Page 39 of A Letter to Adaya
“Where’s the buggy?” Adaya asked.
Beau lifted his head and barely glanced at her before returning to his task. “Where’s your cloak?”
“Carolina was fetching it.”
“We aren’t taking a buggy. I need to get back to town, and a buggy will only slow me down.”
“Are we only taking one horse?” The thought thrilled and terrified her at the same time.
“Yes. That way, I don’t have to unsaddle it when I get home. I’ll just turn around and head back.”
“That’s a long distance for a horse to ride in one day.”
Beau finished adjusting the cinch and patted Fogg’s rump before turning to her. “What are you getting at?”
“I have a question for you, Beau Pickett.”
“What’s that?” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the hitching post.
She put her hand in her pocket and held tight to the letter, drawing strength from the words written on the page. “Did you mean it?”
“I mean everything I say.”
“Do you mean everything you write?” His eyes opened wide as he pushed away from the post and moved closer to her. “That you were mine if I’d have you.” She thought back to his words at the sheriff’s office. “That you’d raise horses with me and live out our days in the cabin we are building?”
Beau moved closer and cupped her face in his hands, his fingers threading through her hair as he looked deep into her eyes. She watched all the emotions flit across his handsome face; confusion, surprise and finally love. His lips softened into a smile as he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
“Yes, Adaya,” he murmured against her skin. “I meant everything I said.”
“You don’t hold what my father and those men did against me?” she asked, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. Beau wiped them away with the pads of his thumbs and kissed both of her eyelids before pressing his lips to hers in a soft kiss.
“They aren’t you, my love. When the judge passes the sentence, you are correct that he will sell the land. But if you are married, you get to keep it.”
She curled her fingers around his arm, appreciating the solid muscle holding her. “I don’t understand.”
“The land would go to your husband, who would make sure it stays with you.”
“I’m not marrying you to keep my land.”
Beau’s eyes twinkled with delight as his lips curled into a wide, beaming smile. He leaned in closer and said with a mischievous glint in his voice, “I don’t believe I’ve asked you yet.”
“Well, you better hurry if we are going to find the judge before he leaves town.”
“Don’t you want to wait?”
“We don’t have time.”
Moving his hand to her waist, he pulled her closer. “Adaya Breckenridge, will you marry me?”
Jumping into his arms, she threaded her fingers into his hair to pull his face down towards hers. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you, Beau. Are you going to kiss me again?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He captured her lips in a gentle, yet passionate kiss filled with the promise of a future together forever. Adaya felt the breath leave her body.
“Do you think you should give her the cloak?” a voice asked, piercing her thoughts.
“Nope.” She recognized the voice as belonging to Carolina. “I’ll just take it back inside.”
“Hey, wife. Have I told you I think you’re the prettiest thing ever?”
