I tilt my head and slide my fingers along his jaw. “That will be so good for her.”
“I’m hoping it will be good for you too. I want you to be able to tell me everything without me acting like a bull in a china shop, forcing my way toward the solution I think is right. I want you to trust me not to betray your confidences so you feel like you can share them with me.”
I pull in a breath that stutters into my lungs. “That would be so amazing.”
I push up on my knees and slide across his lap. His arms curl around me, and he hugs me so tight, he steals my breath. I press my face to his neck and breathe deep of his scent. “The last four days have been awful. Really awful.”
“I agree with you there.” He pulls back, cups my cheek, and looks into my eyes. “God, I don’t ever want to go without seeing you for a full twenty-four hours again.”
“I think we can make that happen.”
He finally smiles. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” I kiss him. “Because I love you too.”
Epilogue
Xavier
Six months later
I pilot the boat away from the New Year’s Eve party at Levi and Laiyla’s house on the lake. It’s forty degrees now at 1:00 a.m., but I’m sweating.
“Man, do they know how to throw a party,” Chloe says from the passenger’s seat. She’s got her head laid back, her gaze on the sky. She loves stargazing.
“Definitely qualified as a bash,” I agree. “You think it was bigger than their wedding? It felt like every soul in Wildfire was there tonight.”
“Sure did.” She laughs softly. “It’s so great to see KT and Ben and the girls. I’m so happy they’re staying in town awhile. Did you see how much the girls have grown? Maybe it just seems that way since we haven’t seen them in a while. I sure have missed them.”
“Me too.” I reach the center of the lake, but instead of turning toward the marina, I slow and cut the engine.
Chloe is smiling when she turns her head toward me. “Hoping for the perfect start to your year, handsome?”
I swivel in my seat to face her and press my elbows to my knees. “Planning, not hoping.”
She laughs. “Aren’t you cocky?”
I smile, but my chest is so tight, I can’t manage a laugh. “Um, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something.”
Her delayed reaction is probably from the champagne she had tonight, only one glass, but she rarely drinks, so she’s a lightweight.
She lifts her head and studies me. The nerves must show on my face, because she reaches out and takes my hand. “I’m listening.”
“You know how much I love you?”
“I think so,” she says, voice soft. “You know how much I love you?”
I smile. “I think so.” I take a deep breath. “When I first met you, I was wowed. Just blown away—by your beauty, your humor, your warmth. Over the last year and a half, I seem to fall more in love with you every day.”
She exhales, and her gaze goes soft. She lifts a hand to my jaw and leans in for a kiss. “You’re amazing.”
“Glad you think so.” I pull the pink velvet box from a nook beneath my seat and drop to one knee in the tiny space between the seats. “Because I’m hoping you’ll—” My heart speeds and skips. Come on, Wilde, get it out. “I hope you’ll marry me.”
I open the box and offer her the ring, one Laiyla and KT helped me pick out.
Chloe sits straight up and tents her hands over her nose and mouth. “Oh my God.”
She presses one hand to her chest. Her gaze skips to mine, as if she really can’t believe this is happening. I was sure she’d have guessed it was coming a while ago, but by the look on her face, she’s surprised, and I’m thrilled.