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  He had her stunned on so many levels.

  She spoke slowly, trying to work things out in her head. “I don’t know how to get past this. I feel terrible. Like I could have cost you everything.”

  Jack shook his head. “The only way this will go, is you tell me you love me.”

  Instead of feeling worse over what had happened, she wanted to smile.

  “It won’t change anything if I do,” she said.

  “Try me.”

  She took a deep breath and said, “I love you, Jack.”

  “There you go.” He grinned. “All better now. Bet you don’t feel any pain anymore.”

  She rolled her eyes, but said, “I sort of do feel better.”

  He got out of the chair and knelt beside the bed before gathering her in his arms.

  “Ow.”

  “Sorry.”

  She winced. “It’s okay.”

  “Good.” He hugged her a long while, like he’d hold her forever.

  When he released her, he smiled. “Since you didn’t get my specialty last night, you get it today.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I hear your specialty is hot. Ghost pepper hot.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  “My stomach isn’t cast iron,” she said. “I think it’s injured, too.

  He smiled and kissed her forehead. “This is an adjusted version. Not quite as hot.”

  She gave him a skeptical look. “Right.” She sniffed the air. “Wait. I smell something.” She raised a brow. “Something yummy.”

  “Would you like dinner in bed?” he asked.

  “Give me a few minutes and I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

  “You’ve got it.” He winked before he got up and headed out the open bedroom door.

  Damn, that wink could get him anywhere with her.

  Dara climbed out of the bed, gritting her teeth a little. For some reason, she didn’t hurt quite as bad as she had before. Maybe being in love, and having that person tell you he loved you, was healing.

  Yeah, maybe it was.

  She smiled. Yes, no doubt about it. Definitely yes.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sun beat down on Dara as she tilted her face to the sky. Around her water splashed gently against the sides of the boat. She breathed in the scents of fresh air and the lake. She lowered her head and looked at the pine and juniper-lined shore in the distance.

  “Why are we sitting on the boat in the middle of the lake with no fishing poles?” Dara smiled over her shoulder at Jack. “We always have poles handy when we’re out here.”

  “How about a picnic lunch instead?” Jack produced a covered wicker basket that he must have had stashed below. “We can eat on the boat.”

  Dara pressed her hand against her belly. It was definitely lunch time. “I’m in. Perfect way to start the first day of my vacation.”

  It happened to be nine months to the day since the accident. The thought of the accident didn’t bring her down like it had for a long while. She was able to put it inside an increasingly dusty box in her mind.

  They sat on the white-padded bench seat in the back of the boat as it drifted on the lake.

  Jack took out plastic-wrapped sandwiches, clear plastic containers of grapes and apple slices, and a large, square plastic container that she couldn’t see through. Probably dessert. It had to be a lot of dessert.

  Dara picked up one of the sandwiches and unwrapped it. “Bacon turkey club. Yum.”

  She glanced at Jack as he pulled out a thermos and poured lemonade into clear plastic cups. He handed her a cup and she took it. He unwrapped his own sandwich.

  As Jack took a bite of his sandwich, she drank from the lemonade.

  Her mouth puckered, then she laughed. “You forgot the sugar.”

  He finished chewing then swallowed before he shook his head. “Good thing we have bottles of water.”

  They ate their sandwiches as they talked about the upcoming “World’s Oldest Rodeo,” to be held as usual during Prescott’s Frontier Days.

  For over 130 years, since 1888, the rodeo had occurred annually around the fourth of July weekend. This year the event would start on July first, and last four days like usual.

  Leslie would be competing, as well as other McBride rodeo cowboys.

  Dara gave a happy sigh as she popped the next-to-the-last grape in her mouth. “This lunch is the best ever.”

  Jack took the container from her and ate the last grape. He set the container aside and smiled. “You always say that when we’re out in nature.”

  “That’s because being out in nature makes everything taste wonderful.” She smiled. “Most of the time.”

  He shook his head and laughed. “Yeah, the skunk incident would be one of those times the food didn’t have quite the appeal as usual.”

  Dara groaned. “Don’t remind me.”

  “Cake?” He opened up the large plastic container, but left the lid covering the contents. “Made it myself.”

  She glanced at Jack with suspicion. He wasn’t much of a cook, much less a baker. “You baked a cake?”

  “It’s my first.” He held the corner of the box. “I hope you like it.”

  “We’ll see,” she said in a teasing voice.

  “Read it aloud.” He raised the lid. Chocolate frosted the cake, with something written on top of it in white frosting. It wasn’t done with the steadiest hand and was hard to read.

  Dara squinted and concentrated on deciphering. “Will…you...marry...me—”

  Her eyes widened and she cut her gaze to Jack.

  “Yes, I will marry you,” he said with a grin.

  “I—” She glanced at the cake again, the words not sinking in fast enough.

  She took a deep breath and set the cake aside, her eyes wide. “Jack.” He had just asked her to marry him on a cake. She wanted to laugh, wanted to cry, wanted to hear him say the words.

  He picked up the cake and slid beside her on the bench. “You missed something.”

  A small plastic container was between the cake and the wall of the box.

