We traveled for about twenty minutes before I spotted a cabin through the trees. Throwing up my hands, I nearly cheered. “Look, over there! We’re not going to die!” I danced a few steps, grabbing his arm to rush him toward the small house. There were lights on inside, and smoke rose from the chimney.
I stumbled up the stone steps and pounded on the door with my fist. No one answered. I knocked again and pressed my ear to the wood.
My body sagged as I realized no one was answering.Should we break in?I reached for the handle to see if it was locked, but Derrick beat me to it. He pushed open the door and stepped around me, kicking his boots on the threshold to dislodge the snow.
“What are you doing?” I hissed. “You can’t just go inside someone’s house.”
He took off his coat and moved toward the hearth. Bending at the waist, he grabbed a few extra logs and tossed them onto the fire.
I hovered in the doorway. My nose scrunched as I took in the scene.
The main room was rustic but nicely decorated with simple furniture, and wooden carvings hanging from the walls. A sofa had been placed in front of the hearth, and a huge fur rug lay on the floor. At the other end of the room was a table. Candles flickered over the place settings. A bottle of wine sat in a tub of ice, and next to it was a pair of glasses. But what drew my attention was the cake. It was a single-tier and coated in thick ivory frosting.
Extra frosting.
Derrick leaned against the mantel watching me. “You’re letting the cold air in.”
“What is this? What’s happening?” I shut the door and walked as if I was in a strange dream toward the hearth. There was a rushing in my ears as realization dawned. “Did you trick me?”
He smiled softly. “I promised you a cozy cottage, but I wanted it to be a surprise. This is my father’s hunting cabin—we’re borrowing it for a few days. It’s fully stocked. Everything you could ask for, and best of all, it’s just the two of us.”
I was speechless, which seldom happened.
“Wait.” I pressed my fingers against my temple. “I thought you were going to end things between us when we got back home. You said we needed space; that there’d be changes. Big changes! I thought that meant you didn’t want me anymore.”
The smile slipped from his features, and he straightened, going tense. “Tessa, I knew you were confused and acting odd, but I thought you wanted me to take the promotion and let you grow as a detective. What does that have to do with me not wanting you?” He moved closer, his footsteps muffled over the dense carpet. “I should have explained things better, and I probably got caught up dealing with the local authorities and getting the cabin ready, but hear me out on this. There hasn’t been a moment since we met that I haven’t wanted you. Not one second.” Another step, and then another. “You’re impulsive, reckless, and you drive me to distraction every minute of every day.”
I sucked in a breath, my voice wobbling. “See how I got confused? None of those things sound like compliments.”
“They don’t? Not even reckless?”
I shook my head.
“Impulsive?”
“No. Try again.”
He was inches away from me, but that was where he stopped, looking down at me with an expression I’d never witnessed: hope wound tightly with insecurity. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved a small wooden box. He flipped the lid, and the diamond winked in the candlelight.
“I bought this before we left. I planned to propose to you on this trip.” His brow creased. “But I thought there’d be less murder.”
A strangled laugh burst from my throat. “Yeah, me too.”
“After everything that happened, I couldn’t propose at the manor. Turns out, it’s not the most romantic spot—what with the fire, the crime scenes, and you nearly dying…three times, was it?”
“Technically, two. Andrew never intended to kill me the first time. But who’s counting?”
“I was counting, and any number is too many,” he said, his voice thick. He cleared his throat. “I know I misled you to get you here, and I’m kind of regretting that. I really accepted the director’s position, and you really are going to be working with someone else at the agency, but the truth is, being partners with you was never going to be enough for me. And I can only give you so much space.” He removed the ring and set the box aside. Closing the distance between us, he drew me flush against him and framed my face with his palm. “Tessa Daniels, I’m in love with you.” Tone turning rough, his fingers lightly caressed my cheek as he angled my head until our gazes locked. “I admire you, I’m bewitched by you, and none of those things are ever going to change. Be my wife. Choose me.”
Speechless twice in minutes! My throat was so tight I wasn’t sure I could speak. I’d have to nod furiously.
I took a shuddering breath and smoothed my hands over his chest. “I just have one question before I answer.”
“What is it?” he asked warily.
“Is that cake buttercream?”
He threw back his head and laughed. “Of course it is. That’s your favorite.”
