s been to me and the kids in the months since I finally let my guard down a fraction of an inch.

I run to him and jump up to wrap my legs around him. He catches me and swings me into a tight hug. His bag drops to the floor. He’s kissing me, and I can feel how much he misses me as he pours every ounce into that kiss.

“I have missed you, Darlin’.”

“I am so glad you’re home. I don’t like it with you gone.”

He taps a hand on my ass in a silent signal for me to detach myself for half a second. I unwrap my legs and hop down, leaving my arms around his neck and standing on my tip toes.

I pull him into another kiss because I just can’t get enough. This time, his arms circle around my waist, and I can feel him tensing around me. He lets one hand stray to the curve of my ass that he’s so fond of and gives it an appreciative squeeze.

“Nice to see you’ve been working on that while I was gone.”

“Maybe we need to take this reunion somewhere less public, Cowboy. Otherwise, I will likely have my way with you right here, in the middle of the arrival terminal.”

“Hold on, Darlin’.”

He bends down, I assume to pick up his bag, and I turn to look at the clock behind us to see what time it is. When I turn back, he’s on one knee, a tiny blue box open in his hand.

“Stella, I can’t live without you anymore. I don’t want to. I know there’s still a lot for us to sort out, but I think we’ll do it better together. So, what do you say... will you marry me?””

My mind freezes, no thoughts. I may or may not be breathing. My eyes are searching his deep blue ones, and I am sinking heavily into them again.

“Yes.”

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