Page 49 of The Rancher's Cinderella Bride

“I’m serious, darlin’. I’ve never been more serious. Life is hell without you. I love you.”

She smiled a huge smile. “You love me? The great love-is-not-for-me Gabe Callahan loves me?” She loved him, and she loved teasing him.

“Yes, darlin’, I do.” He swept her up in his arms again and gave her a kiss that proved it. Then he set her down and grinned down at her.

“Gabe, I love you with all my heart and I’ve been miserable without you.”

He took her hands in his. “Then let’s get through the official stuff so we can get to the good part.” She laughed. “So what can you live with?”

“Well, I’ve been trying to think what I can live with. Believe it or not, your planes will head the list.”

“That’s good. I get to keep my planes. We’re a step closer to getting together.” He took off his hat and flicked it onto her sofa. “And I’ll give up bull riding in rodeos.”

“Oh, Gabe, really? That’s enough. Well, maybe one more thing. Don’t drive way, way over the speed limit.”

“I can live with that. I promise.”

Suddenly, she threw her arms around him. “You’d do all that for me? I love you so.”

Laughing, he caught her and held her tightly as he leaned close to kiss her. Moments later she pushed away slightly to gaze up at him. “Gabe, I don’t want to live in fear. You’ve shown me that. But there’s still one more thing. I can’t get so tied to you that I’d never want you to leave, not while you don’t want a part of anything permanent.”

“Don’t decide what I want and what I don’t want. Leave that to me.” In one smooth motion he picked her off her feet and carried her to the bedroom. He set her on her feet again and looked down at her.

“There’s no violin playing, no roses and no fancy setting, but this time I mean it.” He went down on one knee in front of her and she thought her heart would burst from her chest when she saw the sincerity in his eyes. “Meg, will you marry me?”

With a screech of joy, she flung her arms around him and kissed him. She didn’t need a violin to make this the most perfect proposal she could ever hear. All she needed was Gabe telling her this time it was for real.

He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. “I take it that’s a yes?”

She threw her head back and spun around. “Oh, yes!” She vaulted into his arms.

“Wait a minute, Meg. I just realized I’m not doing this right. I should have called your dad and told him I want to marry you, but I was afraid it would cause real problems for us, and also that you might turn me down.”

“It’s not going to cause problems and I’m not turning you down. Maybe this will end the silly feud,” she said, laughing and trying to stand on tiptoe to kiss him while she unbuttoned his shirt.

“Wait a minute, my hot lover.” He reached into his pocket and brought out a box tied with a ribbon. “Darlin’, I want to spend a lifetime telling you and showing you how much I love you. This is a token of that love.”

Her hands were trembling when she took the box from him. She could hardly think straight, she was so dazzled that she would be spending the rest of her life with the man she loved and had always loved. She steadied herself enough to untie the ribbon and open the box. She gasped as she looked at a dazzling diamond solitaire on a band covered in smaller diamonds. “Gabe, this is beautiful. And it’s a rock.”

“Ten carats. I want the world to know you’re my lady and I love you with all my heart. And darlin’, I promise to be a better dad than the one I had.”

He took the ring and held her hand, looking down at her. “Meg, I can’t ever really show you how much I love you, but I want to spend a lifetime trying. You’re my best friend, my world. I love you.”

“I love you, Gabe. You’re my best friend and always have been, and now you’re my love,” she said, gazing into his blue eyes.

He slipped the ring on her finger and then drew her to him to kiss her. She held him tightly, certain this cowboy had her heart completely and they had a future together that would be filled with joy, laughter and love.

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