* * *
Matt’s grandfather was as good as his word. A huge bedroom with incredible views of the hills behind the house was at their disposal. It was located in the back part of the house, insuring them privacy, something Matt really wanted. It was understood they’d stay there until Matt had bought his ranch and it was in livable condition. In the meantime, there would be lots of work to do: painting, cleaning, carpeting. Matt wanted to make a few changes before moving in, so they’d planned to work every day possible over at the new place.
That night, Matt was in bed waiting for Sarah, who was brushing her teeth in the bathroom.
“Are you using your own toothbrush this time?”
She popped her head out with the brush in her mouth.
“Mm…I…arg…brush…” Words coming out were too garbled to understand, but the color on that toothbrush was bright blue. She went back into the bathroom.
“Hey, that’s my brush, isn’t it?” She popped back out again, this time with her ponytail hanging off to one side and the brush still in her mouth. She smiled big with toothpaste dripping down and nodded enthusiastically.
Matt rolled his eyes. “What gives? Can’t you even find yours anymore?”
He could hear her rinsing and spitting in there. She came out and bounced into the bed with him.
“No.”
“No, what?”
“No, I can’t find mine anymore. It’s lost.”
He blinked in amazement.
“How do you lose a toothbrush?”
“… If I knew that, I’d know where the toothbrush is.”
Matt ran a hand through his hair and thought he’d heard it all now.
“I can’t believe this conversation we’re having.”
She raised an eyebrow. “… Maybe we should do something else.”
He pulled her down by him under the covers.
“Tired of talking?”
Matt lifted Sarah’s chin up so he could look into her eyes. When he saw his reflection, he almost melted.
“For a big, brave cowboy, you seem awfully sentimental,” she teased him.
“Do you always see through me?” he breathed.
“Always. Do you love me?”
“Yes, Sarah, I do.”
“Prove it.” She reached out to caress his dear face and to bring his lips down to hers.
“Yes, ma’am.” And they were off.
Sometime in the middle of the night, when their bodies were still tangled together and the kissing still hadn’t stopped, Matt had an epiphany. He held Sarah’s lovely face between his hands and just looked at her. He gazed at her blue eyes, her cute nose, cheeks rosy from his face rubbing against hers, and those full lips – swollen from the constant kissing, nibbling, sucking. It hit him like a sledgehammer.
“Matt, honey? What is it?”
“I’m in love, Sarah…For the first time in my life…”
She smiled. “I know that, cowboy. I’ve known it for a while.”
“Probably before I did.”
“So?”
“This probably isn’t the best time for me to say this…”
“Maybe not, Matt. We’re in the middle of something here.”
“Yes, I know and that makes what I want to say even more important.”
“Honestly, I get that, but…” Sarah pointed down to emphasize her point. They were quite in the middle of things with their bodies and hips glued together for one express purpose – He was still deep inside her. “Maybe we could just finish up first, before you say what you need to.”
Matt laughed and flipped her over. “Right. First things first.”
Later, after Sarah had fallen asleep, Matt lay there watching her. Everything she did was becoming dear to him. He loved those little bubbles and pops she made in her sleep. She never moved away from him and stayed right in his arms all night. He never even thought that would be a comfortable way to sleep. Now it was the only way he could sleep.
So in the middle of the night, when she was sound asleep, Matt gently turned Sarah’s head to whisper in her ear. He had to say it and he had to say it now.
“Sarah?” She mumbled something. “Can you hear me?”
Without opening her eyes, she whispered, “Yes.”
Matt didn’t know if she was awake or not, but decided to go on anyway.
“… Remember I had something to say to you?”
“Yes.”
“I love you, Sarah.”
“I love you too.”
“Will you marry me? I’m asking you.”
“Yes.” Matt watched her face as her eyes slowly opened and she turned her head to look at him. “Did you just say what I think you said?”
He smiled. “Are you awake now?”
“We’ve been awake most of the night.”
“You were asleep just now, honey.”
She looked at him in love. “Say it again to my face, instead of my ear.”
“All right. Sarah Hughes, I love you. Will you marry me?”
“… Is that what you wanted to tell me earlier?”
“Uh-huh.”
“What did I say when I was asleep and you asked me?”
“You said yes.”
“Okay. I’ll stick to that decision. It seems like a good one.”
His face fell. “That’s not terribly romantic.”
She leaned up to kiss his lips. They stayed on his for a good while.
“Matt Garth, I love and adore you. I would be very proud to marry you and be your wife. In fact, I’d be thrilled.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
“I don’t suppose you want to go back to sleep now. We have to get up in four hours.”
The way Matt looked at her, Sarah knew he didn’t want to go back to sleep.
“Okay,” she sighed. “Another sleepless night.”
Matt laughed as he brought her in closer for an incredibly sexy kiss. When they finished, she smiled against his lips. “Who needs sleep?” And they continued.
The next day she was helping Dale make breakfast and yawned a few times. Dale smiled at her.
“Do you ever get any sleep at night now, Sarah?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t.”
He laughed and laughed. “Good for you. I knew that boy loved you way back when you first got here.”
She just smiled at him and started making pancakes on the hot griddle.
“He asked me to marry him, Dale.”
He turned around to give her a hug. “Congratulations, Sarah. I’m pleased for you both. Still going to work for me?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What about your family?”
“I’m calling them today. We’re going into Wells since there’s no cell service around here and the few phones don’t have long distance.”
“What do you think they’ll say?”
“I think my dad’s head will rotate on his shoulders like the devil in that horror movie.”
“That bad?”
“Maybe not, once he meets Matt. It’ll just be tough getting Matt back there.”
“He doesn’t want to go to Baltimore?”
“No, but he’ll have to, sooner or later.”
He took the bacon out of the pan.
“Tess left today, didn’t she?”
“Yes, I’m going to miss her very much.”
“So is Richie.”
“Think so?”
“… Oh, yeah. He’s been moping around here trying to keep busy.”
Sarah picked up a towel to wipe her hands.
“Is that about it, Dale? I need to take off.”
“Go, go. Tell me what your father says.”
* * *
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Riding the River (The Westerners, Book One) Page 33