Page 117 of Stirring Up Love
Shouts and whoops pulled them apart, and he broke away, grinning. Looked down at the ring box cradled between them. “Is this the key to your heart?”
With a grin, she said, “No, silly. It’s the key to our house.”
“Our house?” His brow furrowed, and he set her down, running his hands up her sides, like he couldn’t bear to let her go. And he would never have to.
Wordlessly, she took his hand and led him out the door and onto the sidewalk. Towed by a pickup with a vinyl DARIUS SHIELD REALTY decal, a tiny house sat parked in the middle of Main Street. The exterior mimicked the look of a log cabin, with a metal roof and paned windows.
“That’s ours?” He swung toward her, capturing her other hand, his expression inscrutable, leaning toward utter shock. “You bought us a mini version of the cabin from Sedona?”
“Designed it, actually. And bought it. So ... yeah.” Nerves reduced her to rambling. Did he hate it? “Is it too cheesy? I know we only stayed there a day ...”
Finn squeezed her fingers and broke out into a gigantic smile. “Cheesy? You bought us a house. It’s not cheesy—it’s the most thoughtful gift imaginable.” He dropped her hands and pulled her into a hug, speaking against her shoulder. “It’s perfect. I love it. And I love you, Simone. So much.”
The truck door opened, and Darius hopped down, smiling wide. “I take it this means he said yes?”
She pulled away and nodded. “He did.”
“Good, because I’ve been telling him all along: you’re the best thing that ever happened to him.”
“Ha, nice try.” But she let herself be swept up into a bear hug by Finn’s best friend. “I’m glad you were looking out for him. But if I ever hear you telling him to leave me ...”
“Just be good to him, and I’ll be on your side forever,” Darius said, and she knew he meant it.
She slid her arm around Finn. Now that she had him, she didn’t intend to ever let him go. “With our new ventures, a house was out of reach. But I figured it’s time to get a head start on our menagerie, and we can’t do it in an apartment. So I bought an acre off Meg. Figured we can start with this and, down the road, build a real house.”
“A real house? What do you call this?” The sun broke out from behind the clouds, catching the glints of gold and chestnut in Finn’s dark hair. His brown eyes sparkled down at her.
“Well, technically, it’s a tiny house.”
“Simone, you bought us ahouse.” He picked her up again and twirled her around. She inhaled a deep breath at the sight of the joy in his eyes and the warmth in his smile.
Finn didn’t take her breath away; his presence bathed her in peace so deep she’d never need to hold her breath again.
“Not just a house. A home,” she said as he lowered her to the ground, hands strong and sure at her waist.
“Our home,” he corrected her, and this time, she let it slide. Because it was true.
Cars honked, people rolling down the windows despite the cold and waving as Simone led him around to the front door and pushed it open. “Welcome home, Finn.”
Home.His heart burst with more joy than he’d ever thought possible, and he wrapped her in another hug as tears gathered in his eyes again.
“Back to having an address on wheels,” Darius said from the small front porch.
“Yeah, but at least this one’s got a kitchen.” Simone tilted up her chin, meeting his eyes with an uncharacteristically uncertain gaze.
If she didn’t already know, he planned to spend forever showing her exactly how perfect it was for him. How perfectshewas for him.
Slipping his arm around her waist, he pulled her against his side and pressed a kiss onto her temple. “More importantly, this one’s got you,” he murmured. Then he let his eyes roam around the space, taking in the love on display around him. Four solid walls and cozy furnishings. And there went his tears again.
Darius was chewing on his lip, looking nervous as he leaned on the doorframe. A matching pucker of doubt crinkled Simone’s forehead, and Finn pulled her in closer.
These two. How could they worry for a second?
“This is ...” Finn tried to speak around the lump of joy in his throat. He cleared it and nudged his friend’s boot with his toe. “You have a hand in this?”
“Maybe a little.” Darius broke into a grin and stepped inside. Rubbed a hand along the countertop. “Your fiancée was pretty particular—”
“Me? You’re the one who insisted on river rock in the shower.” She wrapped her arm around Finn’s waist and looked up at him, shaking her head with a smile. “Installed it himself. Said his crew was the best, but he was better.”
