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“No.” He shook his head and laid both hands on her shoulders. “No buts. That night I saw just how quickly things could change. End. I realized that by taking my time with you, I might be risking everything. So screw it. I’m not going to take my time. I’m going to tell you how it’s gonna be between us.”
“Is that right?” She was so happy, she felt like dancing, singing, cheering. And a part of her knew that in the midst of the sadness they’d felt days before, the urge to be happy was a victory in itself.
“That’s right. I love you. Always have. I was too much of a coward to admit that nine months ago, but I’m not now.”
“Matt—”
“Let me finish.”
“Okay.” Her heart was beating so fast it was a wonder he couldn’t hear it.
“I bought a house in Malibu last month. It’s on a cliff, overlooking the ocean.”
“Sounds beautiful.”
“There’s a room that’s perfect for an artist’s studio. Plenty of natural light and the view is pretty stupendous.”
“Artist’s studio?” Her heart was hammering in her chest.
“For you, Kayla.” He came to her, dropped both hands onto her shoulders and looked down into her eyes. “You can paint all day if you want to. Or you can take over that gallery you used to work in after college. You remember?”
“Of course I do. I loved that little gallery.” It was where she’d learned everything she really knew about art and artists. “What do you mean I can take it over?”
“I bought it,” he blurted. “Finalized the deal this morning over the phone.”
She swayed a little, but his hands on her kept her steady. “That’s the gallery you bought? For me?”
“Of course for you!” He yanked her in close, so close that she could feel his heart thundering as fast and furiously as her own. “I love you. I want you with me. In L.A.”
“L.A.?”
“Cheyenne is home, too. I get that, now more than ever. Staying away was hard on me.” He bent his head to hers. “We’ll keep both our houses if you want to and we’ll spend time every year in both places. But yeah. My job for the Lassiters keeps me in L.A. and I need you there with me, Kayla. More than need even, I want you there with me.”
“You want me to move to L.A. with you.”
God, uprooting her entire life? Could she do it? Did she want to? Looking into Matt’s eyes, she knew the answer to that last question was a resounding yes. What did she really have in Cheyenne? Some good friends and a good job at someone else’s gallery. Moving to Los Angeles would give her the man of her dreams, her own gallery and maybe even the chance to start painting again. L.A. didn’t have the same appeal as Cheyenne, but it did have Matt.
“No. Well, yes. We can get married on the coast.”
“We’re getting married?” She laughed and shook her head. This was all so much, her head was spinning.
He kissed her hard, then took a breath and said, “I messed this up completely. Yes. I want us to get married. I’m asking you to marry me, even though I’m not doing a good job of it. To take a chance. To believe I love you and that you can trust me. Forever.”
“Yes.” One simple word but the only one she needed. The only important word in the world right now. Funny, it was so easy when it really came down to it. She had wondered and worried for months over what she felt for Matt. What she might do if he came back. And now he was here and it was all so...simple. She loved him. And now, she knew he loved her, too.
Being with him was all that mattered. L.A. Cheyenne. Wherever they were, if they were together, everything would be perfect.
“Yes?” He looked at her and love shone in his eyes so brightly, Kayla had the answer to every question she might have had.
“Yes, I’ll marry you,” she whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm. “I love you, Matt. I always have. I was just so angry and hurt.”
He turned his face into her palm and kissed it. “I know. And I will always regret putting you through that, but I can promise you it will never happen again, Kayla. I love you more than anything in the world.”
