Epilogue
One year later
“Straighten out, straighten out!” Lyndie yelled.
Griffin grinned and did just that, leveling the Cessna out with a skill that shouldn’t have surprised her. Beneath them the majestic canyons and peaks of Mexico took her breath.
And for the first time in her history of flying, her eyes crossed with dizziness, damn him.
“Admit it, I’m a quick learner.” He smiled. “Come on, show me the next step. Let’s land this baby.”
“No ‘let’s.’ I’m landing. You, you’re nuts.”
“Fun-sucker.” But he let her take over. On the ground in San Robledo, he got out first, then scooped her off her feet as she went to jump down.
His mouth covered hers for a deep, hot, wet kiss that effectively rid her of any lingering annoyance.
When he pulled back, he cupped her face. “What are you mad at?”
“You learned to fly so quickly.”
“Because you’re a good teacher.”
“No,” she said. “I yelled at you the whole time. You learned because you’re good at stuff. At everything.” She looked over his shoulder at her beloved Cessna. “And that’s about all I’m good at.” She hated the admission.
Hating it even more when he laughed.
“I’m sorry,” he said when she glared at him. “But baby, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” Leaning in, he kissed her again.
Not willing to be sidetracked, no matter how gorgeous he was or how he melted her bones every time he put his mouth to hers, she slapped a hand on his chest, holding him off.
He looked at her from those sexy, sexy eyes. “You can’t really think that flying is the only thing you do well—” He wrapped her close in his arms, put them nose to nose. “My God, you do. Lyndie, do you know what I first loved about you?”
“No.” Even after all this time, she could hardly believe he loved her at all.
“Your strength, your passion.”
“Sam calls it stubborn and hotheaded.”
“You’re also giving,” he said, smiling. “And incredibly sweet.”
She scoffed.
“Do you know what else I love about you, Lyndie?” he asked, cupping her face until she melted. “How much you love me. You do that pretty damn well. So much so that it still takes my breath away.”
She stared up into his eyes. “I am pretty good at loving you, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, and you know what else you’re good at?” He put his mouth to her ear but before he could say anything, Brody got out of the Jeep parked on the tarmac.
“Oh, jeez,” he called out. “Get a room.”
Nina hopped out of the passenger seat of the Jeep.
“Don’t you listen to him, he’s just grumpy because he didn’t get so lucky this morning.
” She grinned. “I was on the Internet planning our trip to Spain next summer. We’re going to go and teach English to a group of village kids.
” She practically glowed. “Exciting, huh?”
“Very.” Though personally, Lyndie preferred something a little closer to home these days.
Now that she had one, that is—with Griffin. She’d even brought Lucifer home. The kitten had grown into a sleek, opinionated house tyrant who believed “our place” meant “his kingdom,” and Griffin—traitor—kept sneaking him treats like he was bribing a tiny mob boss.
They’d made his little place on the California coast their own; traveling often, to South Carolina to see his family and friends, to Mexico, to wherever she needed to fly, always accommodating his work schedule with the SDFD.
“I plan to reward his patience tonight,” Nina said, arching her eyebrows up and down suggestively, making Brody smile like a hopeful fool.
“Did you bring the computers?” Brody came in close to inspect the cargo load he’d had donated to San Robledo’s library and school with his stateside contacts.
“Got ’em.” Griffin smiled at Lyndie, and again, as it had all year now, her heart skipped a beat. “We’re ready for your party.”
“Oh, that.” Nina feigned nonchalance for exactly two seconds before dancing in a circle.
“We have everything ready, the food, the music, the beautiful setting off the inn terrace all decorated with so many flowers you won’t believe it.
I’m so excited, my one year anniversary!
I can’t wait to see your dress!” She dropped mid-twirl and looked at Lyndie in horror.
“Tell me you’re wearing a dress to my party. ”
Lyndie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Now get out of the way.” She hopped into the Jeep. “I’m driving.”
“Of course you are.” Griffin leaned in to kiss her before hopping over her to the shotgun seat. But when he got a good look at her and her sudden solemnity, his smile faded. “Lyndie? Baby, what’s the matter?”
Damn it, did he see everything? “Nothing.”
He stopped her from starting the engine with a hand to her wrist. “It’s something.”
All right, yes it was. A big something. A big, horrifying realization that had her throat burning. “Why don’t you want to be married to me?”
Griffin blinked.
In the backseat came Nina’s surprised choked breath.
“Is it because you don’t want to be married to a crabby, bossy, know-it-all woman?” Lyndie whispered.
“No.” Reaching out, Griffin took her hand and looked at her ringless fingers.
“I’ve brought up marriage several times this past year, and every time I did, you laughed at me.
You said it was nothing but a silly little piece of paper.
I thought I had to work my way up to it, talk you into it, get you used to the idea. ”
“That took about a week,” she admitted softly.
“Lyndie.” He looked like one good breeze could blow him over. “Marriage with you would be the second greatest thing to happen to me. You’re the first greatest thing,” he pointed out. “In case you didn’t realize. I love you, with all my heart.”
“Enough to be married to me?”
“Yes. God, yes.”
“All right.” She offered him a shaky smile. “Then, yes, I’ll marry you. If you’re asking.”
“Oh, I’m asking,” he said, and got out of the Jeep.
He pulled her out too. Before Brody and Nina, before the remote, dizzy peaks and canyons around them, he went down on his knees and shot her an endearingly shaky smile.
“Lyndie Anderson, keeper of my heart, love of my life…
will you marry me? Will you be mine forever and ever, and give me that silly little piece of paper that says it's legal, the one I want so badly?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I will.” With tears in her eyes, nearly blinding her, she smiled over at Nina. “Now I have a reason to wear that dress.”
“Here?” Griffin asked, incredulous. “Now?”
“As soon as we can get your parents down here. Again. Somehow I don’t think they’ll mind.” Lyndie let out her first real smile of the day. Looking at him felt like…being home. How could she have ever have not been sure? “I’m so lucky to have you, Griffin.”
“Oh, no, you’ve got that backward.” He ran his hand down the hair she’d let grow to her shoulders. “I never thought I’d get another chance at happiness, but you’ve given it to me. I can’t imagine my life without you, Lyndie. Without us.”
Because she couldn’t help it, she leaned in and gave him the public display of affection she usually shunned, giving him a long, wet, sloppy kiss. When she pulled back, she was grinning. “Onward?” She put the Jeep into gear, revving the engine as both Brody and Nina hopped into the backseat.
“Onward,” Griffin vowed. “Forever.”