Chapter 71

CHAPTER 71

JESS

T wo weeks after he'd officially moved in with us, Slate wiped the sweat off his brow with his forearm and kicked off his dusty boots on the porch. "What do you say we head to the swimming hole to cool off?"

I nodded enthusiastically. It was a sweltering hot day at the end of August, and since we were done with our work on the farm, it sounded like the perfect way to spend the afternoon. "I'm in."

"Great." He smirked as he stood up from the chair he'd been sitting on to remove his boots. "I've already packed a basket with lunch, so all you need is a swimsuit."

I blinked back my surprise. "When on earth did you have time to pack lunch?"

He winked at me. "A magician never reveals his secrets. Grab your bikini, babe. We're going swimming."

He smacked my ass as I passed him, immediately heading upstairs to change. Mom and Dad were laughing in the kitchen, daydreaming about the cottage they still planned on moving into soon.

It'd taken me by surprise when they first brought it up, but the more I'd spoken to them about it, the more I realized they really wanted this. Smiling as I listened to them building castles in the sky, I realized I'd never asked them what they'd wanted in a house if they could have anything.

"Oh, we could finally put a hot tub on the porch," Mom said excitedly. "And a nook for coffee overlooking the stream."

"That sounds perfect, honey," Dad replied. "With a big old fireplace for the winter in the den."

As I ascended the stairs, I couldn't make out what they were saying anymore, but I was happy they were so happy. I just had no idea what it would be like once we had this big old place all to ourselves. Nervous excitement fluttered in my belly, but I let out a happy sigh.

Everything was finally coming together for everyone and I'd never known the incredible sense of rightness it had brought with it. Everyone in our family was serene, happy, and excited. The machinery still whirred in the distance, but I didn't smell that acrid sulphur scent anymore.

I supposed we'd all just gotten used to it in the end.

After I changed into my bikini and a light coverup, I met Slate outside at his shiny new truck. It was bright blue, with leather seats and all the bells and whistles, but it was a far cry better for farm life than that little sports car.

"You're not missing it yet?" I asked, inclining my head at the truck as I hopped in. "I still can't believe you didn't tell me you were selling it."

He shrugged. "I had to make a run to Fox Grove anyway, didn't I? I figured it was a good idea to come back with something more practical and I wanted to surprise you."

I chuckled. "Well, you sure did that. I knew we were going to make a farmer out of you yet, City Boy."

He laughed, catching my hand and pressing a kiss to the back of it before bringing our joined fingers to the gear shift and turning over the engine. When we got to the swimming hole, there was no one else there, but since it was a Tuesday afternoon, I hadn't expected it to be packed.

I shed my coverup immediately, tossing it into the truck and then taking off, running across the grass to the rocks and leaping into the water. It welcomed me in its cool embrace when I broke the surface and I stayed under a little longer than necessary, taking my hair out of the knot it'd been in to rinse the dust properly out of it as well.

When I finally broke the surface, Slate was right next to me, his gorgeously toned abs visible under the clear water. I grinned, kicking my way over to him and wrapping my legs around his trim hips as I cupped his neck in my palms.

"This was the best idea you've had in a couple of weeks."

"Just a couple of weeks?" He scoffed, golden eyes shining with restrained laughter. "If you ask me, it's the best idea I've ever had."

"Nah," I murmured, lowering my forehead to his. "Two weeks ago, you had the idea to come back to me. That's the best idea you've ever had."

He groaned and gripped my hips firmly in his hands. "Fair enough. Hey, have you ever looked into having a pool installed on the farm?"

"Uh, no?" I giggled, giving him a disbelieving look. "Do you have any idea how much that would cost to put in? Not to mention to keep it clean and running. We've got this place, right?"

"Right, but if we had a pool at home, we could swim anytime, day or night, and we wouldn't always have to be wearing suits to be in it."

"I love hearing you call it home," I murmured, reaching behind my back for the knot holding my bikini top in place. "We're all alone here too, though. Who said we always have to be wearing suits?"

I tugged at the knot, moving my hand up to the nape of my neck to undo the one there as well. As Slate watched me lose my bikini, he blinked hard, glancing around before he was all over me. Suddenly, his lips were on mine, his hands roaming and teasing before he brought his fingers to my nipples and drove me mad.

Moaning into his furious kisses, I started when I thought I heard a twig break on the path. I broke the kiss, my eyes widening. "Maybe we should look into installing a pool at home after all."

He pumped his eyebrows at me and fished out my bikini top and helped me put it back on. "Are you all cooled off?"

I nodded. "Why?"

"I still have that picnic basket," he said. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I might just need a minute."

I giggled, snaking my hand along the ridges of his torso and finding him rock hard in my palm. I squeezed his length, wishing I could do something about it, but there were young voices filtering through the trees.

