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“It is hard to be around all those lovebirds,” Charlie said as she marched past Jackson and Isabel to stand next to Isabel’s grandfather. “Right, Eugene?”
Eugene rubbed his stomach. “I don’t know, Charlie. I’m fairly certain I had a love affair with the phenomenal meal I just ate. That’s enough for an old guy like me.”
Charlie folded her arms across her chest and rolled her slate blue eyes. “You people better have saved some of this phenomenal food for me. I did deliver Jackson as promised.”
“And he’s even in one piece,” Christian said.
Charlie narrowed one eye at Jackson. “And he knows what he has to do to stay in one piece.”
His entire family gave him huge smiles and encouraging nods. Eugene winked at him as Jackson petted Blaze standing beside him. Charlie glared at him, but then she stuck her hands in her pockets and grinned.
Jackson backed up a step, loving when Isabel protested and stiffened her arms. “I’d love to stand here and hold you, baby,” he whispered in her ear before nipping at her earlobe. “But I have other things to accomplish right now.”
“What could be more important than letting me welcome you home?” she asked, reluctantly stepping back.
He took a moment to take in the sight of her. The purple, flowered sundress she wore highlighted her amazing figure and his fingers itched to get under that dress. Her blond hair framed her perfect face and draped about her shoulders in big waves, giving her a natural summer beauty vibe his body definitely liked. Her lips were slightly puffy from their welcome home kiss and he wanted more of that.
But first...
Jackson took both of her hands in his. He gazed into her gorgeous green eyes—eyes that radiated exactly how she felt about him.
God, he felt the same way.
“Isabel, sometimes all it takes is one rainy night holding someone’s wet and wounded pooch to find love.” He wiggled their joined hands while motioning to Blaze with his chin. “Well, find love again, I suppose.” He brought her hands up to his mouth and pressed kisses to her knuckles. “I want us to spend as many nights as possible together. I want us to always have each other. I want you to marry me.”
He released one of Isabel’s hands and pulled a diamond ring from the front pocket of his cargo shorts. Holding it up between them, purplish sunlight reflecting off the diamond, Jackson asked, “Will you marry me, Whisabel?”
She threw her hands up and squealed, making Blaze get all worked up again. Then her arms were around him, squeezing with a force that surprised him.
“Yes, yes, oh my God, yes!” She littered his face with kisses, ending with her marvelous mouth fused to his. “I love you so much, Jackson.”
He backed up and slid the ring onto her finger, loving how it marked her as his. “I love you too, Isabel. In the past. In the present. In the future.”
They kissed again then his family, Eugene, and Charlie crowded around with congratulations. Even Blaze and the other dogs got in on the celebration by shaking pond water all over everyone. Jackson crouched and rested his head against Blaze’s.
“You’re such a good boy, Blaze. You brought me back to your mama.” He smiled up at Isabel standing next to him. “You brought me a Sadekowi dagger. I can’t wait to see what else you bring me.” He rubbed Blaze’s head then stood and took Isabel’s hand.
“I don’t know what else the dog can bring you, brother,” Christian said as he clamped his hands on Jackson’s shoulders from behind him and turned him away from the pond. “But head that way and I’ll bring you a burger to mark this momentous engagement.” He marched Jackson forward. “All the Henley brothers are officially off the market.”
“And the world breathes a sigh of relief,” Isabel joked as she walked beside Jackson.
Charlie sidled up next to Isabel and the two of them exchanged a quick hug. “I’m so happy for you, Isabel.” She looked past Isabel to Jackson. “Happy for you too. You’re getting the best there is, Henley.”
He raised his eyebrows at Charlie. “And don’t screw it up?”
“What do you know, Isabel? He really is a genius.” Charlie gave Jackson a nod, but when Isabel wasn’t looking, she pointed to his nuts and moved her finger in a circle, pantomiming the whirl of her chopper blades. Then she broke into a run, calling Blaze’s name and delighting all the dogs with a race to Christian’s backyard.
“She scares me a little,” Jackson said to Isabel.
“Wait until I try to get her to wear a maid of honor dress,” Isabel said.
“She’ll do it for you,” Jackson said. “She’ll do anything for you.”
“Even fly to D.C. to pick up the man I love?”
“Yeah, but she made me pay full price.”
Isabel drew him into a deep kiss that created an avalanche of desire inside him. “I’ll make it worth every penny.”
