Page 18 of Her Grumpy Cowboy

I eye the fabric, my pulse quickening. “Is that a blindfold?”

He nods, his blue eyes dancing with mischief. “It’s all part of the surprise. Do you trust me, baby?”

I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly dry. I do trust Luke, completely and implicitly. But the idea of willingly giving up my sight, of not knowing where we’re going... it’s a little nerve-wracking.

“Yes,” I say finally. “I trust you.”

His grin widens as he leans over, gently positioning the blindfold over my eyes. The fabric is soft and cool against my skin, and my other senses heighten as my vision is obscured. I can hear Maisey’s excited giggle from the backseat, can feel the dip of the truck as Luke settles back into his seat.

The engine rumbles to life and we pull out onto the road. Without my sight, every bump and turn feels more pronounced. I grip the edge of my seat, my heart racing with a mix of nerves and excitement.

The drive seems to stretch endlessly yet pass in a blink. At last the truck slows and stops.

“Stay put for a sec,” Luke says. I hear him get out and open the back door to unbuckle Maisey. Then my own door opens and I feel his large hand grasp mine. “Careful now.”

I let him guide me out of the truck, my steps tentative. Finally Luke removes the blindfold. “Open your eyes, Jasmyn.”

My eyes open and I blink against the sudden brightness. As my vision clears I freeze in place.

We’re standing in front of my old ballet studio.

“Luke.” His name escapes me in a whisper. “What are we doing here?”

His eyes lock with mine. “Jasmyn, I know how much this place means to you and how much it hurt when it closed down. I couldn’t stand the thought of you losing something that brings you so much joy. So I bought it for you.”

Tears prick the corners of my eyes. “You bought it for me? But how? The building was sold to Donovan Enterprises last week.”

“I went to school with Drew Donovan, the guy who bought the studio.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “You did?”

“I did. And when I heard he was the one who’d bought it, I decided to pay him a visit.”

I swallow hard. “What did you do?”

Luke takes my hand in his. “I told him about you, Jasmyn, about how much you love to dance and how much this studio means to you. I told him about Maisey and how she adores coming to your classes. I told him that I wanted to buy it from him so that you could keep teaching and doing what you love.”

I feel a lump form in my throat.

Luke’s voice softens. “And you know what he said to me? He said he understood, that he knew what it was like to have someone you care about lose something important to them. And then he agreed to sell me the studio.”

A single tear escapes, trailing down my cheek. “You really bought the studio for me?” My voice trembles as emotion overwhelms me.

Luke reaches out, his thumb gently brushing away the tear on my cheek. “Yes, baby. I bought it for you. This studio, it’s yours now. Yours to fill with music and laughter and dance again.”

More tears spill over as I stare at him in awe. “But why? Why would you do something like this for me?”

Luke’s eyes are a brilliant blue, shining with an intensity I’ve never seen before. He takes both of my hands in his, his touch sending sparks dancing across my skin. “Because I love you, Jasmyn. I’m in love with you. I have been since the first moment I saw you.”

My breath catches in my throat. Luke loves me. He’s in love with me. The words I’ve longed to hear, the feelings I’ve kept locked away in my heart, all laid bare in this perfect, shining moment.

“I love you too, Jasmyn!” Maisey exclaims, throwing her little arms around my waist. “I love you so much!”

I wrap an arm around her, hugging her close as I keep my other hand entwined with Luke’s.

Luke takes a deep breath. “Jasmyn, I know this might seem sudden. But the truth is, my feelings for you have been growing since the day we met. Every time I see you with Maisey, every time I watch you dance, every time you smile that gorgeous smile...I fall a little more in love with you.”

He squeezes my hand. “I want this, baby. I want us. You, me, and Maisey. I want us to be a family. I want to wake up with you every morning and fall asleep with you every night. I want to watch you teach Maisey to dance in this studio. I want to build a life and a future with you. If you’ll have us, that is.”

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