Chapter Nineteen
The first rays of light woke him the next day. It took him a moment to realize he was wrapped around Naomi, and his grip was tight. He worried until he saw the soft smile on her face.
He had to get a few things done before he took her to the pond. He pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, untangled his arms, and rolled out of bed. She needed as much sleep as she could get, so he was quietly dressing. He scribbled a note and put it on his pillow, saying he wanted her to make them a picnic lunch and to be ready at noon.
Joe stood at the kitchen window, drinking a cup of coffee and watching the ranch wake. Men and animals started moving around, and the sounds grew. He grabbed an apple and walked outside. The sunrise seemed to glow, making the land around him feel almost magical somehow. Fuck, if the guys knew he was thinking that, he’d get razzed forever.
He had no idea how long he’d been working when one of his men got his attention.
“Hey, Boss, your woman is looking for you.”
Joe wiped his hands on a nearby towel before walking out of one of the barns. His body tensed when a surge of need raced through him. She was his, and he was going to make sure she was tied to him in every way.
“Hi, Love,” he said as he walked up to her. The smile on her face made something settle within him. He would have guessed contentment, but it felt deeper.
“Hi. I have the picnic ready.”
He wrapped one arm around her waist, and the other slid under her dark brown hair and then on the back of her neck. He kissed her with every emotion he was feeling.
The catcalls and whistles stopped him from going further. “Let’s go. Do you ride horses?”
She nodded. “It’s been a while.”
He took her hand and led her into the kitchen. He walked over to the sink and washed his hands. “We’re taking one of the trucks today because I don’t want you on a horse right now, but eventually, I would like to ride to the spot.”
“I understand,” she said.
He caught sight of a picnic basket on the kitchen table and grinned. “Where did you find that?”
“In one of the closets.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I thought so, too.”
Joe smiled. “I’m going to grab a blanket, and then I’ll be right back.”
He was back within a minute with the things he needed for the day. He snatched up the basket, tucked the blanket under his arm, and then grabbed her hand with his other.
They got to one of the trucks, and he lifted the basket and blanket into the back before leading her to the passenger side.
Naomi gasped when he lifted her onto the seat. “Thank you. I was wondering how I was going to climb in.”
“You’ll never do that,” he said. “Not while I’m around.” He’d already talked to his manager about the things he wanted done so he didn’t have to worry about the ranch for the day.
Joe started down one of the back roads and then reached for her hand. They drove in silence for several minutes, but it was a calming one and not awkward. It was like they’d been together for years.
“How far does your land go?” she asked.
“I own fifteen-hundred acres now. Every time land comes up for sale that touches mine, I buy it.”
“Wow. What do you do with all of it?” she asked.
“A lot of it I don’t do anything with yet. For some of the others, we move the cattle around so each pasture doesn’t get pulverized or overeaten. It helps with costs, too, since we don’t have to pay for so much hay. However, we grow different crops, like feed corn, hay, and straw for bedding. It helps keep costs down. We all keep busy, that’s for sure. I’m thinking about hiring another man.”
He caught the look in her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.”
He saw how stiff she was and decided to let it go for the moment. He didn’t want anything to spoil what he had planned.
They topped a hill, and he could see his spot just up ahead.
She gasped and sat forward. “Oh, my. That’s beautiful.”
“I found this spot when I was a teenager and have kept it quiet. You’re the only one that will know about it.”
The brilliant smile on her face made him feel like a giant.
He parked the truck and went around to her door. He unbuckled her and set her on her feet. “Wait, Love. Let me get the basket and blanket. I want to hold your hand because the ground is a bit uneven.”
They started for the huge tree he always sat under. He spread the blanket and then put the basket down.
“Here, let me help,” he said and led her to a place that wasn’t bumpy.
They looked at each other, and he couldn’t get over the fact that she was his. He felt like the richest man in the world.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He started pulling things from the basket and putting it all between them. There were little sandwiches, a bowl of cut-up fruit, a bag of chips, and brownies.
“Where did the brownies come from?”
“I made them this morning,” she said.
“They look delicious.”
“I hope so. We didn’t have a mix, so I had to do them from scratch,” she told him.
She pulled out napkins, plates, and bottles of water.
“This looks wonderful, Love.”
He loved the blush that covered her face but also the smile of happiness.
They ate in silence for a few minutes. He would point out a frog or turtle he caught sight of, but otherwise, he stayed quiet and let tranquility happen.
When they were done, they put everything away except for the brownies and water, which he moved to the side.
“Come here,” he said and reached his hand out.
She crawled over to him as he sat against the tree. He helped her get comfortable between his wide legs. Naomi leaned back on his chest, sighed, and stayed quiet.
“I can’t remember being this peaceful,” he said.
She nodded. “Me, either.”
He tilted her head back against his arms and held her face with the other hand. He studied her for a moment before leaning down and kissing her. He kept the contact light as long as he could, but the searing heat was already taking over. He didn’t want to take her right then, so he lifted his head.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured.
“I think you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever seen.”
He loved the breathless quality of her tone. He leaned to the side, pulled the box from his pocket, and set it by his hip.
“Sit on my lap,” he said and lifted her, so she sat sideways on his legs.
“This can’t be comfortable,” she said.
He smiled. “It’s perfect.” He lifted the box and let her see it. He could tell it took her a moment to realize what it was. Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Naomi, I can’t see my life without you. You’ve made me happier than I ever thought I could be. Please, would you be my wife and stay with me for the rest of our lives?”
Tears pooled in her eyes, and his stomach tightened when she kept quiet. Did he ask her too soon?
When she nodded, and he saw the smile on her face, he relaxed.
“Yes. I very much want to be your wife.”
He opened the small box, took the ring out, and lifted her left hand. “This was my grandmother’s ring. It’s an heirloom. Maybe someday we could give it to one of our daughters.”
“It’s so pretty.” She stared as he slipped it on.
He smiled. “It fits perfectly. That’s a good omen.”
She wouldn’t take her eyes off it. “Is your mother okay with this?”
“Oh, hell, yeah. She loved the idea.”
Joe tilted her head up and started to kiss her. He hadn’t planned on making love to her, but the desire grew so quickly and got out of control, they were both mostly naked, and he was sliding into her.
“Jesus, nothing feels this good,” he said, and bent his head to kiss her lips again.
The inferno blazed but was appeased quickly, leaving them both breathless and shaky.
When he got his strength back, he got them dressed and then lay down, pulling her against him. They lay quietly for a long time. At one time, he thought she’d go to sleep, but her fingers never stopped making circles on his chest.
It seemed they talked for hours. He glanced around at the sunlight and realized it was late afternoon.
“We need to get back to the house, Love,” he said.
She nodded and tried to sit up, but he caught her and kissed her hard. He didn’t make it last and let her go. He knew what would happen if they kept doing it.
Joe took her hand, got them into the truck, and they started to go home. Halfway there, he got her attention. “I love you, Naomi.”
She smiled sweetly. “I love you, too.”
That’s all he needed.