He slowly made his way to where I stood, wrapping his arms around me. “I have never exactly fantasized about proposing to a girl, but I damn sure never thought I’d have to beg.” He thought about that for a moment and then knelt.

“Oh no, please get up.”

“Falyn Fairchild, you are a stubborn woman. You have the mouth of a sailor. You buck every rule anyone lays upon you, and you’ve broken my heart. Twice.”

“This is a terrible proposal,” I said.

“Everything that’s happened since we met has led to this moment. There is only one woman I’ve loved before you, and there will never be another after you.”

“Unless it’s a girl,” I said.

Taylor blanched and then stood. “You think it could be a girl?”

“There is a fifty percent chance.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, walked away from me, and came back. “I can’t have a daughter. I’ll kill someone.”

I chuckled. “You’re right. You do need me—at the very least, for an alibi.”

“I’d feel a lot better about it if we made it official.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

His face twisted. “You’ve said that before.”

I blew out a breath, feeling like the truth had just punched me in the chest. “I guess neither one of us keeps our promises.”

“There is one promise I know I’ll keep,” he said.

I leaned over, tenderly cupping his face in my hands. “Ask me again.”

He blinked. “What?”

“Ask me again.”

His eyes glossed over, and he took my hand in both of his. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah?” he said, beaming.

He crashed into me, kissing every inch of my face. Then his lips landed on my mouth, moving slowly. When he finally released me, he shook his head in disbelief. “You’re serious? You’re gonna marry me?”

I nodded.

He rubbed the back of his neck. “The worst day of my life has turned into the best day of my life.”

“So far,” I said.

He kissed me again. This time, he lifted me into his arms and then carried me to the bedroom before closing the door.

We spent the rest of the day in bed, either making love or making plans. I waited to feel panic or regret, but neither came. I had been without him, and then I thought I’d lost him forever. Loss had a way of making everything very clear, and all the things I’d been so worried about seemed insignificant now.

Just before dinner, Taylor’s cell phone buzzed, and he climbed out of bed to check it. “Damn it. I got called in.”

I sulked. “So soon after what happened?”

He shrugged. “It’s the job, baby.” He fetched the trash bag in the hall and put on the smoky clothes. “Come with me.”

“To wait at the hotel?”