Page 78 of Barron

Quietly, she picked up the offending box, and glaring reminder of her blunder from the counter, and put it in the fridge. She closed the door and stepped back, but Barron stood behind her, a strange expression in his devouring eyes. On the spot, she went from chagrined to excited.

“You’re my precious baby girl,” he murmured. “If anything happened to you, if you got hurt in any way because of my mistakes, I couldn’t go on living.” He ran a finger down the side of her face in a slow, caressing touch. “I don’t want to suffocate you with rules, but I won’t apologize for being careful.”

Standing on the tips of her toes, Yoanni laced her arms behind his neck. “I know what’s in your heart. And you don’t suffocate me. You care. You love me.”

“More than my life.”

He dropped a light kiss on her lips, removed her arms from his neck, and stepped back. Yoanni frowned, confused by his stance. But when he dropped to one knee, her emotions spun within a vortex of bewildering questions and…could it be?

Barron opened his palm. A solitaire diamond ring sparkled in the light.

“Yoanni María Sanz, will you join your life to mine? I want to be your husband forever. Will you accept me?”

Tears welled in her eyes. Her throat caught so tightly it hurt. She wanted to gasp and cover her face the same way other girls did. Instead, she knelt before him, offering her hand.

“Yes,” she whispered.

Without a word, a serious expression on his face, he took the ring and carefully slid it onto her finger. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed every fingertip, then stood and helped her up.

Cupping her face with both hands, he kissed her again.

Soft. Sweet.

Did she catch a suspect gleam in his beautiful eyes?

Yes.

Love, happiness, and relief filled the space between and around them. The intensity was so palpable that even Caesar watched in silence.

Smiling, he clasped her hand. “I can’t believe it. My heart is beating so fast, I need a moment to catch up. Sit with me?”

Nodding, she walked with him. He pushed the jacket out of his way and sat. Yoanni curled up to him, basking in the quiet peace. Fireworks didn’t go off. No band played or crowds cheered.

Nevertheless, the monumental significance of this moment wasn’t lost on her. Yoanni María, daughter of the Cuban Sanz clan, would cherish this memory, the night Barron asked her to accept him, to her last day on earth. She moved her ring finger, admiring the diamond’s multicolored sparkles.

Barron was the first to break the long silence. “What are you thinking?”

“Um… The ring is so beautiful, and it fits. How did you know?”

“One of the sales ladies looked about your size, so I took a chance. They said I can bring it any time to resize it.”

She pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh, no. It’s perfect.”

“Good to know. Anything else on your mind?”

“I have a million thoughts and none.”

He chuckled. “Well, let’s give you something specific to think about. Starting tomorrow morning, my MC brothers and I are putting your old home back in order. I say old because you’re not going back unless I go with you.”

“Daddy?”

“I promised we’d talk about our living situation. Our life together began when you accepted my ring. Here’s your choice. We either live in your cottage, or we stay here until further notice.”

“Further notice sounds vague.”

“We have other plans to make. Meanwhile, whether we live there or not, the place needs a thorough cleanup and a coat of paint right away. There’s one upside to moving to the cottage.” He grinned. “I don’t have to move your car.”

“Oh, Daddy.” She slapped him playfully on his arm.

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