by Delia Latham
“Oh!” Raine swallowed hard. “Please tell him thank you. This contains something very precious to me.”
“I know, dear. Now, you need to hurry along. Everyone is waiting for you at Chrysalis.”
Raine laughed. “Are you rushing me out the door?”
Miss Angie laughed. “Not like you mean, dear, but I don’t want to keep the others waiting either while I keep you to myself.”
After one more tight, clinging hug, Raine walked outside, climbed into her car, and drove around the circle drive leading away from the lodge. As she prepared to pull onto the road, she peered into her rearview mirror for one last look at the place where she’d felt more at home than she’d ever felt in her own parents’ house.
Miss Angie still stood outside the door, watching her drive away. Behind her, shadows from the surrounding trees danced against the front of the lodge, forming…wings?
Raine gasped, and then laughed when the illusion disappeared. Of course, that’s what illusions did. They disappeared. Just like her illusion of love and a life with Dec. She sighed and pointed her car toward Cambria. A mile down the road, she slowed, and then pulled to the side of the road.
Dec leaned against his vehicle, arms folded over his chest, ankles crossed.
When Raine climbed out of her car, her heart pounded like thunder in her ears.
He stood up straight and met her between the two vehicles.
“You were really going to leave without saying goodbye.”
She swallowed hard. “I…yes. Last night was hard enough, Dec. I’m not ready to rehash everything.”
“Raine…how can I convince you to forgive me? Honey, I’m so sorry! I only took on that blasted ghost-guard job as a favor to my dad.” He scowled. “But if I hadn’t done it, I wouldn’t have met you, and…well, I’m glad I met you, Raine. I’m sorry I hurt you, but I’m glad we met, even though I sure didn’t mean to fall in love.”
She gasped. “What—what did you say?”
“I said I love you. Didn’t you know that already?” He wrapped a hand around each of her arms and tugged her close. “I was sure you’d figured it out by now. I love you with everything that I am, sweetheart. I don’t know how to let you go!” He tugged her against his chest.
Raine felt his heart pounding against hers. She pulled away to stare into his face, still unable to believe he’d said what she thought she’d heard. “You love me?”
He laughed. “How many times do you want to hear it? I can say it all day, if that’ll help.”
Dazed and a bit confused, she lifted one hand to touch his lips. “Say it again.”
Dec placed his hand over hers and kissed her fingertips, one by one, never taking his gaze off her face.
She felt the depth of his emotion, felt his heart yearning toward her own.
“Spring Raine Presley. I love you. I love you!”
“You love me,” she breathed. This time, it was not a question.
“That’s what I said.” He grinned.
She threw both arms around his neck. “Oh, Dec…I love you too!”
His arms went around her, and he threw his head back and laughed out loud. Then he swung her around in a circle, yelling at the top of his lungs. “She loves me! Raine Presley loves me!” Suddenly, he set her on her feet and lowered his face to within a half-inch of hers. “You know I’ll not let you go home now…don’t you?”
She snuggled against his chest. “I am home.”
“You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you to say that.” He brushed his lips against hers, softly, and then with a hunger that threatened to consume them both.
Raine responded with a passion she hadn’t known she possessed.
When he pulled away, she leaned against him, afraid to stand on her own strength.
He held her, neither of them saying anything.
But not for long.
“I have something for you.”
“Dec, all I need…all I want…is you.”
He chuckled. “I could listen to that for a while, but…well, we’re kind of standing on the side of the road, making out in public.”
She jerked backward, her cheeks flaming. “I completely forgot where we were.”
“Me too.” He kissed the tip of her nose and stepped away. “Follow me?”
“Anywhere.”
He led her to the shelter. She climbed out of her car and joined him on the sidewalk. “What are we doing here?”
“Well, you were coming here anyway, weren’t you?”
“Yes, but—”
“So, I brought my gift here, in case you just drove on by and left me standing at the side of the road.”
She grinned. “Don’t think I didn’t consider it!”
“Yeah, well, I wouldn’t have blamed you. Raine…you do know how sorry I am for my part in that ridiculous deception?”
“I think I do.” She snuggled against his side as they strolled toward Chrysalis. “But you can tell me again if you want to.”
Laughing, he tweaked her nose. “You’re a vixen!” He opened the door.
Shay barreled across the room and into Raine’s arms. “We thought you forgot us!”
“Not a chance.” She returned the hug and winked at Tara and Cole, who stood back, both looking a little forlorn. Confused for a moment, she relaxed when she realized the kids were preparing themselves to say goodbye. She’d have to set their minds at ease right away.
Behind them, Greg lolled against the back of the sofa, watching with a crooked smile.
Greg again. Raine hiked a brow in his direction, narrowed her eyes, and slanted them toward Shay. His faced reddened, but he nodded and gave her a little thumbs-up against his chest…for her eyes only. Aha. Just as she’d thought.
“Come on, come on!” Shay had her by the hand, dragging her into the meeting room. “You have to see this.”
What in the world?
Dec followed.
Raine didn’t notice how quiet he’d gone until she saw what stood on an easel on top of the table.
“The Grove!” She swung around to find Dec leaning against the doorframe, watching her reaction with a tiny smile. “You…?”
