Page 50 of Cowboy Stolen Kiss for Christmas

“Losing you.” She shivered, recalling the fuel tank that had been tampered with.

“Not gonna happen.” He pulled open the door, revealing that he’d folded down the middle console into a seat cushion so they could sit closer together.

They drove with her hand curled around his arm. Since their respective jobs and his frequent travels kept them apart so much of the time, they tended to snuggle as much as they could when they were together.

The moment they passed beneath the log beam entrance of Canyon Creek Ranch, she relaxed in ways she could only do when they were together like this. “I love it here,” she declared softly. “I know I’m not a native Texan, but there’s just something about this place.” She gazed out the windows at the pastures stretching as far as she could see on both sides of them. Cattle grazed. Horses frolicked across the grassy fields. A pair of butterflies flitted past the windshield as they rolled closer to the main farmhouse.

“Maybe it’s because this is where you belong.” Ames reached up to cover the hand she had resting on his arm.

She felt her cheeks turn warm as her brain immediately started to analyze what he meant by that. She couldn’t help it.

Instead of parking up by the house that Nash and Noelle lived in, Ames kept driving. He circled around to the back and continued on down the paved road leading to the cabin he shared with Flint. But he didn’t stop there, either. He kept on driving.

About a quarter mile further down the road, they arrived at a gravel driveway on the left that looked like it had recently been laid. A wooded lot stretched in front of them. Some of the trees had been removed from the middle to form a tidy clearing.

“What’s this?” Laura gazed around them, mystified.

“It’s where I want to build a house.” Ames parked and opened the door. “Want to take a closer look?”

“Absolutely!” Her heart raced with excitement as he assisted her down. “I didn’t know you were thinking of building. What do you have in mind?”

“Our future home.” He reached for her hands. “It’s all I’ve been able to think about lately, especially when we’re apart.”

“Ours?” She squeaked out the word.

“Yes. Ours.” He took a knee in front of her. “I know you love me, Laura, and I know you love Texas. Will you marry me and build a life here together?”

“Oh, Ames!” She clutched his hands, feeling dizzy.

“Is that a yes?” His voice was pleading.

“Yes, it’s a yes,” she choked. Oh, my goodness! This is really happening.

“In that case…” He withdrew a small black velvet box from his pocket and popped open the lid.

A huge square diamond glinted back at her. It was mounted on a white gold band. She blinked in amazement. It looked like the same one she and Lucy had admired in the jewelry store window back in Pinetop.

“You didn’t, by any chance, ask my sister for ring advice?” Her hand shook a little as she held it out for him to slide on the ring.

He grinned up at her. “She assured me this was the perfect ring.”

“It is,” she sighed. It was so gorgeous that her heart ached from the beauty of it. And from all the thought and effort he’d put into purchasing it. And from the enormous investment it had taken on his part. Just thinking about it made it her dizzy.

“I’m just glad you like it.” He stood and drew her close again.

“I love it,” she declared tremulously. “But I love you even more. So much more.”

As they kissed, happy tears slid down her cheeks.

He brushed them gently away. “Please assure me you’re not having second thoughts.”

“Not at all. I’m just a little overwhelmed right now.” Her voice swelled with emotion.

“I know how close you are to your family.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “They’re welcome to visit anytime and stay as long as they want. If you start to miss them too much between visits, I’ll fly you to the mountains for the weekend, you hear?”

“Thank you. I’d like that.” So would her family. She rested her head on his shoulder, reveling in his strength and nearness.

He spun with her in his arms to face the clearing together. “Next on the agenda will be for you to help me design our dream home. I’ve been talking to one of the builders in town. He said we can sit down with one of his architects, and they’ll sketch out anything we want.”

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