by Cate Beauman
“Huh,” she said, still in the throes of disbelief. “Are you okay with that?”
“As long as Tim’s happy. He sounded happy—thrilled, actually.”
“Well congratulations, Timmy.”
He grinned. “I guess so.”
“Do you wanna take a walk?”
“Yeah, I think I do.”
“Let’s go.” She took his hand, and they wandered outside, down the balcony steps to the seashell paths leading toward the cliffs outlined by tiki torches. She smiled, looking from the twinkling lights of Monterey up to the stars as the wind tossed her hair around her shoulders and the waves crashed far below. Jerrod hooked an arm around her waist as they kept their pace unhurried in the abnormally warm temperatures. “This is amazingly beautiful.”
He grabbed his tie flying in the ceaseless breeze. “I definitely can’t complain.”
They stopped at the cliff’s edge, still able to hear the music pouring from the doors and windows of the enormous house, melding with the crash of the Pacific as she wrapped her arms around his waist, easy and relaxed. “It’s kind of like a tropical paradise.”
“Mmm.” He nodded his agreement.
“But even as wonderful as this is, I still love our condo more. I love that even though the next few weeks are going to be a little crazy, I still get to meet you on the nineteenth floor at the end of each day.”
He kissed the top of her head. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
She smiled. “I didn’t know I could be this happy.”
He moved so that they stood torso to torso and settled his arms around her waist, surprising her when he started moving with her in a dance. “I’m glad, because you make me happy too, Abby.” He slid his hand through her hair, uselessly tucking loose strands behind her ear only for the wind to catch them again. “For a long time I wasn’t sure I would ever find someone who makes me feel the way you do.” He kissed her lips as her heart simply melted with his sweet words. “You’ve been through so much. I wish I could change that, but I can’t be sorry that it brought me to you.”
“Jerrod.” Her eyes filled. He always told her he loved her, but he’d never shared this. “You’re going to get me going.”
He held her gaze, moving in again, kissing her slowly, tenderly as they continued to dance. He drew back, and she rested her head against his chest, at ease in a way she didn’t know she could be. “I thought our night in New York was perfect, but this right here…”
He bent close to her ear and sang along with Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran as they spoke of everything changing.
She stopped, looking up, staring into his gaze as he told her in his smooth baritone voice that her eyes looked like coming home.
“Jerrod,” she whispered, resting her hand on his cheek as he continued and she smiled.
The song ended, and she heard nothing but the surf as she continued to hold his stare in the flames of a dozen torches. “All this time.” She sniffled. “You can sing.”
“I love you, Abby.”
“I love you too. So much.”
“I’m not much of a romantic. I don’t have any fancy words. I just want you to be with me forever. Will you marry me?”
Tears tracked down her cheeks. How could he think he wasn’t romantic? “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“I don’t have your ring with me.”
“That’s okay.”
“I have it back at the condo. I’ve had it for a while. I bought it when I got your watch.”
She blinked, hardly able to keep up. “You did?”
He nodded. “I didn’t know we were going to end up here—not then at least, but I knew it was perfect for you, and I didn’t want anyone else to have it.”
Another tear fell. “Do you know how lucky I am to have you? You can’t possibly understand how much I love you.”
“I have a pretty good idea.”
She pulled his mouth to hers for a long kiss and eased back, grinning. “I can’t wait to tell Lex. And Lily’s going to want to design my dress.”
“Maybe someday after Escape gets established you and Lily could think about a maternity line.”
She smiled again as he did. “I already have a few ideas in the back of my mind.”
“Do you want to go back in and find your sister?”
“Mmm, not yet.” She spotted the bench in the shadows down the seashell path. “I think I’d rather go sit over there and make out with my fiancé for a while.”
He grinned. “I don’t hate that idea.”
“I didn’t think you would.” She tugged on his tie, leading the way. “Come on, big guy. I’m going to knock your socks off.”
He took her hand and pulled her against his side. “I don’t hate that idea either.”
They laughed, staring in each other’s eyes as they hurried to the bench.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cate Beauman is the author of the best selling series, The Bodyguards of L.A. County. She currently lives in Tennessee with her husband, two boys, and their St. Bernards, Bear and Jack.
www.catebeauman.com
www.facebook.com/CateBeauman
www.goodreads.com/catebeauman
Follow Cate on Twitter: @CateBeauman
THE BODYGUARDS OF L.A. COUNTY
Morgan’s Hunter
Book One: The story of Morgan and Hunter
ISBN: 978-0989569606
Falling For Sarah
Book Two: The story of Sarah and Ethan
ISBN: 978-0989569613
Hailey’s Truth
Book Three: The story of Hailey and Austin
ISBN: 978-0989569620
Forever Alexa
Book Four: The story of Alexa and Jackson
ISBN: 978-0989569637
Waiting For Wren
Book Five: The story of Wren and Tucker
ISBN: 978-0989569644
Justice For Abby
Book Six: The story of Abby and Jared
ISBN: 978-0989569651
* * *
Coming Fall of 2014
Saving Sophie
Book Seven: The story of Sophie and Stone
ISBN: 978-0989569668