Yeah, she was certain she’d enjoy another round of their particular brand of therapy later. But for now, standing in front of the house he’d had built for them, with his hands still on her skin and that quiet peace between them, Avery knew this moment wasn’t about desire.
It was about something better.
Jackson turned the doorknob, and the hinges gave a soft creak as the door swung open.
Warm light spilled out, golden against the fading afternoon. Avery blinked, taking in the glow, the scent of cedar and something faintly sweet, cookies maybe, and then her breath caught.
Someone had gone all out.
The cabin was perfect. Rustic and cozy, with wood floors and wide windows, a stone fireplace already crackling, and—she blinked again to make sure she wasn’t imagining it—a Christmastree in the corner. Strings of soft white lights twinkled through the pine boughs, and a few carefully hung ornaments gleamed among them.
Her heart gave a little flip.
“Jackson,” she breathed, smiling. “You did all this?”
He grinned, the look on his face pure satisfaction. “Had a little help. The team pitched in.”
Before she could say more, he slid an arm around her waist, another behind her knees, and in one smooth move, scooped her up.
“Jackson!” she yelped, laughing as her arms flew around his neck. “What are you doing?”
“Tradition,” he said, carrying her through the doorway as if she weighed nothing. “You can’t walk into a new home. You get carried in.”
She laughed, her cheek pressed against his shoulder. “This feels very honeymoon-ish.”
He stopped just inside, her still in his arms, and kissed her. Slow, deep, the kind of kiss that said he didn’t want to be anywhere else. When he pulled back, his voice was low and rough.
“A honeymoon’s a great idea,” he said with a grin, “but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.”
Her smile faded into a soft, questioning look. “What do you mean?”
Jackson set her gently on her feet, but his hands stayed on her waist. His eyes met hers, steady and sure. “I mean,” he said, “that I’m in love with you, Avery. Completely, head over heels in love with you. And I don’t want to just build safehouses and battlefields with you. I want to build a home.”
Her heart stopped for half a beat. “Jackson…”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, the kind that made her throat tighten just looking at it.
“The guys helped me pick it out,” he said with a crooked smile. “Noah kept vetoing everything with too much sparkle. Isla threatened to take over completely.”
He flipped the box open. Inside was a simple ring, a delicate silver band with a single diamond that caught the firelight and scattered it in a dozen tiny stars.
“Marry me,” he said softly. “Make this place a home…with me.”
For a second, Avery couldn’t speak. The words tangled somewhere between her heart and her throat. All she could do was stare at him, at the man who had carried her through fire, through fear, through hell itself, and now stood in front of her offering everything good that was left in the world.
Tears pricked at her eyes, and she smiled. “Yes,” she whispered. “Of course I will.”
Jackson’s breath came out in a soft laugh, one full of relief and love. He slipped the ring onto her finger, and it fit perfectly. Then he kissed her again, the firelight flickering over them, the Christmas lights twinkling like stars.
For the first time in a long time, Avery didn’t feel like she was surviving.
She felt like she was home.
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