Hotshot and Hospitality by Nora Everly

Chapter 33

Molly

Two Months Later

Garrett hadn’t moved into the giant Monroe house in town yet. He said he wasn’t ready for that level of housecleaning commitment and home maintenance. But really, I think he knew I was still baby-stepping my way through all the changes I’d been making lately and didn’t want to add another one. Which gave me one more reason to love him.

Currently, I was sitting in my favorite chair next to Garrett’s fireplace with Stan in my arms waiting for him to come home from work. I felt a little bit wifey, and I liked it. “Maybe I’ll be your mommy for real someday, Stan.” I snuggled the chunkalicious fur monster close and kissed his fluffy head as he purred and butted his face against my chin. “Would you like that? I betcha you would. Uncle Leo taught me how to make homemade cat treats, yes he sure did.” I looked up with a start to see Garrett standing in the doorway watching me baby-talk his cat. I grinned at him. Nothing embarrassed me now that we were officially together. I was a loved-up mess and nothing could get me down.

“Hey, cutie. Making plans?” he teased.

My shoulders lifted in a shrug. “No, just getting the lay of the land from your murder cabin co-pilot is all. Stan likes me here, don’t you, buddy?” Loud purring and a trilled meow were my only response. “See?”

“I know he does, and I love having you here.” Well, that was a relief since I had been here every night for the last two months. Cam was eyeballing my house, I knew it. The second I moved in with Garrett, he’d be calling dibs and moving in there like a shot. “Come outside with me.” He crossed the cabin and held his hand out once he reached the back door.

“’Kay. Is it hammock time?” I breathed. Hopefully we’d do some more practicing. On our last try, we’d almost managed to have a successful bang in it. But my response to Garrett had been overly enthusiastic as usual, and we’d ended up crashing to the ground instead, which, despite the dirty knees, was always worth it.

“Oh yeah.” He grinned and held the door for me.

“I’ll grab the wine,” I offered.

“No, just you. Come on, baby.”

“’Kay.” I followed him. But he urged me to sit on the edge instead of helping me lie down with him. “What are you doing?” My jaw dropped as he sank to one knee in front of me. “Oh, Garrett.”

Oh shit! Great-Aunt Jade’s ring was still on my finger. He hadn’t said anything about me wearing it, though I knew he noticed. I just couldn’t bring myself to take it off. Also, the dang thing really was stuck.

“You and I were written in the stars, Molly.” He held my left hand up with a sideways smirk as he dropped a kiss on my already beringed finger. I puffed out an embarrassed breath of air to blow an errant curl out of my eye.

My cheeks colored red. “Yeah, about the ring, I—”

His eyes met mine. “I love that you love this ring. Every time I see it on your hand, my heart smiles because I can remember you sitting on Aunt Jade’s lap twirling it around and around her finger. We have a lifetime of memories together and I can’t wait to fill the rest of our lives with more. But I can’t make us official with a used ring. I’m sorry, cutie, it wouldn’t be right.”

I inhaled a deep breath as he tried to slip it off, and he laughed when it wouldn’t budge over my knuckle. “It really is stuck,” I murmured.

He bit his lip and bent his head, darting his tongue out to wet his lower lip as he slid my finger with the stubborn ring on it into his mouth. “Oh god . . .” I shivered as his eyebrows rose and he winked at me. “We can explore more of this later,” I insisted as his tongue swirled around the base of my finger.

He released my finger with a pop, then slid the ring off. “More of what?” He chuckled.

“More of you sucking on me. I don’t even care where,” I answered.

His hot eyes held mine and burned with promises. “Anything you want.” He slid Aunt Jade’s ring onto my other hand, then reached into his pocket. “You know I love you?”

My smile was involuntary. Garrett brought smiles out of me simply by existing. “Yes. Do you know how much I love you too?”

He nodded as a soft smile drifted across his face.

I brushed a hand down his cheek. “To the moon and the stars and right back home again, Garrett. Forever. Big love—the biggest.” I clutched at my chest when I said the words because I felt them so deeply. Loving Garrett had become part of who I was again. I felt whole and at peace and complete with him back in my life.

“I want you to be my wife, Molly Hazel Cooper. I want to take care of you and love you and make you happy every day.”

“Every day,” I repeated. Tears filled my eyes at the gratitude I felt for this moment, for the pure and simple joy. I let out a sob and clasped my hand to my mouth.

He took my hand and kissed it. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes, I will marry you.” After slipping a perfect round diamond ring on my finger, he scooted into the hammock, wrapping me in his strong arms to hold me close.

Garrett had shaken up everything I thought I was and showed me things I never knew I wanted. My heart was full, about to burst with a love that had taken a lifetime to build. And now, one tiny, accidental spark blazed hotter than anything I’d ever known was possible.