Like dinner with his family tonight.

And because she thought about what he needed to be happy and build his dream, she’d had delivered two gorgeous mares for his breeding program. Under normal circumstances, he would have paid a fortune for them, but she’d just gifted them to him.

Between what she made at Spencer Software and the bestselling games she produced under Andy’s Antics, she had the money to do and buy anything she wanted.

She didn’t need his financial support.

Which meant she was with him because he mattered to her.

It had been a long time since he allowed himself to believe that. But for the first time, he knew it to be completely true. No financial strings attached.

And that meant their relationship was built on a solid foundation of respect and other intangible and infinitely more important things.

“Luke, honey, are you okay?” Sarah’s hand brushed up his arm and held his biceps. “You look so serious.” Her concern touched him.

He stared down at her. “I was just thinking about you. Us. And how we got here.”

“It started with an interrogation of my motives and quickly moved to us getting to know each other for who we are.”

“And what we can give each other,” he added. “Not things you buy. Things that matter. Love. Support. Family.”

“Exactly. All the things we need to feel connected and important.” She squeezed his arm. “So why so serious?”

“Because I realized in the past I was my own worst enemy. I sabotaged so many relationships by thinking the woman I was with wanted me to buy them things or take them out to fancy dinners and on extravagant trips. After a while, I felt like that’s all I brought to the table that they’d want. But you and I are building a relationship without any of those things. I’ve never even taken you out to a fancy dinner or whisked you away to a Caribbean island.”

“I wouldn’t say no to either of those things, to tell you the truth. But I don’t need all of that to see you for the man you are. Kind. Generous. Caring. Understanding. Smart. Dedicated to this ranch, your family, the people and things that matter to you. Protective. And drop-dead gorgeous,” she added, making him smile. “Being with you has shown me that the life I really want isn’t some young, lonely girl’s dream but a reality we can make together.”

“I want that more than anything. I want to make you happy. For a minute I wondered how to do that. You can buy anything you want, so what did I have to give you, except to really make an effort to be kind and generous and caring and understanding and to protect you always, because I love you. And I do hope you see and feel that despite the fact I didn’t give you those other things at first and I should have because you deserve them. And I feel a little rotten that I purposely didn’t because I didn’t want you to disappoint me. I wanted this to be real. And now I know it is.”