“For our home, sweetheart. Something to show our children and grandchildren. I can’t wait to tell them what makes this painting so close to our hearts.”
She flew across the distance between them and threw herself into his arms, where she placed a kiss on his lips—right there in front of everyone. She’d intended it to be a brief little smooch, but Dec pulled her in close and turned it into a breathless moment, while behind them, the others clapped and whooped.
Then someone cleared a throat, and they pulled apart.
Pastor Merckle fixed them with twinkling eyes and raised brows. “Someone want to tell me what’s going on here?”
Raine’s hands flew to burning cheeks.
Dec laughed and refused to release his hold on her waist. “I’m convincing Raine to stay in Cambria, Pastor.”
“Well, then…carry on!” The minister grinned and hurried over to hug them both. “That’s great news. Does this mean she’ll stick around and fill that seat?”
That seat? Raine’s brows knit, and then she gasped, remembering his odd reaction when she’d suggested finding someone else to fill her spot on the board. “You! You already knew!”
“No, no…I didn’t know.” Pastor denied her accusation with a huge grin. “But I have to admit I had a feeling…”
She shook her head, while Dec’s chuckle rumbled against her back. “Between you and Miss Angie, I’m beginning to think there can be no secrets around here.”
“Well, I don’t know about that, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt if folks thought I could see their deepest, darkest secrets. I might end up with a congregation more perfect than I’ll ever be.”
They all laughed, and then Dec cleared his throat. “Um…I’d like a moment with my gorgeous bride-to-be, if you all don’t mind.”
Everyone left the room, with a gr
eat deal of teasing and laughter.
Raine stood staring at the gorgeous painting on the table. “You know how much I love this, don’t you?”
He stepped up behind her and circled her waist with his arms. “Oh, I don’t know, honey…about as much as I do?” He nuzzled the back of her neck, making her gasp and turn to push him gently away. “Stop that, you! There’s a minister, and a couple of young people who consider us role models, right outside this door.”
He emitted a teasing grumble, but backed away and pulled something from his shirt pocket. “Miss Angie gave you your purse?”
“Yes! Thank you. My sister’s necklace was in that little bag, you know. I would’ve been devastated to have left it behind.”
“That wasn’t all I found in that purse.”
“You—” She gaped at him, her cheeks warming when she remembered the other item she’d tucked into the purse, for no reason other than it didn’t go with her outfit last night and she wanted it close to her. “You opened it?”
“I did.” He grinned. “At that point, I’d already dug a hole so deep I’d never find my way out of it, so I didn’t have much to lose. Besides, I was hoping I’d find exactly what I found.” He opened his hand.
Raine gasped and reached for the familiar wooden butterfly pendant.
Dec had somehow fastened Skye’s porcelain butterfly between the wooden wings of the other pendant, forming a bright second layer of wings. Despite the difference in material and the differing styles, the result was utterly perfect.
Raine lifted her gaze to Dec’s, allowing all the love in her heart to shine from her eyes, even as tears overflowed and raced down her cheeks.
Dec took her face in his hands and used both thumbs to catch the little rivulets of moisture. “Will you let me always be the one who dries your tears, my love?” His husky question caught at her heart and tugged with the power of a two-ton crane. “More than anything in the world, I want you to be my wife. I want to be your husband.”
Raine opened her mouth to provide an answer, but he placed a finger over her lips and shook his head. “Let me do this right.”
He dropped to one knee, took her hand, and then looked up into her eyes…once more leaving her feeling as if he saw into her soul.
“Raine Presley, I love you with every beat of my heart, with every cell in my body, and every atom of my being. Will you marry me and make me the happiest, luckiest, most blessed man on earth?”
Raine knelt in front of him and kissed the hand she held. “Declan Keller, I love you from the depths of my soul, from now until eternity. Being your wife would make me the happiest, most blessed woman in this world.”
Dec kissed her then, and she forgot about woodcarvings and paintings…and even butterflies. All that mattered was being in his arms, and holding him in hers.
But then, he stood to his feet, a horrified expression on his face, and drew her up beside him
“Dec?” Confused, she shook her head. “What is it?”
“I don’t…” He swallowed. “I don’t have a ring. I’m so sorry, honey…I messed up again.”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “You didn’t mess up, my love. This is perfect.”
“Perfect, without a ring?” Dec’s expression was one of blatant disbelief.
“Oh, there’ll be a ring. That’s not negotiable.” She pulled his face close and kissed his cheek. “We’ll find the perfect one.” Her lips brushed his forehead. “Together.” She trailed the kiss down the other cheek. “Right here at home.”
“You mean…?”
“Just what I said. At home. Right here in Cambria.”
“What about your parents?”
Raine hiked one brow. “They’ll get used to me making my own decisions…eventually. I hope. Either way”—She smiled as she pulled his face close to her own—“it’s my time to fly.”
And then she touched her lips to his in a barely there caress.
Dec growled deep in his throat and crushed her to his chest, turning her playful, feathery lip ballet into a kiss that curled her toes. A kiss that lifted her feet off the floor and made her knees weak.
Raine melted against him with an ecstatic sigh.
Who needed butterfly kisses? This was a kiss to remember.
Thank you
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