Page 138 of The Cowboy’s Intriguing Love

“Thank you for bringing her, Ty,” she said as she took the seat opposite him that Davin had just vacated.

“Thanks for letting me keep her!” he said with a chuckle. While she was in the hospital, he’d been worried that they might decide that they should bring her home with them since there was no threat here at the lake anymore.

Alexis looked different when she smiled at him, softer. She almost didn’t look like the same woman who’d searched the foothills with Cash and the rest of them.

“I’d never interfere, Ty. Shay knows her own mind. She knows what she wants – and that’s you. I hope you’re prepared for that.”

He grinned. “I am. That’s what I came here to ask you. I want her right back. I want to spend the rest of my life with her. I want to marry her – and I need to know if you’re going to be okay with that.”

She didn’t smile immediately, and his heart started to race.

“I want to be,” she said eventually. “Tell me, Ty – are you loyal?”

“I am. You know my background. You know my family. I’d give my life for any one of them, and for any of my teammates.”

“I’m aware.” She smiled. “Would you say that you’re like Cash?”

He had to think about it, and when he did, he could only answer honestly. “Not totally, no. He’s better than the rest of us put together. I think I’m like him in my sense of loyalty, and sense of … right and wrong.” He met her gaze. “I want to be able to say that yes, I am, but I’m not that good.”

She nodded happily. “Then yes, I’ll relax and tell you that of course, I’m happy that you want to ask Shay to marry you. And I hope you’ll make each other happy for a very long time.”

He gave her a puzzled smile. “I want to just take the win and be happy with it, but I have to ask – why? You’re okay with it because I think I’m maybe a pale reflection of Cash?”

She laughed. “No! Because you can see who he is, and you aspire to be like him.” She laughed. “You see, I know who he is, and although I wouldn’t say that I aspire to be like him, I respect him – I’d even go as far as to say that I admire him. Although, don’t ever tell him I said that,” she added with a smile.

Ty laughed. “No worries, there. I doubt either of us would ever hear the last of it if I did.”

“Hey, guys! Do you want another drink?” Booker called from the back deck.

Ty looked down at his still almost full bottle then up at Alexis.

“Please would you bring them out?” she called, holding Ty’s gaze the whole time. “I know you might not want to but …”

Ty grinned. “I was planning to have a word with him.”

She smiled and got to her feet. “Then I’ll leave the two of you to talk.”

“Here you go,” Booker said when he arrived with a fresh beer.

“Thanks, bud.”

“Do you want to come back up to the house? Davin made Shay sit in one of the comfy chairs.”

“I will in a minute. Can I have a word, first?”

Booker frowned. “Sure. What’s wrong?”

“Sit down.”

Booker sat beside him. “Is something wrong with Shay? Do you need my help?”

“Nothing like that. I wanted a word with you because I want to ask her to marry me – and I want to know if you’re okay with that.”

“You haven’t asked her yet?”

“No. I wanted to talk to you guys first. Wanted to know that you’re good with it.”

“Why?”

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