Bewitched (Coronado Series Book 6)

by Lea Hart

  “Good food, good friends, and good music. If I had to bet, I’d say there’s fried chicken on the menu tonight.”

  Kissing her, he took her hand and led her toward the chapel. “I haven’t seen Ryan in at least eight years. Did you know that he’s one of the most highly decorated snipers on the Teams? The man is a legend.”

  “Really? He seemed so laid back when I met him.” She pushed her hair off her shoulder and pulled her dress up. “But he’d have to be laid back to marry Ivy. She is one of the most colorful friends I have. When you meet her, you’ll think she’s as straight-laced as any corporate executive could be. But then…the rubber band snaps and she does or says something totally inappropriate. It’s fantastic.”

  “Well, it’s not going to be boring.”

  “That’s for sure. I hope Aunt Lele is here. She’s a hoot.”

  ***

  Blake led Paige toward the party and noticed it looked like almost any party in Texas. The men were dressed in Wranglers, button-down shirts, and boots. He fit right in. The women were all dressed up, and some were wearing hats. He hadn’t known what to expect when he heard that Ivy was an oil heiress, but it was like any other party that he’d been to. “Honey, what would you like to drink?”

  “A margarita. But since that’s not possible, I’ll have a cranberry juice.”

  They walked toward the bar and stood in line. Once they had their drinks, they moved toward one of the tables. Just as they were about to sit down, Paige’s name was called. He watched her turn around and clap her hands.

  “Ivy Bellows, I love you,” Paige called out as a pretty brunette ran into her arms.

  There was a lot of screaming and hugging, and Blake stood at a safe distance until they were finished. He saw Ryan walk toward them and let out a laugh. The man looked as happy as a person could. Life after the Teams not only was possible but also looked damn good.

  “Brother,” Blake called out. They shook hands and did a bro hug. “The last time I saw you, we were running toward a boat during a hot extraction.”

  “Those damn rebels lit up the jungle from one end to another,” Ryan responded. “Good times.”

  Turning, they looked at the women, and Ryan let out a laugh. “It’s never boring with Ivy around.”

  Ivy held Paige at arm’s length and grinned. “My God, pregnancy agrees with you. I’ve never seen a sexier woman.” Leaning forward, she tugged her friend’s dress up. “These are magnificent. I hope when I get pregnant, I get those. How does Blake keep his hands off you?”

  Paige laughed and hugged her friend. Blake looked over at Ryan to see if he was the only one who was surprised by what Ivy had said. Nope, he looked as serene as he did when he had his rifle in his hands and marked a target four hundred yards away. Calm and cool. “Okay…” Blake began.

  Paige turned around and winked. “My girl Ivy tells it like it is. Wait till she starts on her stories.”

  Ryan tipped his beer bottle against Blake’s and winked. “It’s true. The first time I had a meal with her, she shared a story about her Aunt Lele and macaroni salad. All I’ll say is that after that, nothing is surprising.” Rocking back on his heels, he grinned. “That’s when I knew she was the one for me.”

  Ivy slipped her arm through Ryan’s and looked at him like he was the one responsible for hanging the moon and stars. “That wasn’t even my best story.”

  Blake wrapped his arm around Paige and pulled her close. For the first time in his life, he had someone who made the world a brighter, better place. What Ryan and Ivy had didn’t leave him with a wave of jealousy or longing. He was happy for his friend because he had something of his very own. Someone of his very own, who had told him earlier that he was her king and she was going to keep him at the center of her world. As far as he could see, he was the luckiest man in the whole place. It was up to him to make sure he deserved it.

  Ivy took Paige’s arm. “Let’s go see Mama and Grams. They’re dying to see you. I want to give Ryan a chance to talk Blake into coming and joining us at SAI. After we’re done talking to my family, I’m going to do the same thing with you. We want you all to come down and join us.”

  Paige tugged Blake down and gave him a kiss. “I’ll come find you in a bit.”

