Page 67 of Some Cowboys Brave the Flames

He lowered his face to hers, his warm breath brushing against her cheek as he whispered close to her ear. “I’m going to make you fall in love with me.”

She exhaled. “I’m sorry, Ash, but you’re too late.”

He stiffened, drawing back and staring at her with a new sort of ache in his eyes.

Charlie placed a hand to his cheek. “I’ve loved you since before I can remember. I don’t think I ever stopped loving you. And I don’t think I ever will.”

Ash didn’t move for a few moments. It was as if he needed to take a moment to soak in what she’d just said. Then he let out a laugh and scooped her into his arms before spinning her around. When he placed her on her feet, he leaned down to kiss her. It was a deep, scorching sort of kiss—one that demanded all of her.

She wasn’t naive enough to believe she was ready for marriage. She needed to grow and mature a little more before she’d trust herself with that sort of commitment. The mistakes she’d made had settled deep in her heart. A small part of her knew that the memories would linger there, reminding her of how close she’d come to losing the one person who had loved her when she didn’t even know who she was yet.

“I love you, Charlie,” he said.

Her smile broke their kiss. “I love you, too,” she whispered.

“And I hope you know that eventually, I plan on making you mine.”

Her brows lifted. “Ash?—”

He placed a finger to her lips. “It doesn’t have to be today. Or this year even. I waited for you for six years, and I’d happilywait for six more—just so long as I never have to go another day without being able to kiss you, to hold you like this.”

She wanted to laugh and cry and dance all at once. But all she could do was nod as she placed both hands on either side of his face to kiss him one more time.

EPILOGUE

Nine Months Later

Ash

Blossoms bloomed on the trees everywhere Ash could see. Floral scents clung to the air. The Keagan family had expanded by one more baby, and now Emma was expecting. Ash stood back with Daniel. He still struggled with the loss of the friendship he’d had with Mason.

Charlie had told him more details about how their first kiss had gone down, but Mason wasn’t about to budge on his morals. If he’d had his way, Ash got the feeling he would have been arrested for that brief peck.

His eyes swept over to where Charlie sat on a picnic table beside her friend Isabelle. Beside them, Isabelle’s older cousin Aria laughed at something that had been said.

Daniel, ever the quiet observer, seemed to be watching the women, too.

Ash glanced to him and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, not sure how to go about asking what he wanted to know. A stiff breeze rustled through the branches of a nearby tree, tugging with it some blossom petals. Ash glanced up at the sky, which had started to darken.

“You might as well say it. We’re not getting any younger,” Daniel said, his eyes never leaving his sister and her friends.

Ash chuckled, bringing his focus back to his friend. “Am I so transparent?”

“More,” Daniel admitted.

He chuckled again. His friend was right. “I have a question, but I don’t know how to ask it.”

“Just ask.”

If only it were so easy. He swallowed hard. “I’d like to ask Charlie to marry me.”

“And you don’t know how to do it?” Daniel arched a brow, confusion in his gaze. “I’m sorry, Ash, but if you don’t know how to pop the question?—”

“I know how to pop the question,” he muttered with exasperation. “I’m just not sure how it’s going to be taken—by everyone here.”

“You’re going to ask herhere?”

Ash dragged a hand down his face. “What I mean to say is that I don’t know how your family will take it. A few of you are on board with our relationship. Tensions have lessened, but they’re still there. I could ask Wade. Or maybe I need to ask Mason? I just don’t know the protocol…”

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