Page 158 of Running to You

After a moment, he pulled back just enough. Then pressed kisses on her cheek. The corner of her mouth. Her forehead. He held her against his soft sweatshirt, and she felt his rapid heartbeat, the rise and fall of his chest.

“I was a jerk.” His words rumbled against her ear. “I know that, and… The thought of you being in danger, it wrecks me. I just got you back, and I don’t want to lose you.” He leaned away to look down at her. “Can you forgive me?”

“If you can forgive me. I know you don’t want me to do this.”

He squinted, studying her face. “No chance you’ll let me lock you in a box until it’s over?”

“You know I can’t.”

“I would do anything to protect you from this.” He trailed a finger down her cheek, brushing a lock of hair away and leaving a trail of tingles. “You’re so brave. And you’re going to protect our son, and I’m going to do everything in my power to get you out of there unharmed. We all will.”

“That’s why I can do it, because I know you’ll be there.”

His gaze held hers, intent and serious. “When it’s over, when you and Levi are safe and all the dust settles…” He looked up, giving her a view of his beautiful neck, his whiskers, his Adam’s apple. When he lowered his face again, a tiny smile played at the corner of his lips.

He dropped to one knee.

Oh.

He looked up at her with those kind, kind eyes. “It’s only been five days. Well, five years and five days. Plus the year we dated, so… It’s enough time for me. Too much, and I can’t wait any longer. Because I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be your husband and Levi’s father. I want to wake up beside you and make you breakfast and let you make me look bad on the slopes and teach Levi to swim and…” He chuckled, shook his head. “Will you marry me?”

And here she’d sworn she wasn’t going to cry today.

He wanted her. Forever. She didn’t know why a man like Sam would choose a woman like her. She didn’t know why he’d forgiven her for keeping his son from him. She didn’t know anything except that there was nothing she wanted more.

She dropped to her knees and slid a hand over his dark beard. “Yes. I will. But we have to wait until Levi’s ready, which might be—”

He cut off her words with a kiss, this one sweeter than before, filled with not desperation but promise. When he ended it, she leaned away.

“Did you hear the but?”

“I heard the yes.” He grinned. “When Levi’s ready, when you’re ready... I’d marry you right this second, but I can wait. Whatever you and Levi need.” He lifted his hand between them, holding a ring. Sort of. It was blue and silicone, she guessed.

“It was all they had in the gift shop. The real one’s at home.”

“You still have it?”

“I never had the heart to get rid of it.” He slid the temporary ring onto her finger, then held her hands. “I know it’s cheap and ugly, but I feel like it’s a link, a promise that you’ll come back to me.”

“I will. We will.” She leaned in and kissed him.

Footsteps sounded at the end of the hall, then Michael said, “Oh.”

“Go away.” Sam didn’t even glance at his brother.

But she did, and Michael met her eyes, and she knew the reprieve was over.

After Michael disappeared down the stairs, Sam sighed and reached toward the wall beside her, coming back with a duffel bag. Dark blue with an outline of the Old Man on the Mountain in white. “It’s not luggage, but it beats plastic bags.”

“Thanks.” She opened it, seeing that he’d already added the manila envelope with the evidence they’d collected. She shoved her scant belongings inside.

“It’s high quality,” he said. “It cost more than your engagement ring.”

She held the silicone band against the bag. “They match.”

“Every woman wants her engagement ring to match her luggage.”

She grinned, zipping the duffel, then pressed her palms against Sam’s cheeks. “I love you.”