35. It’s A Yes
IT’S A YES
R owan
It had been a full two months since Oliver and I smashed our way into that motel room and gotten my little angel back where she belonged.
I didn’t like saying we rescued her, because I fully believed that Aspen rescued herself—emotionally and physically.
All I’d done was help her open the motel door and maybe distract the piece of shit.
My girl was a fighter through and through.
She hadn’t asked what happened to Samuel, and I didn’t volunteer any information, but the nightmares seemed to be slowly getting better.
She had started seeing a therapist that Payton had recommended, so I knew she was good, and that seemed to be helping her communicate better.
She’d only done a few sessions so far, but even on the days she came home stressed, she seemed lighter somehow.
That could also be my hopes projecting onto her, though, and yes, I’d started reading books and checking forums online on how I could best help her.
“You look deep in thought over there, cowboy. What’s on your mind?” Aspen asked. I forced myself out of my rambling thoughts and looked down at the stunning brunette who had just wrapped her arms around my waist.
“Just thinking about how excited I am for your surprise,” I lied quickly. It wasn’t a full lie; her surprise tonight had crossed my mind every moment of every day since I laid eyes on her in the middle of The Raven, laughing with Ivy. She just wasn’t aware of that fact, not yet, at least.
She rolled her eyes but smiled, nonetheless. “Liar. What’s really on your mind?”
I leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead and wrapping my arms around her so she couldn’t escape me. “Just thinking about how proud of you I am and how far you’ve come in the last few weeks. I want to take you out tonight and remind you just how grateful for you I am.”
“Ugh, you were right. I prefer the lie,” she mumbled.
I’d found over our time together that Aspen hated any sort of praise or recognition outside of the bedroom.
Anytime I pointed out how incredibly strong and resilient she was, she shut down.
It was something I’d brought up, and she promised to talk to her therapist about it, which I was grateful for.
“Well, you asked, and I’ll never actually lie to you, angel. I am indeed very excited about tonight,” I replied with a smirk.
“Any hints? I know nothing, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Nope. Ivy will be over soon to help you get ready, and she’s in the loop. You’ll find out soon enough. Stop stressing about it.” I reached down and pinched her butt. Which had her jumping as she tried to swat at me, but I locked my arms tightly around her, chuckling.
“Fine, cowboy. I’ll play nice…for now,” she grumbled.
This woman truly hated surprises, which just made this one that much sweeter for me.
Just then, her phone pinged, and she looked down at it for a moment, a reluctant smile spreading across her face.
“Ivy’s here. I’ll let her in and then you can run off and be Mr. Mysterious.
” She stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips to mine in an all too brief kiss before she backed away and let Ivy inside.
The little blonde whirlwind walked in carrying two large bags and smiled at the both of us. “Okay, Rowan. Don’t you have something to do while I get our girl ready?” she asked.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m outta here. Enjoy,” I replied before I grabbed my keys and phone, walking out of the house.
I dialed Wyatt quickly, and he answered by the second ring.
“Don’t tell me you’re panicking right now.
I feel like I can feel that shit in my chest, and it makes me want to punch you,” Wyatt said over the phone.
I hadn’t seen him much lately. He’d been busy with some side job that Aspen had asked him to look into and working out some kinks in the app for Silk and Spice—pun intended.
I bit back the chuckle I wanted to release. “No, I’m fine. Excitement could be what you’re feeling through our valued twin bond. Is everything set up?”
“Do you mean are all the lights in place? Yes, boss. Are all of the speakers working? Indeed. Oliver also checked in, and the horses are saddled. Though I don’t know why you want two instead of just one.
One seems more romantic, but I obviously know nothing about romance.
” The last part was more of a grumbled response that I simply wouldn’t ask about tonight.
It sounded like more of a tomorrow question.
“Thank you, man. I appreciate it,” I replied instead.
“Yeah, I know you do. Just remember, when I want to do all of this for my spicy girl, you better be there to help me.”
“You know I will.”
We talked for a few more minutes, going over the details and everything I asked my siblings to help me with—as far as I could tell, it seemed as if everything was perfect. Now all I needed was my girl.
“Aspen, if you sigh again, I’m putting you over my knee,” I said plainly after her third sigh of the ride.
She looked over at me, eyes wide, and even with the sun dimming as we rode, I could see the pink tint taking over her cheeks. “I’m not sighing… I’m just enjoying the fresh air in my lungs fully…”
“Bullshit.”
“I just want to know what the surprise is!”
“No. Now tell me about the piece you’re working on right now.”
She glared at me for a moment before her shoulder slumped in defeat, and she started telling me about the piece she’d been working on for a local doctor’s office.
They’d called her a few days ago, saying their space was boring, and the resident doctor saw a piece she’d recently had commissioned over at Buns of Delight.
Basically, they saw what I already knew—my girl was the best.
“They sort of left the ball in my court as far as designs go. The office is just white at the moment, so anything will match, but I don’t know what I want to do yet.
I think something calming that makes you think.
” I knew I’d distracted her successfully because she had that deep, artsy look in her mind now that she’d get before she’d disappear into her studio for hours at a time.
Although the more I thought about it, the more I realized this wasn’t a good choice, seeing as she couldn’t run off to her studio this evening. That would ruin the plans.
“You should do something that takes their minds off being at the doctors since no one actually enjoys that,” I said with a shrug.
Her eyes lit up as she smiled at me. “You’re a genius, Rowan!
That gives me a great idea! Oh, my go—” She stared at me, and I knew what she realized.
“You won’t let me go home, will you?” she pouted.
Normally, I would. Countless times, I’d let her postpone our dates or hangouts so she could go sketch out an idea she’d had.
