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As though he’d said her name aloud, she tossed a rubber ball to Luke’s three-year-old son, Kyler, and glanced across the big backyard to catch him watching her. Travis grinned and winked, and she sent back a mysterious smile that promised all kinds of good naughtiness before the night was over. His jeans fit a little more snugly just thinking about having her in his bed.
It was hard to believe he’d only known her for a year because he couldn’t imagine his life without her. Six months ago, he’d bought a beach house not far from Blake and Tori’s wooded retreat in Gold Beach on the southern Oregon coast. Jordan loved the beach, and it wasn’t a hard sell to convince her to leave her parents’ home with a property management firm and move in with him. Her friends, Liz and Katie, had come and stayed a week, helping her furnish and decorate the house to her liking. They’d left with firm plans to return in the spring to explore the small towns and tourist attractions along the coast. Travis had interpreted that to meanman-hunting, but he wasn’t concerned. He trusted Jordan with his heart as much or more than he trusted his brothers-in-arms with his life.
She and Tori had hit it off, which made Blake happy because Jordan offered free babysitting for Tori’s eight-year-old son, Isaiah, whenever an occasion arose. And it guaranteed Travis didn’t need to worry about Jordan as much when he was gone on a job. Not that Jake, her big, black, slobbering mass of a dog, wouldn’t protect her. He seldom left her side since they’d formally adopted him, having given up on anyone ever claiming him.
PTS Security had grown exponentially since Luke, MacGyver, Coop, and he had formed their partnership four years ago. In addition to their friend, pilot, and right-hand man, Blake, they now employed thirteen other men and women, and they were always on the lookout for recruits. Mostly veterans, special ops preferred, thoroughly vetted to weed out the crazies. Staying up on new advances in equipment, arms, and aircraft, plus signing new clients, promised to be a full-time job soon, so management didn’t get out of the office as much anymore.
Coop joined Travis beside the grill, reminding him to flip the burgers and remove the ones that had cooked long enough. Luke and his thirteen-year-old daughter, Jen, appeared, and Travis handed her a plate of burgers for the food table. Jen looked so much like her mom, Sally, and would undoubtedly be a heartbreaker one day. She was an awesome kid, but Travis didn’t envy Luke as their family braced for the teenage years.
Coop elbowed him. “So, when are you going to do it?”
MacGyver and Blake sidled over like hummingbirds to sugar water to stand in a semi-circle around him.
Travis glanced again toward Jordan just as MacGyver’s wife, Kellie, and Coop’s fiancée, Jade, sat next to her and engaged in conversation. Unconsciously, Travis patted his front jeans pocket for the small bump that told him he hadn’t lost the ring before frowning at his grinning friends. “You guys are about as subtle as an F-16.”
“Hey, this was your idea,” Blake said. “You wanted to propose at my barbeque with everyone around.”
“Do you have any idea how hard it’s been to keep this from the women? I think Kellie knows something’s up,” said MacGyver.
Travis laughed. “I’m sorry, guys. I had no idea you were a bunch of gossipy girls.”
The grumbling cut off just as Jordan pushed her way into the small group and handed Travis a plate with enough food for six men. “What’s going on over here?” She smiled at all the guys before giving Travis a light kiss. “I thought I’d bring you a plate and another beer while you’re working so hard. Maybe one of these guys would take over for you so you could sit and eat.”
Before anyone else could reply, Travis slipped his arm around her waist, drew her close, and kissed her temple. “I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you. I’m almost finished here, and I’ll be yours for the rest of the night.”
“We’ll start cleaning up, right guys?” Blake grabbed an empty platter and started for the house.
The rest of Travis’s friends looked as though they weren’t sure what to do, but with Jordan watching their every move, Coop and MacGyver filled their hands with empty pitchers, plates, or trash and followed Blake. Luke chuckled, slapped Travis’s back, and headed toward his wife.
“Well, they’re acting kind of weird.” Jordan scrunched her brow. “You didn’t tell them, did you?”
“Of course not. We agreed to wait on the baby news, and I would never break a promise to you.” Travis nuzzled her neck and breathed in her shampoo's sweet, fruity scent, suddenly wishing he could get her alone. Damn, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, but it was too late now. “Mmm...have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”
“You’re looking pretty sexy yourself,” she replied, turning to run her hands over his chest and dropping a kiss on his lips. Thenshe reached for the plate she’d fixed for him. “Tell you what. Since you’re almost finished here, I’ll take this and be waiting for you over there.” She pointed to a corner of the yard where the twinkle lights didn’t quite reach.
Travis stopped her and covered her mouth, licking the seam of her lips until she opened for him, then swooped inside to take everything she so willingly gave. It was a bad idea, evidenced by his growing arousal and all the people he suspected were watching. When he let her go, her eyes were enticingly lust-filled, as was his mind. It was going to be a long evening. As his gaze followed the seductive sway of her hips across the lawn, he debated the wisdom of buying looser jeans or spending a lot more time alone with the woman he couldn’t get enough of.
Quickly, he forked the remaining burgers onto a paper plate, turned off the gas barbeque, and carried the plate to the food table. He retrieved his cell phone from his back pocket and sent a group text to his brothers. Then, he set his half-full beer bottle down and started across the lawn to the woman whose eyes shone with love for him, even from a distance.
From the corner of his eye, he saw his friends reappear, join their women, and momentarily corral the kids. Surrounded by the people he held most dear, he placed one foot in front of the other as the world quieted until he could hear the steady beating of his heart.
Travis held Jordan’s gaze as he neared and knelt on one knee in front of her. When she realized what was happening, a pretty blush rose to her cheeks as tears welled in her eyes, but her beautiful smile never wavered.
He pulled the diamond ring from his pocket, opened his palm, and held it out. “I love you, Jordan, and if you let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it. Marry me.”
“Yes!” Jordan flung herself into his arms with the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen, sending them both sprawling onto the grass. Their friends burst out laughing, clapping, and whistling.
He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply. “I love you, Jordan.”
Tears slid freely down her cheeks. “I love you too, so much.”
He sat up, holding her on his lap, and slipped the ring on her finger before kissing the tears from her face. “Life with you will never be dull.” Travis chuckled.
“I should hope not.” Jordan laughed, dropping little kisses on his neck.
God, he loved this woman—his soul mate.
Life is good!
