“What’s wrong with proposing at the arena? It’s where I realized I loved you more than life itself.”
She arched a brow. “More than the rodeo.”
His heart thundered, warming his body from the inside out. With that question at the forefront of his mind, he leaned forward and took her hand in his. Then he kissed her knuckles and whispered, “Even more than the rodeo.”
That answer must have caught her off guard because her eyes widened and her lips parted in surprise. “Oh.”
Jacob caressed the back of her hand with his thumb. “But I understand where you’re coming from. You need time. You need to find that trust again. And you need a grand gesture.”
She squeezed his hand, drawing his focus to her face. And in the depths of her eyes, he found the love she was so insistent she had for him. He could drown there and die happy. There was no need for time when it came to his heart. Hallie tilted her head, and that smile did him in. “You already gave me a grand gesture. You’ve won, Jacob. You have me.”
“Okay, so maybe not a grand gesture. But a proposal worth telling our grandchildren about.” He winked and she giggled again.
“Yeah, a proposal for the ages.”
“Whatever you want, you’ll get.” He kissed the back of her hand again.
“Hines! Time to get back in there. The next round is coming up.”
They both turned to find Kai striding toward them, his hair mussed and a look of relief filling his eyes. He glanced to Hallie and winked at her. “Good to see he hasn’t scared you off.”
She found Jacob’s eyes again. “Nope. I think it’s safe to say he’s stuck with me.”
Jacob competed in the remaining rounds, but it wasn’t enough to win him the title of World Champion. He did, however gain the title of Average Champion this year.
Surprisingly, he wasn’t even a little disappointed at how it all turned out.
As far as he was concerned, he’d won the world because he had the girl of his dreams on his arm and the promise of an adventurous future for both of them.
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
“That’s perfect.Now turn your head a little to the left. Up? Too much.” Hallie stepped closer to the cowboy and gently tilted his head with the tip of her finger. “Now, stay right there.” She lifted her camera to her eye and several clicks streamed from the device. “Okay, we’re going to do another pose. This one is for the calendar.”
The cowboy smirked. He was one of twelve she had been commissioned to photograph for the magazine and bonus calendar this year. The top twelve contenders would be in the calendar while the remaining would only be in the magazine showcasing who was in this year’s NFR.
Hallie allowed herself to get lost in her work as cowboy after cowboy came and went from her makeshift studio at the hotel where she was staying. When they found out who won the competition in the next couple of days, she’d call the man back for one additional shoot for the cover.
She couldn’t believe how much everything had changed since last year. The six months probationary time period working with the magazine had taught her so much about her craft andgiven her plenty of time to practice. They’d loved her work so much, they’d even been willing to sign a contract where she was allowed to take work from other clients.
Occasionally she had to travel for work, and her schedule didn’t line up with Jacob’s, but most of the time they came to her. The work she did stood out enough that she was more sought after than she could have dreamed.
Once she was done with the cowboy, she sent him on his way and started going through the shots she’d managed to get.
“Hey there, beautiful.”
She lifted her head at the familiar voice and grinned as she crossed the room and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Jacob pulled back with a devilish smirk. “Whoa, there. Do you kiss all your clients like that?”
Hallie rolled her eyes and started walking away. “Only the obnoxious ones who turn me down multiple times.”
His mock gasp had her smiling, but it was when his arms snuck around her waist and he pulled her back into his chest that the giggles erupted. “There she is,” he murmured huskily, his warm breath tickling the shell of her ear. “I haven’t heard you laugh yet today.”
She turned in his hold and placed a hand to his chest as she looked up at him. “I’m pretty certain I laughed this morning.”
He scrunched his nose with disgust. “Laughing at Tate regaling you with stories of when we were both competing in the beginning doesn’t count.”
