Page 99 of The Mountain Man's Mail-Order Mafia Princess

He picked up a small wrapped box from behind the tree.

I stopped breathing for a beat.

The box fit inside his broad palm.

Jonah returned to me and held it out.

I looked from the gold paper to his face.

“May I begin processing aloud?”

“I expected you to.”

“This is suspiciously small.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s also wrapped much better than my other present.”

“Mabel helped.”

“That increases the probability of jewelry.”

Jonah’s crooked smile appeared, but his green-brown eyes stayed fixed on mine.

My fingers trembled when I took the box.

I peeled away the paper and lifted the lid.

A diamond filled the center of the ring.

It was large, brilliant, and surrounded by smaller stones that caught every light on the tree.

“Oh,” I whispered.

Jonah watched me. “Is it right?”

I lifted my eyes. “You bought me a very large diamond.”

“You don’t like small.”

“I can appreciate understatement in other people.”

“I didn’t buy it for other people.”

My eyes burned.

Jonah took the box and placed it on the table.

Then he lowered himself onto one knee.

I covered my mouth.

“Talia.”

I dropped my hand immediately. “I’m listening.”

“I used to think loving someone meant taking responsibility for every decision she made.”