I knew it helped her work through things, and that’s what I wanted more than anything.
“Not this time, little angel. And don’t pout about it, it won’t work tonight.”
“Fine. I know this is important to you, so I’ll be good. Can I at least sketch something on my phone really quickly, so I don’t lose the idea?”
I smirked. “It’ll cost you, angel, and when we get to the top of this clearing? Phone goes away, and I get your full attention. Whether the sketch is done or not.”
I watched as her lips parted, and her eyes widened slightly. “O-o-okay. I get it,” she nodded her head quickly. I watched as she swallowed and started sketching on her phone, but her eyes kept darting over at me every few feet we moved up the mountain.
We were currently on the back of two horses, on our way up to our favorite date spot.
It was the same place I’d brought her on our first official date, and I couldn’t wait for her to lay eyes on it now that it was all done up.
I’d already been up while she’d gotten ready with Ivy, and truly, I owed my brothers and sister for doing this for me. They’d truly outdone themselves.
As we reached as far as the horses needed to go, I pulled Toffee, the light brown mare I was riding this evening, and Cash, who Aspen was riding, off to the side of the path.
“Are we there already? I thought they’d go up where we normally do,” Aspen asked, as she locked her phone and slid it into her pocket.
“We normally do go up a bit more, but I told you, I have a surprise, little angel.”
She smiled as she hopped down off of Cash.
She’d been doing so much better riding lately since we made it a point to try to come up here as much as we could before the weather was too damn cold to enjoy it.
This would more than likely be one of the last chances we had before winter hit in full Colorado swing, which was why I was refusing to back down and making this date special now.
It needed to be perfect.
I tied our horses off on a nearby tree and took her hand in mine, guiding her up the path. I had the entirety of this evening planned in my head; I just had to get her there without her being Aspen and asking a hundred questions.
“You seem nervous tonight, Ro. Want to tell me what’s going on?” she asked as she gently squeezed my hand. She read me too well. I swallowed back the nerves plaguing me so maybe, just maybe, I could not sound nervous as fuck.
“I’m not nervous. This is just one of the last times we’ll probably get to come up here until spring hits, and I wanted to make it special for you,” I said with a casual shrug.
She stopped in the middle of the trail and stared at me.
“Okay, now you’re making me nervous. What is going on?
” she questioned, pulling her hand away from mine and crossing her arms. “Did you bring me here to dump me or something?” She started chewing on her bottom lip and swaying slightly—things she only did when nerves were starting to get the best of her.
I chuckled and placed my hands on my hips, staring down into her beautiful blue eyes. “Aspen, fuck no. Not a chance in hell. Can we please just get up the mountain, and I promise I’ll explain everything when we get there, okay?”
She let out a breath and stared at me for one more moment. “Fine, but if you’re about to make me cry, I’m going to push you off this damn mountain, cowboy. Don’t think I won’t.”
I smirked. “I know you would, angel. Don’t worry.”
I took her hand in mine again and guided her the last twelve feet of the trail before we came into the clearing where we had that picnic three months ago.
Only instead of just the typical grassy covered clearing with the tall trees surrounding us, there were string lights all around the clearing and dozens of daisies scattered all around the space.
When the music started playing, she pulled her hand from mine and covered her mouth as tears started forming in her eyes.
“Rowan…I’m pushing you off the fucking mountain,” she whispered.
I chuckled as I took her hand back in mine and pulled her further into the clearing where I had a blanket laid out for us.
“You’re more than welcome to push me off the mountain, little angel, but I’d like to talk to you first if that’s okay.
” I looked down at her again, and I couldn’t help but smile at the way she was nodding her head incessantly.
I pulled the small box from my pocket and knelt down on one knee in front of her.
“Fuck, you suck,” she mumbled through tears. I knew she wasn’t actually mad; it was just that she hated crying.
“I know, but I’d like to continue to suck for the rest of our lives if you’ll have me, little angel.
You are by far every single thing I could ever want in a woman, Aspen, in a wife, a partner, a best friend.
From the moment I saw you laughing at the bar with Ivy, you’ve been all I’ve wanted.
The moment I first saw you smile, heard you laugh, it’s been etched in my brain as part of life I never want to miss out on.
” I took her hand in mine and gently squeezed.
“My life wasn’t meaningless before you, angel, but it damn sure wasn’t full.
Now? It’s full of love, and I want to ensure that it stays that way, with you by my side every day, for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me, Aspen?”
Before I could even open the ring box and show her the ring I’d spent our entire relationship holding onto for her, she launched herself at me.
Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as I fell backwards onto the ground and pulled her into my lap.
Her face was buried in my neck, and I swore I couldn’t tell if she was sniffling back tears or just smelling me—with her, it could be either or both.
She was straddling me, and as she pulled back to wipe her face, I saw she was nodding her head again. “Is that a yes, Aspen?” I asked with a chuckle.
“Of course it’s a yes, Rowan.”
“Do you want to see the ring, or should we wait, and I’ll just put it on your finger later while you’re sleeping?”
She rolled her eyes at me, but really, I’d already had it on her finger more times than I could count. I had to make sure it was the perfect one for my girl after all.
“Put the ring on my finger, cowboy.”
I pulled out the ring I’d spent way too long staring at since I’d bought it. It was a rose gold band with a two-carat dark grey diamond with small white diamond accents. It was perfect for her, and by the look on her face, I knew I was right.
So there, in the middle of the forest, beneath the midnight sky, with my favorite person in the world, I slid on the ring that signified our forever together.
“A perfect fit,” she whispered as tears gathered in her eyes.
“You always have been, little angel,” I replied.