Page 47 of Special Delivery Cowboy
My heart stopped.
"TJ—"
"Just open it."
My hands were shaking as I reached for it. Had to take two tries to unknot the ribbon because my fingers wouldn't cooperate. The wrapping paper crinkled as I peeled it away, too loud in the sudden quiet of the room.
Inside was a ring box. Dark blue velvet, the kind that held something important. Something life-changing.
When I looked at TJ, he was sliding off the couch, getting on one knee on the rug in front of the fire.
"Oh my god." My voice came out as barely a whisper.
"Open it," he said softly.
I did. My hands were shaking so badly the box nearly tumbled out of my grip, but TJ's hand steadied mine. And there, nestled in white silk, was a ring.
A round diamond—clear and bright—set in a delicate yellow gold band. Small diamonds ran along the sides, catching the firelight and throwing tiny rainbows across my trembling fingers. Simple but stunning. Exactly what I would have picked for myself if I'd ever let myself dream this big.
"Tinsley." His voice was steady even though I could see his hands trembling too. "A year ago, I got lost in a blizzard and knocked on the wrong door. You thought I was a stripper Melody sent to jingle your bells."
I laughed through the tears already spilling down my cheeks.
"You let me in anyway," he continued, his dark eyes never leaving mine. "You and that big heart of yours let a freezing stranger and a half-dead puppy into your cabin, into your Christmas, into your life. And somehow, in two days that shouldn't have been enough time, you became everything I didn't know I'd been waiting for."
A sob tried to escape. I pressed my hand to my mouth.
"This year's been the best of my life. That first weekend you visited in February—watching you help me feed cattle in the snow, laughing when you slipped, how you fit right in like you'd always been here. Every weekend after that, waiting for your car to pull up the drive. The day you told me you'd accepted the job in Livingston and were moving here for good—" His voice cracked. "I knew then I wanted forever. Every morning with you stealing the covers. Every evening with you in this kitchen, making it smell like home. Every moment in between."
"TJ," I whispered.
"You're my best friend. My partner. My Christmas miracle." He took my shaking hands in his steady ones. "I want to spend every Christmas for the rest of my life with you. Every morning, every season, every single day. Will you marry me?"
For a heartbeat, I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Could only stare at this man who'd crashed into my life during a storm and somehow become my entire world.
"Yes." The word burst out, too big to contain. "Yes, god, yes, a thousand times yes!"
His hands shook as he pulled the ring from the box. He slid it onto my finger—warm metal, fitting perfectly, solid weight that made everything real—and then he stood, pulling me up with him, kissing me hard enough that I forgot how to breathe.
His hands cupped my face. My fingers tangled in his hair. Everything I felt—love and gratitude and joy—went into that kiss.
Twinkle barked, jumping around our legs with her whole body shimmying. She crashed into us hard enough to make us break apart, laughing.
"She approves," I said, wiping my eyes with one hand while the ring sparkled on the other.
"Good. I asked her first." TJ was grinning, looking ridiculously pleased with himself.
"You did not."
"I did. Last week. Told her she needed to help me pull this off, be on her best behavior tonight." He scratched behind Twinkle's ears. "She negotiated for extra treats. Tough customer, this one."
I stared at the ring on my hand, hardly believing this was my life. The diamond caught the firelight, throwing sparkles across my skin. The band was warm now, the weight already familiar.
"When did you—how did you—"
"Bought it in October. Been carrying it around for two months, waiting for the right moment." He pulled me close, hands settling at my waist. "Figured Christmas Eve was perfect. Full circle from where we started."
"It's perfect," I whispered against his chest. "You're perfect. This is all so perfect I keep waiting to wake up."