  “Okay, honey. I lo—” He almost said it without thinking. It wasn’t the place to admit his feelings for the first time. Smiling, he kissed her and let her go. Tonight, he would say it. It wasn’t going to stay in much longer.

  ***

  Paige walked arm in arm with Ivy and laughed. “For two girls who couldn’t get dates in college, we sure did okay.”

  Ivy squeezed her arm. “Who would’ve guessed we’d end up with two big, sexy men who are actual real-life heroes?”

  “All I can say is, those who wait are blessed.” Pulling her dress up, she laughed. “Though I could’ve lived without the whole terrorist kidnapping thing.”

  “True. It’s a hell of a way to meet the love of your life. But sometimes that’s how it works.”

  Paige looked out over the party. “Remember how we used to scrounge up dates for the dances?”

  “God yes, we took some sad men to those things. Remember the boy who wore the red tux?”

  “What was his name? Stuart something.”

  Stopping in the middle of the lawn, Ivy pressed her hand to her chest. “That wasn’t Stuart, but let me tell you a story about him. You’re not going to believe this, but he and his daddy have been up to no good. There was bad blood over some deal that happened years ago, and we think Stuart was responsible for hiring someone to blow up a bunch of Daddy’s wells. Haven’t been able to prove it yet. But we will. That slimy kid turned into a slimy, dangerous man.”

  Paige nodded. “I knew he was bad news back in school. Remember how he’d take any imagined slight and turn it into an all-out vendetta? I can’t imagine how bad he’s become as an adult.”

  “Now he’s got the resources to make those vendettas deadly. We haven’t been able to nail him yet, but we will. I wish I could ask Ryan to shoot him.” Smoothing down her hair, she shrugged. “The only good news is that he won’t get away with it again.”

  “You never did like to leave things unfinished. Everything has to be tied up in a nice pretty bow.”

  “I do like to tie things up…” Ivy covered her mouth and laughed. “Or let him.”

  “What?” Paige shrieked.

  “Just kidding. I wanted to make sure you were paying attention. Ryan is a commanding man, and all he has to do is say it once and I’m ready to follow orders.” Slapping her leg, she snorted. “Who knew I’d enjoy being with someone so…forceful?”

  “You think they were that way before they became SEALs, or is it something they learn?”

  Ivy shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe it’s handed out when they get their tridents. Along with the paranoid, overprotective thing.” Shrugging, she smiled at her fiancé. “I love him and I’m going to keep him. Even if he is a bit overbearing.”

  “I like the look of love on you, friend. It suits you. I’m happy there’s a man who sees how wonderful you are and accepts you.”

  “I honestly never thought it would happen.” Looking across the grass, she waved to Ryan. “And then…it was him.” Snapping her fingers, she grinned. “Prince Charming appeared before me and he was disguised as a handsome, sexy warrior.”

  Paige let her gaze fall across the grass, and she studied Blake and understood. “I get it.”

  “So, what are you going to do with that baby daddy of yours?”

  “Not sure.”

  “Oh, that’s a big fib. You have always known your next move. I take that back—you’ve always known your next five moves.”

  Paige shrugged and felt herself spill out of her dress. “Good Lord.” Pushing herself back to decency, she pulled up her dress. “For the first time in my life, I have no idea. And I’m going to leave it that way. It’s all going to work out one way or another.”

  “Good for you. That’s v
ery healthy. Control is just an illusion anyway.”

  “I learned that in Jordan, and every minute since then has driven the point home. I’m taking each moment as it comes, and if that doesn’t work, then I’ll follow my mama’s footsteps and strangle whatever gets in my way with good intentions.” Watching Blake deep in conversation with Ryan, she wondered what his plans entailed. It certainly seemed like he had some, and it would be interesting to find out what they were.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Sunday, May 7

  Blake stood in the small kitchenette of their room and made coffee. Looking over at the bed, he saw Paige sprawled across the left side with her face pushed into a pillow. He felt a little guilty because he’d kept her up late last night. Once hadn’t been enough for either of them, so they christened the room from one end to the other. It hadn’t been his intention to take her three times, but that’s what occurred. Whatever was happening between them wasn’t diminishing. In fact, it was starting to burn out of control. As far as he could tell, it was the first flush of love, excitement, raw lust, and baby hormones.

