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“I’m not like the other women who were chasing after you. Your money is yours, not mine, and it never will be,” she said, hoping he was going to respond to her declaration of love. What if she was the only one feeling this way?
He held up his hand. “Before that last ball, I knew things had changed between us. Remember, I even asked you why we couldn’t continue to date and you refused.”
“That’s because my feelings were getting involved and I was so afraid.”
He grinned. “Then after we stayed at that hotel for two of the best days of my life, I woke up and you were gone, and it about destroyed me. I’ve fallen so hard for you, Madison. I love you. I want to marry you. I want to have a family with you. You are the girl I should’ve been with all along, and I know deep in my heart that you’re the right choice for me.”
Tears filled her eyes. He loved her.
“These last two months, you’ve healed my wounded heart and made me believe in love again, and while I know that you’re not ready to dance down the aisle with me, someday soon, I hope you’ll be my wife. During my ‘fake’ engagement announcement was when I realized you are the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.”
He pulled her into his arms and she clung to him. “I’m so, so sorry I left you that day. Desiree gave me so much crap about leaving without speaking to you, but I was terrified. And then my father started texting me. I love you, Adrian. I love you so much, it frightens me.”
“Me too,” he said, holding her. “We’ll take it slow. One day at a time. And when you’re ready, we’ll make it official. Our bogus dating and engagement have turned real and no one is going to come between us. No women pursuing me. No cheating. Nothing. Only you and me and the family I hope we someday create.”
Standing, she pulled him up, took him by the hand, and led him to the bedroom.
“Tonight, we’re going to celebrate the love we have for each other,” she said, pulling his face down to hers.
“I love you, Madison,” he whispered against her lips.
“I love you, Adrian.”
CHAPTER 17
A month later, Adrian and Madison were horseback riding through the pasture in the spring air.
Susan was home from the hospital, and they had put her on new medication that they hoped would keep her out of the hospital.
The boys were busy moving cows to the farthest pastures to enjoy the new spring grass and getting cattle ready for market.
“Where are we going?” she asked him.
“What?” he asked her. “Can’t we spend time together?”
The last month, they’d spent dating. Real dating. And in his pocket, he had a new piece of jewelry for her.
“There’s the family oak tree,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, wondering if she’d guessed his intent.
They pulled their horses beneath the tree and he ground tethered both horses before he came around and helped her off.
“Adrian, what are we doing here?”
He grinned. She was getting suspicious. Gazing at her, he saw the fear on her face, but then he also saw something else. Something that he hoped was excitement.
Getting down on one knee, he pulled the ring box from his pocket. “I know we’ve done this once before, but this time I wanted to ask you to marry me beneath the family oak tree. The place my family believes is traditional and couples who come here last forever. You know I love you, Madison. You own my heart. Here, beneath this tree, I’m asking you to be my wife. To let me love you all the days you have on this earth. And I pledge to you that I will never cheat on you. You’re the only woman for me.”
He opened the ring box. “Will you marry me?”
A smile spread across her face and she launched herself into his arms. “Yes, I’ll marry you. The sooner the better.”
That surprised him.
“I mean it, Madison. We’ve both suffered from cheaters in our lives. I’m yours forever.”
“And no one can tear me away from you,” she said, kissing him on the lips. “I love you, Adrian. I can’t wait to be your wife. And when I said the sooner the better, it’s because we might have created a little bundle of joy in that hotel room.”
