Page 103 of Hard Hat Hottie

Dropping to my knee, I reach into my pocket to retrieve the biggest ring the jeweler had in his shop. There will be no doubt going forward that Harlow is all mine. “Harlow, there were so many times I’d wanted to reach out to you when we first met. I wanted to bury myself in you and forget the rest of the world existed. But it wasn’t onlymy lifethat was a mess back then. I was too.”

I inhale a shaky breath, trying to get my emotions in check. “I’m so in love with you. Full of pride at how much I’ve grown with you.” The boulder wedged in my throat is getting harder to push words around. It’s not nerves, but overwhelming gratitude at all I have in my life. I hope I can communicate it well enough for her to truly understand how much she means to me.

“There were so many times when you came back into my life that I wanted to beg you to never leave me.” My voice cracks.Whew, this is heavy.“But I needed to grow up, be someone who could offer you as much as I knew you’d give to me.”

Flipping open the ring box, I lift it up as tears rain down the trembling hands covering her mouth. “Instead, I promise to be the man you deserve, so you’ll never want to let go.” Lifting the large emerald cut diamond so she can see the inscription on the platinum band, I pray she won’t keep me waiting for an answer.

I choose you.

“Harlow, will you marry?—?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” She throws her full weight on me before I can get my bearings, and we both end up in the sand. “I’ve been regretting saying we needed a year for the last six months.”

It’s hard to get a word out, smothered by her windblown hair, salty tears, and sweet kisses. “I hope this means we don’t have to endure some long engagement. Harlow, I want you and the boyshere with me. I want to find a way to take you all on the road.” Reaching up to move her hair out of the way, I realize I still have her ring in my grip. “Give me that finger, woman. This mermaid is off the market!”

Pushing up off of my chest with one arm, she shakily holds her left hand out to me. As the ring glides down her finger, there’s a sense of pride filling my chest like I’ve never known.

“I love you. And so do the boys. They’ll be excited to officially move in.” She buries her face in my neck. “I’ve never been happier in my life, Harrison.”

“I’d say me too, but…” My face contorts in pain.

Her head springs up alarmed.

“I think something just bit me on the ass.”

Harlow jumps off of me, and I roll to confirm I was right. A damn crab is attached to the back of my pants. “Well, don’t just stand there cackling, pull it off of me.”

Doubled over in laughter, Harlow’s more concerned about finding her phone to capture this moment than freeing my ass cheek from its grip.Holy hell, this hurts.

“I thought you were supposed to be an ER nurse. Some help you are.” I start to rip my pants off when she bats at it with her phone and it drops onto the sand.

“Come on. Let’s go inside where I can take a good look at it.” She licks her lips. Normally, I’d be ready to pounce, but nothing deflates a boner like crab claws.

Harlow grabs her towel and places her things in the beach bag before strutting in front of me. That hot ass, barely covered in neon pink nylon, swaying provocatively, and her tattooed arm shining in the summer sun, soon, have me forgetting everything else. Everything but the woman who agreed to continue turning my world upside down for the rest of my life.

The End.

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