  That part of their lives was working perfectly, and he was going to do everything he could to make sure that it always did. The part they had to work out was how they were going to be together. He glanced over at his bag and thought about the box nestled under his jeans. It was time to tell her how he felt and ask her to be his. It was a huge leap for both of them, considering they had been together only a month, but he felt confident that Paige was the one for him.

  The sound of the coffeemaker must’ve woken Paige because she rolled over and lifted her hair out of her face. “Morning.”

  “Hi, honey. Coffee will be ready in a minute.”

  “Okay.”

  He watched her sit up and then stretch. The long line of her back had him wanting to tumble her back in the sheets. When she stood and walked past him to the bathroom, he gritted his teeth. Control. He had been famous for it, and it was about time he started using it when Paige was around.

  He took their coffee cups, went out to the porch, and admired the sun lighting up the rolling hills. Before he sank into the rocking chair, he went back into their room and grabbed the box in the bottom of his bag. Glancing back, he saw the bathroom door was closed, so he went back out and settled into the chair. Lifting his cup, he drank his coffee and rehearsed his speech. It was perhaps the most important one of his life and he wanted to get it right. After all, his future happiness depended on it.

  He heard the screen door open and turned to see Paige walk outside. She was wrapped up in a big white terrycloth robe. Her hair was up and her face was scrubbed clean of makeup. As far as he could remember, he’d never seen anyone more beautiful. She was the answer for him, and it had everything to do with who she was and not what she was giving him. “Coffee?” he asked.

  Sinking into the chair next to him, she smiled and took the coffee cup from him. “Don’t you love it here? I spent a lot of time with Ivy’s family when we were in college. Her mama and Grams are a surrogate family for me.”

  “I figured that out last night when they thoroughly interrogated me. Grams was particularly interested in my intentions. If it hadn’t been for Ryan, I’m not sure I would’ve made it out of there alive.”

  Sipping her coffee, she tucked her feet underneath her and laughed. “The world needs more women like them. They love me as much as my own family. It seems that Ryan has been included and accepted. I’m so happy that Ivy has found her heart. Ryan is everything I could’ve hoped for my sweet friend.”

  “What about you? What is it that Paige Bennett hopes and dreams of?”

  Rubbing her tummy, she looked out at the view and shrugged. “I hope for a healthy child and a life I can be proud of. I’m not sure what that looks like yet, but I’m hoping to figure it out before he’s born.”

  He stood and kneeled before her. “Paige, I want us to build a life together. I want to be the answer for you. I’ve fallen for you, and I’m not sure how I would ever live without you. You’ve become my favorite…everything. Your eyes are the ones that I want to see every morning. You are my favorite way to spend an afternoon, my favorite voice to hear. Fill in the blank, because you are my favorite. I spent a lifetime without anything close, and now that I have you, I’m holding on. I love you fiercely, without reservation, without conditions. I’m never going to let you go, and I hope to God you’re going to let me.”

  Looking up, he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. “Honey, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He dug the box out of his pocket and held it up. “Paige Bennett, will you marry me? I promise to love you every day for the rest of my life. I promise to make you as happy as I can. I love you.” Sliding the ring out, he kissed her hand. When Paige didn’t say anything, he looked up and saw her covering her mouth with tears streaming down her face. “Baby, are you breathing?” She shook her head. Standing, he picked her up and held her tightly. He collapsed back into his chair and held her. “I’m hoping that my confession is welcome news and you’re overwhelmed with happiness.”

