KIDNAPPED COWBOY (30 page)
Authors: Lindsey Brookes
“If you needed money, I would have helped you out.” Idiot she was.
“I have money, but most of it is tied up in investments. I knew the money I had loaned to friends, along with any cash prize I might pull in from those rodeos would go a long way in buying my brother out.”
“Buying him out?”
“I’m buying Brandon’s half of Stoney Brook from him. The retreat will belong to us.”
“Us?” He wasn’t making sense. How long had she been sitting there under the hot sun?
“We’re gonna be able to run this place however we see fit. I wanna start by adding more retreats throughout the year. Give more teens the opportunity to change their lives.”
Tears spilled onto her cheeks. “Why would you do that?”
“Because I love you.” He glanced toward the shore. “And I care about what happens to kids like them.” He glanced down at the ropes that held her with a frown. “Is it safe to untie you without risking those particular body parts of mine you threatened a few moments ago?”
Unable to help herself, she smiled. “I’ll refrain from maiming you if you’ll just get these things off me.”
Being the good Boy Scout he
wasn’t
, Dalton impressed her by undoing the knots the kids had made with amazing speed. Then she watched as he knelt down on the bottom of the canoe in front of her, causing it to rock it slightly. Then he reached into his pocket and withdrew a small black box.
She gasped softly. “Dalton...”
“Caitlin,” he said tenderly, “I love you with all my heart. You’ve made me look at life in a whole new light. Taught me what’s really important and it’s not honky-tonk bars, or drawing the meanest bull of the lot and making the ride.”
Tears filled her eyes and any words she might have spoken were hopelessly lodged in her emotion-constricted throat. She glanced down as he reached for her hand.
"It’s wanting to wake up every morning for the rest of my life looking into those beautiful eyes. It’s helping kids that most folks have given up on and giving them another chance in life. It’s stray cats and pizza with cheap wine. But most of all, it’s you.” He paused, just long enough to open the box and place it in her upturned hand. “Marry me, Caitlin.”
She stared down at the brilliant solitaire perched atop a polished gold band. “It’s beautiful.”
“Not nearly as beautiful as you,” he told her with a loving smile.
She couldn’t take her eyes off the ring. Couldn’t wrap her mind around the reality of what was happening.
“Uh, I think this is the part where you’re supposed to say yes or no, or I’ll think about it, or-”
“Yes!” she exclaimed, her gaze meeting his. “Yes, I’ll marry you!” She flew at him, throwing her arms around his neck.
“Caitlin, watch-”
Too late for his warning. The canoe went over, dumping them both into the lake. They came up laughing and sputtering as they tread water to stay afloat.
“The ring,” Dalton groaned, his expression sobering.
“Is where it belongs.” Smiling, she raised her hand out of the water and wiggled it in front of his face. Sunlight glinted off the solitaire on her finger. “I have no intention of finally catching the ‘big one’ and then letting him get away.”
He gave a deep, husky laugh as he pulled her to him, covering her mouth with his.
Applause and cheers erupted from the nearby woods, bringing an unexpected end to their passionate kiss. Turning, they were greeted by the grinning faces of the camp counselors and cheering teens. Among them, with the biggest smile of all, stood Brandon ‘The Ogre’ Barnes, her soon-to-be brother-in-law, who turned out to be not quite so bad after all.
The sight tugged at her heart. Sharing this moment with all of them meant the world to her. “I think I’m gonna cry,” she said with a muffled sob.
“It’ll have to wait,” Dalton told her as he drew her to him again. “We’ve got some making up to do first.”
“Dalton...” she gasped, color flooding her cheeks. “The kids!”
“Kiss her!” they chanted.
“Want me to do this,” he said, sealing their future with a kiss that promised never-ending days filled with laughter, a family of her own, and a lifetime of love.
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