The Grant brothers and their mates gathered around to give them words of encouragement. Love flowed through the room until her heart was almost bursting with it. But nothing could compare to the happiness in her mate’s face. She couldn’t wait to have a moment alonewithhim.
After countless hugs and words of congratulations, Abby stepped outside to get a moment to herself. Cody came out rightbehindher.
“Where are you going?” heasked.
“I just needed some air,” she said. “I’m not used to being the center ofattention.”
Cody came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and whispered in her ear. “I’m hoping we get some time alonelater.”
“Really?” she asked in aseductivetone.
“Mm hum.” He nibbled on the side ofherneck.
“How on earth are we going to find anyplace to be alone? Between your brothers and their mates, and my parents, the ranch is overrun,”shesaid.
“We could go to your apartment,” hesuggested.
“They’ll find usthere.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “I have an idea. Comewithme.”
“We can’t just leave,”shesaid.
“I told Mack to let everyone know we wanted some time alone together. He’ll do damage control,”Codysaid.
“Where are we going?” sheasked.
“You’llsee.”
A mischievous twinkle flashed in his eyes as he grabbed her hand and tugged her toward the truck. She giggled and ran beside him. She didn’t care where he was taking her as long as they weretogether.
* * *
“Keep your eyes closed,”Cody said as he led Abby up to the hayloft in Logan’snewbarn.
He’d made her wait at the bottom of the ladder while he set everything up. This hadn’t been part of his original proposal plan, but he liked beingspontaneous.
When they reached the corner of the loft, he gently grabbed her shoulders andpositionedher.
“Stand right there,” he said. He moved to stand slightly in front of her so he could watch her expression. “Now openyoureyes.”
Abby blinked a few times as she opened her eyes. Then her jaw dropped. Tea lights sat on various blocks and wooden crates, casting a soft, candle-lit glow over the room. A pile of pillows and blankets formed an Arabian Nightsstylebed.
“Cody,” she whispered. “This is amazing. When did you have time to do allofthis?”
“Honestly, I just whipped it up as soon as we got to the ranch. I threw everything into a few bags and hauled them up while you were changing out of thatdress.”
“I’m so much more comfortable in jeans and a sweater,”shesaid.
“Metoo.”
“This is so romantic,”shesaid.
“They’ll never find us here.” Codygrinned.
“Are you sure about that? Have your brothers been up here to break it in yet?” she askedwryly.
He chuckled. “I don’t know, and frankly, I don’t want to know. I don’t want to think about anyone else right nowbutyou.”