It didn't look like the kids would be coming swimming, but we certainly weren't all alone out here. I sighed, kissing him hard before I promised, "I'll kiss it all better later, but for now, you might be right. Let's go eat."

He groaned loudly when I let go of him and I laughed, floating on my back as I waited for my own body to calm down and then following him out when we were both ready. Slate laid out a blanket on the grass and we let the air dry us as we sat down without drying off, trying to remain cool for as long as possible in the blistering heat of the day.

As we ate the sandwiches he'd prepared and sipped water, I was still struggling to believe that this was my life now. I glanced over at him. "How are you doing? For real."

"With what?" he asked between bites of his lettuce and cheese sandwich. "The move?"

I nodded. "You got an offer on your house, right?"

"Yep." He grinned, washing down his food with some water before he crawled closer to me. "I'm ecstatic, Jess. I had some epic pool parties at that house, but it didn't mean anything to me. It means more to me now that it's being sold, since we'll have the money we get for it to invest and to use on your house and your parents' cottage."

I finished my sandwich and fell onto my back, looking up at the blue sky peeking out between the leaves above. Slate leaned over, kissing me and dragging his fingertips along the curves of my hips and stomach.

"Are you okay?" he murmured.

I inhaled a deep breath, smiling as I slid my fingers into his damp, dark hair. "I'm just worried about your choice to stay in Firefly Grove. I know you're happy with it right now, but it always felt too small for Austin. I'm scared it's going to start feeling too small for you too."

"It could never happen," he said, earnest light in his eyes as they held mine. "You're my world now, Jess."

"That's a pretty good line," I murmured.

He grinned. "Did it work?"

Smiling as I nodded, I pulled his head down to mine and kissed him. "It worked, but I may need a bit more convincing."

He slanted his lips over mine and laid a hard kiss on me. "And now?"

"Nope. Still not totally satisfied," I teased, smiling against his lips. "You'll have to keep trying."

Slate chuckled, but he kept kissing me, checking in after each one but I just kept shaking my head. I felt him reach away from me, probably for the something in the basket. Then he pulled away and sat on his knees next to me.

"How about now?" he asked.

I glanced at him, frowning when I realized he was actually just on one knee. My eyes widened, my mouth dropping open and my heart slamming into hyperdrive when I saw what he'd reached for. He was holding a ring box.

As I watched, he flipped it open with his thumb, revealing a gorgeous, diamond ring nestled on a black velvet cushion. I sucked in a sharp breath, my hands flying to my heart and mouth respectively.

"Slate…"

The beautiful, brilliant-cut diamond caught the sunlight, but I hardly even looked at it. Instead, my eyes had jumped back to his and I gaped at him. "What are you doing?"

The corners of his eyes crinkled on a smile as he shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. I'm milking cows. Feeding chickens. What do you think I'm doing, Jessie?"

"Proposing?"

He grinned. "Bingo."

I blinked hard a few times, my hand snaking down to my thigh to pinch myself. But nope. Once again, I was wide awake and this was really happening.

As soon as I'd blinked him back into focus, he leaned forward, stroking the backs of his knuckles across my cheek. "In case you were worried about this, I have asked your dad for your hand. He gave us his blessing."

My jaw unhinged itself even more. "Does my mother know?"

"Yep," he said happily. "Apparently, they knew it was coming as soon as I came back. The only person who still has to say yes is you."

My heart was beating its way out of my chest, disbelief and joy mingling to form little pops of happiness right at the center of my soul. "I suppose you better ask, then."

"Fine," he said, smiling as he brought his forehead to mine. "I've said plenty of sweet, heartfelt things to you these last couple of weeks, and all of that is still true. You are my purpose. My reason for being. My home and my world."

His eyes closed for a beat and he inhaled deeply before looking at me again. "Being with you has brought me to life, Jess. For the first time ever, I feel like I'm truly alive and I want to feel that way every day for the rest of my life. I love you, Jess. I want to fix up that old house with you and make it our home. I'm still desperate to put as many babies in you as you'll let me and I promise I'll sleep in the barn with the cows when you're pissed at me."

When I smiled, he pressed a quick, chaste kiss to my lips. "You've said so many times that you live a small, simple life, but everything that you are is everything that I have ever wanted. Will you please do me the honor of sharing your life with me? Will you marry me, Jess Merrick?"

"Well, I mean…" I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer. "When you put it like that, how could I say no?"

He chuckled, kissing me deeply before sliding the ring onto my finger. "Are you convinced yet?"

Tears welled in my eyes as I nodded, admiring the delicate ring before I climbed into his lap and kissed him again. "I love you, Slate. Yes, I'm convinced. Yes, I will marry you. Yes, to sharing my life with you, and to babies, and just, yes. To all of the above. Forever. My answer is always going to be yes."