by Carly Bloom
“I love you,” she whispered. “Just you. And nobody else.”
She rose on her toes and kissed him.
They say that a man’s life flashes before his eyes when he’s about to die. But Beau’s flashed before his at the touch of Alice’s lips. He saw himself jumping into the clear waters of the Rio Verde. Riding his horse hard and fast. Chasing Bryce around the big oak tree. Trying his best to please the babysitter, who made him feel soft and squishy inside. All of this and more blew through his consciousness as he kissed Alice.
Dancing with Alice. Reading with Alice. Laughing and crying and making love with Alice. Growing old with Alice.
He broke the kiss, because he felt as if he might lose himself completely if he didn’t. And anyway, he still had something else to say. “Listen, I think you should take that job in Austin. I don’t want to hold you back. And I already talked to Gerome. He said I can move to the dude ranch. There are a few cowboy positions open and—”
“You’d do that for me?”
“I’ll do anything for you.”
“I don’t want to go to Austin, Beau. I really don’t. I love this library. I love this town. And I love my cowboy.”
Oh, dear Lord. He nearly collapsed with relief. “I think we need to write up a new contract,” he said, grinning.
Alice held up a finger. “With an evolving bucket list—”
“Beginning now.”
Alice raised an eyebrow. “And ending . . .”
“Never, darlin’. Never ever.”
The deal was sealed with another kiss.
And they lived happily ever after.
The End.
Epilogue
Alice sat all alone at a corner table at Chateau Bleu, nervously twisting and untwisting the napkin in her lap. Something had probably come up at the ranch. Maybe a fence was down. Maybe there were cattle out. Maybe Beau was assisting the vet with a laboring heifer. These things happened, and as Beau often said, you just had to roll with it.
She was getting better at rolling, but Beau usually called to let her know when he was going to be late.
She checked her phone again. Still no message. No missed call.
A streak of blue caught her eye. Carmen had been dashing back and forth between the restaurant and the hotel all evening. Chateau Bleu provided room service for the hotel guests, but unless there was an event, there usually weren’t that many guests. And Carmen wouldn’t be the one delivering room service anyway. Carmen spotted her, smiled, and headed to her table.
“Is everything okay? Can I get you another glass of wine while you wait?”
“Everything is perfect,” Alice said. “Beau is just running a little late.”
Carmen sat and leaned forward. “I’ll help you pass the time. How’s your new job?”
Alice’s nerves calmed ever so slightly with this welcome distraction. “Challenging, and I love it.”
She’d recently been promoted to the previously nonexistent position of Verde County Library director. The Big Verde Public Library had joined with two other small rural libraries, and Alice oversaw all three.
“How about you? How are things at the Rockin’ Bleu?”
“Great reviews from food critics. I’ve got a fantastic chef and a great manager, which is good, because my Vegas chef quit. I’ve been spending most of my time in Nevada.”
“I’ve missed you,” Alice said.
“I’m going to try to get home more.”
“Did you just refer to Big Verde as your home?”
Carmen grinned. “I’ve got a suite here and one at the dude ranch. But I’m thinking of selling my house in Houston and making the Texas Hill Country my headquarters. It’s centrally located, and the best part? I’ll be closer to my bestie.”
Nobody had ever called Alice their bestie before. It made her feel a bit gooey and soft inside. It also made her want to have a sleepover and do each other’s nails.
Carmen’s phone vibrated. After glancing at it, her eyes twinkled. “Your dinner is ready.”
“My dinner? But I haven’t even ordered it yet. And Beau’s not here.”
“Both are waiting in room 218.”
Alice suppressed a squeal. She should have known Beau would do something special for the one-year anniversary of their contract.
“Don’t forget this,” Carmen said, snatching a red rose from a vase on the table. There was a little card attached: From your Secret Admirer.
Holy guacamole. She hadn’t even noticed it! She took the rose, hugged Carmen, and rushed through the restaurant and hotel lobby to the stairs, which she took two at a time. Soon, she was standing in front of room 218, staring at the same door she’d knocked on a year ago.
She inhaled deeply and tapped softly. Would Beau answer in a sexy suit and tie? Her knees went weak just thinking about it.
A bare chest suddenly opened the door. At least that’s how it seemed. There were probably other body parts as well—a head and legs, for example. But the chest, which was muscular and naked, was taking up the entire doorway. Her gaze drifted down to the unbuttoned jeans. It took some effort to drag it back up, where it landed on a pair of bright blue eyes.
A delightful tingle sparked at the base of her spine and worked its way to her mouth, which was turned up in a huge smile. “Oh, Beau,” she sighed. “It’s you.”
I always want it to be you.
Beau winked. “Are you lost, Allie Cat?”
She threw her arms around his neck, giggling like crazy. “No. I’m right where I need to be.”
Beau gave her a squeeze and picked her up like she was cotton candy. Then he carried her into the room, slamming the door with his foot.
There was a small table set with china, crystal, and candles, and the room smelled fantastic. “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble, but it’s lovely, and I’m glad you did.”
Her stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, and Beau laughed.
“It sounds like we might have to eat before getting to the fun and games portion of the evening,” he said.
Yes, but first, she had something to say. And she was going to go crazy if she didn’t do it right now. “Can we sit for a moment? We need to talk.”
“Sure, darlin’,” Beau said, taking a seat on the bed. “What’s on your mind?”
“I’ve been contemplating our current contract.”
Beau shifted and pulled her onto his lap. “There’s no expiration date, remember? You. Me. Together forever or until you get tired of me.” His eyes widened. “Are you tired of me?”
“I’m never going to get tired of you, Beau,” she said, running a finger along his cheek. “But I’ve been doing some research, and well . . .” She cleared her throat. “I think we might need a new contract. It seems there are many advantages to, you know, legally joining.”
“Legally joining?”
She swallowed loudly, even though her throat was dry from nerves. “Like financial advantages. Some studies indicate there can even be long-term health benefits for married couples—”
Beau gasped. “Alice Ann Martin, are you proposing to me?”
“Marriage proposals are old-fashioned and archaic and often sexist. One person shouldn’t ask the other for their hand in marriage. It should be a mutual decision, and I’m merely trying to open up some dialogue—”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Yes, Allie. I’ll marry you.”
Relief washed over her like a torrential downpour. She tried to inhale but discovered she couldn’t. Had she forgotten how to breathe?
“Are you okay?” Beau asked.
“Yes. But are you sure? You don’t want to talk about it some more?”
“We can talk about it for as long as you like, which is probably pretty long. I’m sure you came armed with facts and figures, but Allie, I want nothing more than to be your husband.”
She absolutely had come armed with facts and figures. “Did you know that married people have better outco
mes following major surgery and are more likely to—”
Beau leaned back against the pillow, pulling her with him, and she forgot all of her facts and figures.
“We need to add Engagement celebration to our bucket list,” he said.
“How do you propose we celebrate?” She lifted her head to see if he got it. “I said propose as a joke.”
Beau chuckled, and it vibrated her belly. “I have a few things in mind.” He licked her bottom lip. “And I suggest we get started right away.”
She liked the sound of that.
“And darlin’, I did a little research of my own. The Village Chateau is point-four-six miles past the city limits.”
“So?”
“So, noise ordinances do not apply.”
Don’t miss the first in Carly Bloom’s
Once Upon A Time in Texas series,
Available now from
The unmissable second book in Carly Bloom’s
Once Upon a Time in Texas series.
Available now from
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