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“You did just last week,” he countered holding her tightly to him.
“I’m so sorry. You have no idea how much I wanted to give in and let go of the pain, but I couldn’t. I’ve blamed so many people over the years to avoid hurting or being hurt. I know no one’s to blame…things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it, but I wanted that baby. I wanted her and I wanted you.”
“And your father and I messed it up, made you feel as though you weren’t wanted around here because we were so worried something would happen to you. Can you forgive us?”
“I already have. I can’t stay mad at you no matter how much I want to. Dad was trying to protect me, I get it. I wished you would have just sat down with me and listened but maybe this is what was supposed to happen. I’ve saved thousands of lives doing what I do. Without you and Dad interfering that may not have happened. Look at what happened with Tami and Nicole…if I hadn’t led the life, I have we may not have gotten to them,” she stated leaning into his body as he lifted her slightly to elevate her leg.
“I love you Paige and I would do anything to protect you. I know you’re brilliant at what you do but the thought of you risking your life the way you did for Nicole…I will never let you go by yourself into something like that. You’re stuck with me and if the only way to keep you safe is to keep you pregnant you better believe I’ll do it,” he teased lowering his mouth to hers again.
“You’re welcome to try,” she replied when they finally parted.
“The fun is in the trying, isn’t it?”
“It is when it’s with you.” She sighed loving the way his arms surrounded her. “We should probably head back out there, shouldn’t we?”
“In a bit…first I have something for you,” he said digging into his pocket. He held up the small velvet box and she felt her breath stall.
“Joel?”
“I was hopeful. When you sent me that text I went and dug this out. Now, you’ll have to remember that this ten years old so if you don’t like it, we can always exchange it,” he commented as he opened the box and let her see the ring.
A small gasp escaped through her open mouth before her hand covered it. “Joel…it’s gorgeous. How could you afford that ten years ago?”
“The diamond was mostly free,” he told her as he lifted it from its velvet holder and slipped it onto her finger. “Perfect fit.”
“Naturally but what do you mean the diamond was mostly free?” she questioned turning towards him as she continued to stare at the gem.
“A little hard work to dig it out and a bit to get it cut specially for you, but it was worth every minute of it.”
“Dig it out? From where?”
“The mountain…our mountain.”
“But it only has diamond flecks, there aren’t any full stones in there.”
“You’d be surprised at what is buried a bit deeper inside,” he said dropping a kiss on her forehead.
“It’s…I love it, Joel. I love you.”
“Good, then I’m hoping your answer to this next question will be yes.”
“I don’t know, I can’t say yes without knowing what it is,” she teased twisting the ring on her finger a bit, as though she wasn’t quite sure of what he was going to say.
“Paige Elizabeth Brighton, I have loved you for fifteen years. You are in my mind, my heart, and you own my soul. Will you please stop running and marry me? Be my wife, the one I’ve wanted you to be for so long. Let us put the past fully behind us and move forward with this miracle we’ve been given?”
“I can’t,” she stated shaking her head slightly.
“Paige!” he half shouted but she laughed and covered his mouth with her hand stopping anything else he was about to spit out.
“I can’t put the past behind us. It’s made us who we are, made us fall in love for the first time and it’s what put us here. Joel, I love you and I want to be with you forever, but we can’t just forget about everything before now,” she said shielding her gaze from him until she was finished. When she turned her face back to him, there was no mistaking the love shining in them.
“You had me worried there for a minute,” he muttered against her lips as he claimed them. “I don’t want to forget the past Paige I want to go forward from it.”
“So do I.”
“Then can you please for once just say yes?”
“Hmm…I will without a doubt marry you Joel Andrew Wright. You stole my heart the first time you kissed me, and you never gave it back.”
