Page 70 of Bulletproof Weeks

“I had help. My housekeeper rocks.”

She laughed and slid out on her side. She wandered to the edge of the vista and her breath caught at the sight. He’d certainly found the perfect spot for them. The difference between living there for his fifteen years and her less than two was one spectacular view.

A canopy of trees kept the worst of the sun off of the bed of the truck. Logan went to the back and unhitched the tailgate. He climbed in and snapped out a thin piece of foam.

“I didn’t take you for the camping type, Logan.”

“No. My idea of camping is my cabin.” She laughed as he settled the liner over the truck bed then tossed a quilt over it. He spread out pillows and set the picnic basket down toward the end. “Voila.”

She walked back to him. “Aren’t you pleased with yourself?”

He held his hand out. “The view’s even better from up here.”

She climbed onto the tailgate and squeaked out a breathless laugh when he lifted her up with ease. “Oh, wow.”

He stood behind her, his hands lightly resting on her hips as they looked out on the springs. Mossy fingers crawled over rocks that enclosed the whole area. The light mist from the falls left the air fresh and cool.

“Logan, this is gorgeous.”

“One of the reasons I come back to Winchester Falls time and time again. I’ve seen some beautiful things, but nothing like having this in your backyard.”

She pulled his arms around her waist. “Not at all.”

“Now I have even more reason to come back here.”

“Yeah?” She rested her head against his chest and peered up at him. “I definitely didn’t think I’d find someone like you here when I moved to town with Nic and Adam.”

She’d imagined a far different path with someone that ran a small store like hers, or maybe worked in one of the surrounding cities but made the little town their home. After Logan, how could anyone compare? Even with the secrets and security, there was just no way she could imagine her life with anyone else.

“I think there’s a lifetime of reasons.” He turned her around. “I think we should make that life together.”

Her breath stalled in her lungs. “What?”

He cupped her face. “I know this is the worst time to ask you, but this trip has shown me there’s never going to be a good time. We can’t put our lives on hold. Not for Aimee, not for our careers, not for anything.”

Her knees went to water and she swayed forward into him, gripping his wrists.

He blew out a breath. “Jesus. I had this all planned out but I saw you here in this space and I just can’t.” He dug into his pocket and went down on one knee. “Marry me, Iz. I’m a better man with you, because of you. We fit together. We make sense together.” He flipped open a black velvet box.

She followed him down. Mostly because she couldn’t feel her feet or her knees. She couldn’t even see the ring through the wash of tears. Marry him? She’d simply wanted to be able to tell people that she loved him, but this?

She gripped his arms and laughed—a hiccuping, watery laugh. She dashed away the worst of the tears. Words were jumbled in her head, but only one was the important one.

“Put me out of my misery here.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes. God, you crazy person. Yes.”

Salty kisses mixed with laughter and tears pushed back the worst of the sobs that strangled her. When she met his gaze, her waterworks intensified at his bloodshot eyes and shaking fingers. He took her left hand and pulled the ring free from the box, flinging it over her shoulder to the front of the truck bed.

She finally got a good look at the ring and her heart stalled. Simple, and mercy, did it sparkle. A princess cut diamond with two topaz colored stones flanking it winked in the late day sun. She covered her mouth as he slid it over her knuckle.

“I’m going to fuck up. I know I am.” He gave a nervous chuckle of his own. “But I promise you’ll always be my priority. Always. I love you, babe. More than I ever thought was possible.”

She took a shaky breath. “I love you, too.” She brought her hands up to frame his face, her thumbs stroking over the soft freckle-shot skin of his cheekbones down to the raspy shadowed jaw. She knew every freckle and line of his face. This man that was always going to be hers.

Bella covered his mouth with her own. The kiss was fiery as they were, sealing in all the passion they’d never be able to express with words. She pressed light kisses along his jaw to his ear. “So, you thought I was going to be a sure thing?”

“I fucking hoped so.”

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