Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
Geraldine
I stood on the porch of the Red Rock Ranch house, the late afternoon sun sank low over the rolling hills, and painted the sky with vivid streaks of orange and pink.
The air carried a faint scent of hay and woodsmoke, a gentle breeze tugged at my sweater as I leaned against the weathered wooden railing, my boots scuffed from a day spent wandering the pastures with Damian, Cosmo, and Christian.
We’d been out since morning fixing a fence under the warm sun, laughing over Cosmo’s clumsy hammer swings, and now the three guys lounged on the porch steps, cold beers in their hands, their voices rang out loud and carefree.
Damian sat beside me on the railing, his broad shoulder pressed against mine, his flannel sleeve rolled up to his elbows, and I grinned at him, enjoying the solid warmth of his presence after a long day together.
“Nice day,” I said and nudged his arm with my elbow. My voice stayed light as I sipped my beer, the chilled bottle cool against my palm. “You guys don’t ever slow down, do you?”
“Never,” Cosmo said and laughed from the steps below, kicking his boots against the worn wood. “We’re made for this life, Geri.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and smirked, leaning back on his elbows with a lazy stretch. “You’re the one who can’t keep up, city girl.”
“Keep talking,” I said and shot him a playful glare, my grin widened as I set my beer on the railing beside me. “I’ll outlast both of you any day.”
“Prove it,” Cosmo said and raised his bottle, his grin stretched wide and teasing. “Race you to the barn later.”
“Deal,” I said and laughed, turning my head to Damian. “Are you in?”
“Maybe,” he said and grinned slowly, his hand slid to my waist and pulled me closer against his side. “I’ve got something else to do first, though.”
“What’s that?” I said and tilted my head to look at him, my hand resting on his arm as his grip tightened slightly.
He looked at me with steady eyes and then slid off the railing and stood in front of me, his hands moved to his pockets.
“Hang on,” he said and pulled out a small velvet box, dropping to one knee right there on the porch, the old boards creaked under his weight.
Cosmo and Christian fell silent, their beers paused halfway to their mouths, and I stared at him, my hands froze at my sides as my breath caught in my throat.
“Geraldine,” he said and opened the box to reveal a simple silver ring that glinted in the fading light. his voice stayed low but clear. “I love you, and I want you with me here always. Will you marry me?”
I blinked quickly, my throat tightened, and my hands flew to my mouth as I looked down at him, his grin remained small but confident. “Damian,” I said and laughed shakily, my eyes stung with sudden tears. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah,” he said and nodded, his hand holding the box steady. “Completely serious. What do you say?”
“Yes,” I said and dropped my hands, my voice broke into a wide grin as I stepped forward. “Yes, you big goof.”
He stood swiftly and slid the ring onto my finger, his hands rough but gentle, and I grabbed his face and kissed him hard, my lips pressed firmly against his.
Cosmo let out a loud whoop, and Christian clapped sharply, their cheers shattered the quiet, and I laughed into the kiss, pulling back to look at Damian with his eyes bright and fixed on mine.
“Well, damn,” Cosmo said and jumped up, slapping Damian’s back hard enough to make him stumble forward. “You made sure she’s yours now, huh?”
“Had to lock it down tight,” Christian said and grinned, standing too, and raised his beer high. “No way she’s escaping this one.”
“Shut up,” Damian said and laughed, his arm slid around my waist and pulled me against his side. “You two wish you’d moved faster.”
“Too late now,” Cosmo said and smirked, stepping closer to ruffle my hair quickly before I swatted his hand away. “So threatened, man. Had to put a ring on it quick.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and laughed loudly, grabbing another beer from the cooler on the steps. “We’re tough to beat, huh?”
“Keep dreaming,” I said and grinned, holding up my hand to show off the ring, the silver caught the last rays of sunlight. “He won this round.”
“Damn right,” Damian said and kissed my temple, his voice low as he squeezed my hip. “You’re stuck with me now.”
“Lucky me,” I said and laughed, leaning into him as Cosmo tossed a beer cap at Damian and bounced it off his chest.
“Congrats, lover boy,” Cosmo said and plopped back onto the steps, his grin wide and teasing. “You’re all mushy now.”
“Keep it up,” Damian said and smirked, catching the next cap Christian flicked his way. “I’ll bury you both in the hayloft.”
“Try it,” Christian said and laughed, kicking Cosmo’s boot. “We’ll steal her back, ring or no ring.”
“No chance,” I said and smirked, stepping out of Damian’s arm to grab a beer from the cooler. “I’m his.”
“He and whipped,” Cosmo said and grinned, dodging as I tossed the cap back at him. “He’s got you locked down good.”
“Better than you two,” I said and laughed, sitting on the railing as Damian pulled me close again, his hand resting on my thigh.
“True,” Christian said and raised his bottle, his grin turned sly. “But we’ll mess with him until he cracks.”
“Go for it,” Damian said and laughed low, his fingers laced with mine. “I’m not worried.”
The teasing rolled on, Cosmo and Christian threw jabs about Damian’s big move, and I laughed with them, my hand stayed in his as the sky darkened to a deep purple. “Picnic tomorrow to celebrate?” I said and tilted my head at them, my voice cut through their banter.
“Hell yeah,” Cosmo said and nodded, grabbing a handful of chips from a bag on the steps. “Are you cooking, Geri?”
“Maybe,” I said and smirked, squeezing Damian’s hand. “If you two behave.”
“No promises,” Christian said and laughed, tossing a chip at Cosmo, who caught it in his mouth. “We’re too fun for that.”
“Too loud,” Damian said and grinned, pulling me off the railing and onto his lap, his arms wrapped tightly around my waist. “Keep it up, and you’re out.”
“Try kicking us,” Cosmo said and laughed loudly, standing to grab another beer. “She’d miss us too much.”
“Yeah,” I said and grinned, leaning back against Damian’s chest. “You’re not wrong.”
“See?” Christian said and smirked, stretching out on the steps. “She loves us.”
“Keep dreaming,” Damian said and kissed my neck quickly, his voice low in my ear. “She’s mine.”
“Yes,” I said and laughed softly, turning to kiss him briefly, my hand resting on his cheek.
The porch turned chaotic fast, Cosmo spilled chips as he dodged Christian’s playful shove, and a beer tipped over when Christian lunged to grab the bag, foam bubbled across the wooden planks.
“Guys,” I said and laughed loudly, sliding off Damian’s lap to snatch the chip bag. “You’re making a mess.”
“Always,” Cosmo said and grinned, swiping the spilled beer with his sleeve. “Gotta keep things exciting.”
“Yeah,” Christian said and laughed, grabbing a rag from the porch rail to mop the rest. “Can’t let you two get too cozy.”
“Too late,” I said and smirked, tossing the chip bag back as Damian pulled me close again, his hands firm on my hips.
“Deal with it,” he said and grinned at them, his voice rough but playful. “She’s staying.”
“Congrats again,” Cosmo said and raised his bottle, his grin softened slightly. “You’re stuck with us, too, Geri.”
“Good,” I said and laughed, leaning into Damian as Christian tossed the rag at Cosmo and hit him square in the chest. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
The mess spread, Cosmo knocked over the chip bag again, trying to dodge, and Christian spilled more beer, laughing too hard to catch it, but I didn’t mind, my hand stayed in Damian’s, the ring cool against my finger. “Nice crew,” I said and grinned up at him, my voice quiet under their noise.
“Yeah,” he said and kissed my forehead, his grin wide and steady. “Best one I’ve got.”
We stayed there, the porch a wreck of chips and beer, their teasing echoed loud into the night, and I leaned against Damian, the bond with all three pulsed strong and wild around us.