  He felt her nod her head against his chest and took a breath. God damn, he’d almost had a heart attack. Rubbing her back, he rocked back and forth in the chair. Maybe when you proposed to a pregnant woman, you had to do it differently. He wasn’t even sure what he’d said. All he’d done was speak from the heart. Maybe he hadn’t said enough, or maybe he’d said too much. It was all sort of a blur.

  A loud sniffle told him that she was starting to pull herself together. “I’m going to get a tissue. I’ll be right back.”

  He waited until she crawled out of his lap and walked back into their cabin. Leaning forward, he watched her enter the bathroom. As far as he could tell, his proposal had failed. The tears, the lack of an answer weren’t good signs. Sitting up, he stared across the empty field and wondered what he could have done differently. Several minutes passed, and he felt his future slip away as each minute ticked by.

  The screen door opened and Paige emerged. She pushed her hair over her shoulder and then crawled back into his lap. What the hell was going on? He thought of saying something and then held himself back. He’d said everything he could think of, and none of it seemed to be working.

  “Yes,” she said.

  Sitting back, he braced his hands on her hips. “Can you repeat that?”

  “Yes, I want to marry you.” She took a tissue out of her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. “You are the most amazing, brave, handsome, funny man I’ve ever met, and I would be honored to be your partner in life. And smart—did I say that? You’re smart and…sexy. Can I say that when I’m accepting your proposal? I’m not sure if I’m supposed to, but you are, and by the way…thank God.”

  He had no idea how to respond. This was one of the world’s worst proposals and he had no idea what to do. Except that she’d said yes. That was good. “Should I ask you again? I feel like the first one didn’t work out all that well.”

  “If you want. But if you’re going to ask again, then I’d like to take a shower and do my hair. That way, when we take a picture, I’ll look good. I mean…it’s not like I can put a picture of this in the album. I look like I was rode hard and put up wet. That’s not a memory the children need to see when they flip through the photo album. That’s really between us.”

  Throwing his head back, he let out a laugh. “I love you, Paige Bennett, and I would like to marry you.” He dug the ring out of his pocket and held it up. “Will you marry me?”

  “Yes, I will marry you. I love you, by the way. I didn’t expect to, but I do. With my whole heart and with every fiber of my being.”

  Laughing, he held up her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. “That didn’t go like I thought, but hell, that’s pretty much par for the course.”

  Paige lifted her hand and admired the ring he’d chosen for her. “I guess this means you’re stuck with me. No escaping. This is it—all me for the rest of your life.”

 
He pulled her in and pressed his mouth against hers. “Absolutely. When I got you out of that building in Jordan, I already had a place for you in my heart. Our destiny was written long before we met. I love you, Paige, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life proving that fact to you.”

  “I was waiting for you, Blake, even though I didn’t know it. I thought if I lived by a carefully constructed plan then I could find happiness. But that was never possible. The chaos shows us what we need most. You are my answer. You’ve made me question everything and have revolutionized the way I think about the world.”

  “You and me, Paige. That’s it. We’re a team.”

  “Okay.” Leaning against him, she wrapped her hands around his chest. “I get to be team leader sometimes…right? I mean, I don’t have a fancy title like you, but I’d like to lead the team from time to time.”

  Leaning back, he grinned. “Honey, you are the team leader.”

  “Oh…good. What exactly does a team leader do?”

  “Whatever you want,” he replied with a laugh.

  “I can do that.” Running her hand up his chest, she gave him a naughty smile. “As team leader, I think we should go back to bed and consummate this proposal.”

  Standing abruptly, he carried her into the cabin and kicked the door shut. “I knew you were going to excel in this position.” He dropped her onto the bed and watched her laugh.

  “I didn’t even tell you what position I wanted to try.”

  He fell on top of her and broke his landing with his arms. “Doesn’t much matter. I like them all.”

  “I knew this team thing was going to work out,” she muttered right before he kissed her.

  “Absolutely. Team Carmichael,” he replied as he pressed their mouths together.

  THE END

  INSPIRATION

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