She scanned the property, its gently rolling green meadows lined with deciduous trees turning various shades of red, orange, and yellow. A bright blue, open sky. Other historical buildings dotting the landscape.
“The main house is thirty-eight-hundred square feet with a beautiful pool, outdoor kitchen, and fire pit.” A crisp breeze floated over her, and she turned to face him, pushing her hands into the pockets of her jacket. “There are several outbuildings with another twenty-five hundred square feet to house your teams, and nice living quarters for a nanny, housekeeper, and cook, totaling another three thousand square feet. Plenty of storage sheds for your gear.”
A lock of hair blew across her face, and Austin fingered it away, tucking it behind her ear. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
Her stomach squeezed a little. She still wasn’t used to all the affection and declarations he showered on her, but every day, she trusted a little more and loved a little deeper. Deeper than she’d ever believed herself capable of.
“You tell me all the time.” Pushing up on her toes, she kissed him. “I’m not finished telling you about the property.”
He just gave her that dreamy look that shook her foundation until she found bedrock. He was her bedrock.
“There are several acres of wine grapes that are currently leased to a local winery,” she told him. “A pond that looks more like a lake to me. Three hundred feet of river frontage. And nice ridgelines to the west. You could do just about any training imaginable here—air, land and, well, water if not sea. There are several good schools in the area and a few amazing private schools as well. The community is tight-knit and friendly. And because DC is so close, there is quite a surprising array of military and government officials in the area. You’ll have to build your own heliport, though. There isn’t one of those.”
“Oh, well, forget it, then. Game over.”
She laughed. “But, you’re going to love this—there’s a fully secured border around the entire property with state-of-the-art surveillance.”
He was less worried about security since Seaver retired from government service under a thick black cloud and moved to Italy to escape the investigative probes and media. But Everly and Austin had security in their blood, and they both slept better with a solid system in place.
His brows shot up. “Why?”
“Because the owners who are tantalizing Bella with baby goats right now both just retired from the Secret Service. The husband was also a former operative.”
Austin dropped his head back and laughed. “I bet you had all kinds of things to talk about. Around all those pesky classifications, of course.”
She grinned. “Of course.”
“Can I afford this place?” he asked.
“It’s surprisingly well within your budget ballpark. And with that new contract, dare I say you really have no budget?”
“Jesus.” He slid his arms around her and looked at the house again. “I’m still having a hard time believing this is my life.”
She patted his chest. Every time she looked at him, she felt the same way. “This is your life, Austin Hix. The one you fought tooth and nail for.”
He looked down at her. “One that’s due in large part to you.” He slipped a hand beneath her hair and gave her neck a squeeze. “Don’t think I don’t realize that every damned day, baby.”
She shook her head. “This is all you, handsome.”
His thumb stroked across her cheek. “What if I wanted it to be all us?” he asked, searching her eyes. “This looks like the perfect location for a wedding.”
“Whoa there, cowboy,” she teased to ease the sting of shock and excitement across her ribs. “It’s not even yours yet.”
“I don’t want it to be mine. I want it to be ours. I know we haven’t talked about it, and I know our schedules are crazy, but I’ve never been more sure about how I want to spend the rest of my life—and that’s with you and Bella.”
She curled her hand into his dress shirt. “You have us both.”
“I want to make it permanent, baby. I want to know that when you come back from a mission, or Roman fires you again, whichever happens first, you’ll head straight to me. For the rest of our lives.”
A current of excitement jolted Everly’s heart. “You don’t have to worry—”
“We both know how short life is.” He grew serious. “I’ve spent the last year and a half fearing I’d lose Bella. Every time you leave, I pray I won’t lose you.”
This wasn’t a conversation she’d ever expected to have with him. He knew the risks inherent in their work. He lived those risks. She tried to soothe him. “Hey—”
“I’m not saying I want you to stop doing what you love. I’d never ask you to do that. I want both of us to live life to the fullest. And I want us to do that as a family.”
She realized he was serious, and her heart opened wide She ran her fingers through his hair. “You know how much I love you, right?”