Page 49 of Control Line

He didn’t see an ounce of anger or a tinge of doubt. All he saw was love, hope, and a dash of sass.Game on, then.

“And why would I want to do that?” Her voice tinkled with amusement.

“Because, YOLO.”

She was so adorable when her mouth dropped open and she stomped her foot. “No, absolutely not. That is a deal breaker. I would never marry someone who says YOLO.” She tried to push past him, but he stopped her with a gentle hand and stood.

“I want to tell you how utterly sorry I am, and I will never take my pain out on you like that again. I have some me work to do, and I will do it. I realize now that’s what happened. I want to tell you that and so much more, but I don’t want. . .him, and that whole mess tainting your proposal. I want the apologies and the tears and the pain separate from this. I can promise I will say all those things and more. I’ll spend the rest of my life protecting your heart and making up for all my wrongs. You just have to say yes.”

Barney ignored the Malone’s ohs and ahs and Gambler’s bets.

“Yeah? Well, where’s my ring? You can’t properly propose without a ring.”

She could drag it out as long as she wanted. He saw theyesin her eyes and that was all that mattered.

Leaning into her ear, he gave her an answer that pulled a shiver from her body. “I have one, it’s just not for your finger and I can’t give it to you in front of them.”

“We may be old, son, but we’re not deaf. Gambler will take us back, you two stay and say your sorries. Make sure you get back to the cabin for anything else. There are campers just up the way.”

Point one, he was back to son with the Malones. Point two, they’d practically given their blessing. It was all but a done deal. He just needed his woman to say that word. The one she knew he wanted to hear. She was just holding back because she was making him pay a little, and he deserved it. He would grovel as soon as his audience was out of earshot.

“So, doll, I’m waiting.”

“I don’t know, I need to see the ring first. What if it’s not all I dreamed of, or big enough?”

Barney scooped her up in a dominate kiss while maneuvering her into the trees. Backing her up to one with her pack protecting her skin, he thrust his hips against her almost violently.

“You have seen it.” He bit her bottom lip and thrust again. “I know you dreamed about it at least a few nights.” He thrust once more and ground against her until she moaned. “And it most assuredly is big enough.”

“I don’t know,” she panted. “You told me that was a cross not a ring.”

Kissing down the side of her neck, he rested his nose in the crook there and breathed her in. “You got me there, doll. I’ll buy you a ring, any kind or size you want. I know you love me. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have gone to my lawyer even though I hurt you terribly.”

The tone got serious. “How can you propose when you have that hanging over your head? There is a child with your name. I’m so sorry, Barney. I was going to read the letter with you, but you never came back.”

“Shush. None of it is your fault. And we said no sorries attached to this proposal, including yours. We can settle all that later. It’s not a big deal right now. We are. We’ll work all that out as long as we are together. I love you so much it hurts. We can conquer the world, or at least my life after death, so what do you say? Save all those worries for another day and answer the damn question already.”

“What the hell, YOLO.”

Barney bit down on his lip, then released it with a laugh. “Damn right, YOLO.”

Except in his case, it was more like YOLT, and he planned to make the most of it.

Barney created some space to remove their clothes, or at least certain garments. All those worries were for another day. The only thing they had to worry about right now were the campers over the ridge catching them and ratting them out to the Malones.

~ THE END ~

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