  She managed not to get chocolate frosting on her fingers as she slid the plastic box out with her shaking hand. She popped the lid open. In the middle of the container, in a nest of hay, was a ring.

  Jack took the container and cake from her and set the cake aside.

  “Really?” she said.

  His loving expression filled her heart and soul. “I want—need—to have you in my life for the rest of my days. I want children with you. I want us to do everything possible together. You and me, and our soon to be growing family.”

  Her heart leapt into her throat.

  He smiled as he took out the ring, grasped her hand, and looked into her eyes. “Will you marry me, Dara?”

  She’d dreamed of this day yet had never thought she’d be so speechless. He’d caught her completely off guard.

  Happiness wound itself inside her, and she felt it from her head to her toes. “Children?”

  “Yes.” The depths of his feelings for her shone in his eyes. “You’d be a wonderful mother. You’re already a great almost-stepmom.”

  She flung her arms around Jack and pressed her face against the curve of his neck.

  When she drew back from the hug she smiled. “Yes, Jack McBride. Yes, yes, yes.”

  He was smiling, the sexiest smile ever, when he took her hand again. He slid the ring onto her finger. How had he managed to get such a perfect fit?

  His sister, no doubt, had managed to get him the right size.

  Dara felt the cool metal on her finger and stared at the ring. She hadn’t had a good look at it before. A princess cut diamond in a setting with smaller citrine stones on either side of the diamond.

  “This is beautiful.” The words came out on a sigh. She looked at Jack and smiled before kissing him hard.

  When they drew away from the kiss, they stared at each other for a long moment. He broke the moment with a grin.

  He dug in
his pocket and brought out a small pouch made out of blue velvet. “I thought you might like this. Maybe your ‘something new’ for our wedding, depending on how fast we get married.” He winked at her. “Tomorrow okay for you?”

  She laughed and took the bag from him. She opened the drawstring pouch and let the contents slide onto her open palm.

  For the second moment in a row, he caught her by surprise. The citrine bracelet she’d wanted in Sedona now sat on her hand. She hadn’t been able to afford it at the time.

  “Thank you,” she said breathlessly.

  He took the bracelet from her and fastened it onto her wrist.

  “Beautiful,” she said.

  “Almost as beautiful as you,” he said softly.

  She flung her arms around him again. “You are so amazing, Jack. Wonderful and amazing.”

  He shifted her so she was on his lap. He kissed her with fire and intensity that made her feel weak, yet strong. When he broke the kiss, he caressed hair from her face. “You are one of the best things that has happened to me in my life.”

  “I love you, Jack.” She put her hands on his biceps. “What’s this about getting married so fast?”

  “What do you think about eloping to Fiji?” He smiled. “After a small ceremony with the kids and your brother?”

  “That’s eloping?” she said with a laugh.

  He nodded. “Not having the entire McBride clan or our friends at the wedding, before heading off to Fiji, is the closest thing to eloping that we can get. We can have a surprise reception with everyone when we get back.”

  Dara gave an emphatic nod. “When?”

  “You started vacation this week, so why not tomorrow?” he said.

  Excitement bubbled up inside her, like champagne that had just been uncorked. “You planned this out perfectly, didn’t you?”

  “Yes.” He grinned. “With the help of the kids and your brother.”

  “Jack.” She held onto him and sighed. “Yes, tomorrow. We are so out of here.”

  “I love you, Dara.” He kissed her soundly. “More than I could ever have imagined.”

  She felt so much peace and love in that moment that she could hardly speak. “I love you, Jack McBride.”

  Who knew the perfect man for her had been in her life all along.

  Also by Cheyenne McCray

  (in reading order)

  * * *

  ~Paranormal Romance~

  “Dark Sorcery” Series

  The Forbidden

  The Seduced

  The Wicked

  One Breath (novella)

  The Shadows

  The Dark

  * * *

  ~Contemporary Cowboys~

  “Riding Tall” Series

  The McBrides

  Branded For You

  Roping Your Heart

  Fencing You In

  Tying You Down

  Playing With You

  Crazy For You

  Hot For You

  Made For You

  Held By You

  Belong To You

  * * *

  Amazed by You

  Loved by You

  Midnight With You

  Wild for You

  Sold on You

  * * *

  “Rough and Ready” Series

  The Camerons

  Silk and Spurs

  Lace and Lassos

  Champagne and Chaps

  Satin and Saddles

  Roses and Rodeo (with Creed McBride)

  Lingerie and Lariats

  Lipstick and Leather

  * * *

  “Armed and Dangerous” Series

  Zack

  Luke

  Clay

  Kade

  Alex (novella)

  About Cheyenne

  Cheyenne McCray is an award winning, New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author who is a rare native Arizonan.

  In her spare time she loves to torture characters—whether they’re misbehaving or not—and kill off deserving individuals. She also has a blast blowing things up. All fictionally, of course.

  Chey enjoys creating stories of love, suspense, and redemption, and she loves building worlds her readers can get lost in.

  Cheyenne and her equally geeky husband live in the wilds of Arizona with their two dogs, Checkers and Nikki.

  To catch up with Cheyenne

  www.CheyenneMcCray.com

  [email protected]