Page 31 of Silver Treasure
He hadn’t stopped staring into my eyes.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” I could see the sorrow in his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” New York was a long way fromWyoming.
“You are my home. Where you go, I go.” He said honestly.
“But Travis, the house, the ranch...” Was all that I had been able to get out.
“All of those things are merely accessories in my life. You are my life, Corrine. Without you, I don’t have one. All of the beats in my heart stopped beating for me the moment you walked in through the door at Redman’s for your first day of work, and they started to beat for you, and only for you” What?
“You said that you had every intention of marrying her and when that man said Maggie, you smiled. I won’t be second best Travis. I want to be somebody’s first choice. I want to be someone’s first everything and my last.”
There, I had laid my heart bare to him. He held all of me in the palms of his hands.
“And I want that also. What you missed was the reason behind my smile, I had recalled back to the moment that when your eyes lit up at that old song in my truck when we went to get Stormy. I knew I loved you then, I just hadn’t realized how much more I could have grown to love you. I lost my whole heart to you that day, and I don’t ever want it back. The only woman I could ever marry and live my life with is you, Corrine.”
I just didn’t understand, “Then why were you spending all of that time together with her? Even on my endurance ride, you took her somewhere in your helicopter, even though you had promised me that you wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” I could feel tears forming in my eyes.
Travis saw that and he walked even closer to me.
At then Travis smiled, “It’s not what you’re thinking, far from it in fact.” It was at that moment that Travis turned his upper body and signaled to someone that was behind him leaning against the wall. Apparently, I had missed the woman when I had been staring at Travis earlier.
“This is Maggie Coltrane; she is the CEO of Forever Mustangs.” Travis paused when he saw my eyes lit up at that name, then he continued. “I didn’t want to surprise you with this and then have to tell you that it wouldn’t work.”
However, that statement then turned to nothing but confusion on my part.
The woman had obviously seen all of the confusion that was plastered all over my face. It didn’t help that all of the other employees were now out of their offices watching the exchange between the small fairy of a woman and the modern-day hulk that was wearing a Stetson, jeans, and boots. And then not to mention that other woman that was dressed similar to Travis.
At that thought, I desperately missed my good jeans, and I had finally broken in those boots that had taken me a darn year. I hated this office. They dressed to impress and the tight skirt that I wore, I hated it.
“Mr. Denton, I think I can explain.” Luckily, the woman hadn’t placed a hand on Travis. That would have shot me out of my chair.
That was when she focused all of her attention on me. “You see, when you had Stormy at the Trade Show when you explained how she had come to be, I had actually talked to Mr. Denton, because I couldn’t get through the throng of people to you. I wanted to make your home a sanctuary for wild mustangs. So that people will stop shooting them that they can be as free as they would like while still being safe and cared for. Since your home isn’t big enough, that was why Mr. Denton and myself were in talks. You see the land that his property buts up to is privately owned by the government. I have been trying to get the land for y’all and luckily last week, I have been able to acquire it. However, Forever Mustangs will not work with just Mr. Denton, they require your services too.”
“It’s also why if you come home to me you will be helping me pick out a stallion to breed it with Stormy to keep the herd from dying out.”
I couldn’t help but smile. A bargaining chip huh?
There was no other stallion that I wanted than Champion to be with Stormy.
“Why not Champion?” I asked quietly, and at that moment, sadness left Travis’s face and it was replaced with surprise and love.
“If that’s what it takes. I’ll do anything you ask of me Corrine, including this.” He swallowed, and then he did something that I have wanted all my life.
I stared in awe as Travis took off his Stetson and knelt down to one knee.
“Corrine, my love, my life. I made a promise to my mom all those years ago. I’ve been around the world and not once have I met the woman that would be mine. Until I met you. I found you in my town, working behind a counter at a small feed and tack store. You’re the reason my heartbeats. You’re the reason that if something takes you away from me, then I’ll follow you. Even in death. I love you, Corrine. Will you do me the honor of marrying me and spending the rest of your life with me?” I saw hope in his features as he then reached inside of his shirt pocket and pulled out an all too familiar small light blue box with a white ribbon atop it.
The moment he had the lid off, there nestled in the white fabric laid a beautiful solitaire diamond engagement ring.
I smiled at him as tears trekked down my face.
With my heart in my throat, I held out my left hand. “Yes.” I whispered.
His blinding megawatt smile took my breath away just as it always did. He pulled the ring carefully from the box and I smiled as it slid on my ring finger to settle there perfectly.
I threw myself into his arms and laughed as it caused him to fall back on his ass while he caught me in his strong arms.
