Page 90 of Kissing the Sheriff
He held up what was in his hand. A simple gold ring. “Cassie Lane, you’d make me the happiest man on earth if you’d become my wife. Will you marry me?”
Cassie couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. He was proposing! She wasn’t prepared for this and her heart was pounding so hard, it was the only thing she could focus on. “I … I …” She looked at the door. “… I have to go.” She pulled her hands from Conrad’s and made a run for it.
“Cassie?” he said in shock.
But Cassie didn’t stop. She ran out the door into the street and kept running.
* * *
Cassie ranuntil she could run no more. Naturally, it was all the way to the cemetery. “Pa!” She fell to her knees next to his headstone. “Pa, Conrad just … just asked me to marry him!” Breathing hard, she had to catch her breath. Tears ran down her face and she was embarrassed about the way she’d bolted. Poor Conrad must think she was deranged! “I don’t know why he proposed.” She gulped more air. “It was just a kiss.”
“Why is it so hard for you to believe that a man could love you?”
She froze at the sound of Conrad’s voice. “What are you doing here?”
He emerged from behind some bushes, also breathing hard. “I followed you, of course. I understand my proposal shocked you. If you need more time, then by all means take it. Even if your answer is no, at least I told you how I felt.”
She knelt and stared at him. Was this real? “You … love me?”
He stood before her and offered his hands. After a moment she took them, and he helped her to stand. “As I said, is that so hard for you to believe?”
She swallowed hard. “Apparently so.”
Conrad’s eyes roamed her face before he looked at her. Make thatintoher. “Cassie, do you love me?”
Her chest grew tight. Did she dare tell him?”
“Do you?” he asked gently.
She closed her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered.
He sighed and pulled her into his arms. “Oh, thank Heaven.” He held her tight then kissed her hair. “I’m sorry if I frightened you. Sorry if I pushed you for an answer.”
She drew back enough to look at him. “Conrad … this … whatever’s happening between us, I’m afraid.” She couldn’t believe she’d just said that!
He nodded. “I know. And I understand.”
She shook her head. “But I don’t. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I should be happy you proposed, but …”
He glanced at the headstone. “You’re afraid to love. Afraid you’ll lose whomever you love, like you lost your father.”
She closed her eyes as tears threatened again. “Yes. You’re right.” When she opened them, the tears fell. “I don’t want to lose you too. At least if you went home to England, you’d be safe there.”
Conrad cupped her face with one hand. “I’m just as safe here with you. After all, you’re the sheriff.” He brought his face a hair’s breadth from hers. “And I’m your deputy, remember? Which means that after we’re married, I expect to get paid.”
His lips descended on hers and all thought left. Cassie melted into him, and let his kiss take her where it willed. Conrad was tall, strong, and in his arms, for the first time in a very long time, she felt safe.
When he broke the kiss, he looked into her eyes. “Cassie, my darling, I’m going to ask you again. Will you marry me?”
She concentrated on the feel of his arms around her, her body flush with his, and nodded. “Yes. Oh, yes!” She buried her face in his chest and held on. The pain of losing her father was still with her, but Conrad was helping ease it. He helped her in more ways than he knew, more ways thansheknew, and she’d be a fool to let this man go back to England.
Conrad kissed her hair again. “I’ll try to be a good husband. Though you may have to teach me a few things.”
“Like how to shoot a gun better?” she whispered.
“Definitely that.” He drew back and brushed some loose wisps of hair from her face. “Now I suppose we’ll have to tell my brothers.”
“Do any of them know, other than Sterling?”
