Brodie stayed kneeling. “A year ago, I stood in a meadow not too far from here. I had my life all planned out. I was going to build a house with four bedrooms, jump from one business project to the next, and have a hell of a time as a bachelor.” His earnest expression made her pulse flutter. “Then, you came along and got knocked up and ruined everything.”

She burst out laughing. “You’re such a dick.”

He reached for her hand. “I didn’t think I had it in me to love someone this way. But, Princess, I fell so hard for you. I love you. I love you in that scary way, the one where I’m going to be chasing you throughout eternity. Because you’re mine. I knew it when I met you. It just felt different, right. And, every day, it gets deeper.”

Oh, God. He was proposing. They were going to get married. Her heart grew even bigger.

“I want to wake up to your smile and talk about our days at the dinner table. I want to hike with you and watch you throw-down with my brothers. I want to listen to you talk about your flowers and laugh with you under the covers. Rosie, I want to grow old with you and devote every minute of my life to making you happy.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet ring box. Flipping it open, he said, “Rosalina Isabelle Anais Villeneuve, will you finally shorten that damn name to Rosie Bowie and marry me?”

“There’s nothing I want more in the world.”

He popped up, wrapped her in his arms, and said, “Now we can make-out.”

“Can you put the ring on first, please?”

Tugging the spectacular diamond and ruby ring out of its nest, he slid it on her finger.

She had to blink away the tears to make sure what she was seeing. “It’s a flower. It’s lyantha.”

“Yeah, I brought some to the jeweler and asked if she could design something that would look like the flower that brought us together. You like it?”

“I love it so much. I can’t even believe you made this for me. It’s perfect.”

“You’re perfect.” And then his mouth was on hers, and all his love flowed right into her. Grabbing a fistful of hair at the back of her neck, he tilted her head and deepened the kiss. God, she loved the way he was always so hungry for her.

No matter who he was with or how distracted he might be, he always had a hand on her, always looked to her in a room full of people, seeking out a private moment.

“Gonna fuck you on the kitchen counter, so get those jeans and panties off. You’ve got five seconds.”