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When the metal gate opens slowly, my heartbeat thuds powerfully in my chest, excitement sizzling through me like nerves did once upon a time. I almost scream when I see thesoldsign on the large lawn, sitting in front of the small pond, but I don’t want to ruin it.
Miles is a building contractor, so maybe… maybe what? This house has been here for years. He’s not a realtor. He doesn’t arrange sales. Oh, heck, is this really happening?
Miles climbs from the car, walking to my side to open the door. My excitement won’t allow me to sit still. I leap from the car and fall into his arms. He catches me, and we kiss, the pleasure more intense without the shame clinging to it.
“This is our new home,” he whispers.
“Miles, it’s too much.”
“No, it’s not. It’s everything you deserve. There are plenty of bedrooms to fill with our children. Laughter, joy, love… It’s all waiting for us in there.”
“L-love?” I whisper, looking up at him.
“Let me show you the best bit.”
He takes my hand and leads me into the house. It opens into a grand entrance with a double staircase looking down on the wide open space. There’s no furniture, but I already imagine where everything will go and how we can turn this house into a home.
He leads me into the kitchen, then lets me go, stepping back as though to gauge my reaction. It’s a restaurant-level kitchen, every appliance shiny and new, with large counters for prep,threelarge ovens, and even a walk-in freezer and refrigerator. I turn in a slow circle, drinking it all in.
“Miles, this is incredible,” I gasp, walking over to the freezer door and pulling the heavy metal handle. “It’s like my own personal restaurant!”
“As I said, it’s everything you deserve.” He wraps his arms around me from behind, lowering his voice to an intimate whisper. “I love you so much.”
I spin quickly in his arms. “I love you too.” The words come quickly. “So much,” I go on. “More than anything.”
“That’s impossible.” He smiles. “You can’t love me more than I love you.”
I smile with so much happiness my cheeks ache.
“Are we going to have a competition?”
“I wanted to say it sooner,” he says, “but the work wasn’t completed on the kitchen. Are you happy with it?”
“That’s an understatement.”
He smiles as wide and joy-filled as me and then steps back. I can hardly stand still when he kneels, shifting from foot to foot. He reaches into his pocket, takes out a ring box, and opens it to show a big diamond sparkling in the sunlight, the same sparkle as his sexy, silver hair.
“Layla Miller,” he says, “will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I yell. “Oh, God,yes.”
He slips the ring onto my finger, then jumps to his feet and pulls me into his arms. We kiss as though our lives depend on it, our futures depend on it, and I know I’ll never have to question our love again.
EPILOGUE
TWO WEEKS LATER
Miles
“Are you sure I’m not cramping your style by living down the block?” I joke, shoving my little brother playfully when we finish our run.
He rubs sweat from his forehead, grinning at me in the morning sun.
“I don’t even have to ask if you’re kidding. After all your traveling, it’s good to have you so close. It’s almost like being kids again.”
“Without the bad stuff,” I say, nodding, then pat my belly. “It’s a good job we just crushed our bodies with this run, too. I’ve got a text from Layla saying she spent the morning baking me a cake.”
“Lucky man,” he says, smiling.
