Cassidy stood with her back to Austin, staring at the river, the rolling autumn fields and the snow-covered mountains in the distance. “I love Colorado. It’s so beautiful.”

They’d been dating for seven months. She’d moved to Atlanta just weeks after her impromptu trip—bringing her things this time—and settling into his life and his home like she simply belonged there.

He moved closer to her back, wrapping his arms around her midsection and kissing her neck. “I have something special planned for today.”

She giggled. “Like yesterday when you wouldn’t let me leave the bed? That was pretty special.”

“This is more outdoorsy.”

She spun around in his arms. “Can we be naked?”

He laughed and she loved the sound of it, the deep tenor making her smile. She was kidding about being naked, but if he asked her to, she most certainly would oblige.

“If you’re lucky.” He winked. “Come on.”

He led her along a hiking trail dripping with vibrant fall foliage, the scent of fall heavy on the air and woodsmoke in the distance.

These past months had been more than Cassidy could have hoped for. All the stress that had led her to breakup with Austin was gone, with only understanding in its wake. He even drove with her to visit her father, knowing all the while she didn’t want him to come inside.

He just wanted to be there for her.

Austin’s constant traveling was hard to get used to, but now that she’d gotten a job at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, she was engrossed in her own work and loving it.

The other members of HERO Force had really welcomed her into their little family, with Charlotte being Cassidy’s favorite. She was fun and fearless and a true match for Cowboy, not to mention amazingly good at karaoke on their weekly girls’ night out.

“Thanks for bringing me here,” she said. “I like my surprise.”

“This isn’t it.”

“No?”

He shook his head. “It’s up there, just past that bend in the trail.”

She rounded the corner and gasped. A ten-foot pool of crystal blue water steamed in the cool autumn air. It was surrounded by boulders, a small stream coming out of the spring and trickling along the forest floor. “Oh, wow.”

“It’s a hot spring. We can swim in it.”

“Really? But I didn’t bring my suit.” She reached down to feel the water, moaning at the luxuriously warm temperature. “It’s like bath water.”

He took off his sweatshirt and T-shirt beneath. “You’re the one who wanted to get naked.”

Her eyes widened. “What if somebody sees us?”

“It just adds to the fun.” He walked to her and untucked her shirt from her pants.

“You’re serious.”

“Hell yeah, I’m serious.”

She looked around. They hadn’t seen anyone else on their hike so far, but that didn’t mean that would continue. She watched Austin as he continued to undress, her eyes fixed on the bulge in his pants as he took off his belt.

“You stare at me, I get to stare at you,” he said.

She licked her lips. “Sounds fair.” She pulled her shirt over her head, the cool air and Austin’s heated gaze instantly hardening her nipples. He released the clasp on her bra and let it drop to the ground.

“All of it,” he said.

The air was cold on his warm skin but she wanted to remember this moment forever, to memorize the beautiful lines of his body against the beautiful backdrop of nature.

She unfastened her jeans and pushed them down her legs, realizing she hadn’t taken off her hiking boots. She burst out laughing.

Austin crossed to her and kneeled down. “Let me help.” He untied her laces and helped her slip the shoes off, then kissed her legs, letting his hands stroke between them. When he pulled her panties down, she reached down and pulled Austin back up, hungrily kissing his mouth.

He still had clothes on and she worked to get them off him before leading him into the very warm water.

“It’s like a hot tub,” she said, awe in her voice. She touched one of the boulders that sat half in the water. “Feel these rocks. They’re warm.”

He crossed to her, cupping her breasts instead. “Very warm.”

“You got any warm rocks for me to feel?” she asked playfully, her hand finding his balls and kneading them gently. She stroked his hardening cock. “Oh, here’s a really big rock…”

He captured her mouth in a kiss, teasing her with his tongue. She wrapped her legs around his waist and guided his cock inside her. He groaned with the sensation of her body clutching him tightly.

Austin had never been loved like this.

Not the sex, though the sex was amazing. He’d never been loved like he was loved by Cassidy. He’d been biding his time, waiting for things with her family to settle down, waiting for her to get a new job, waiting for every little domino to line up in a row so he could knock them all down in one all-consuming stunt, and it was finally time to ask her.

Her eyes were closing, her body pumping up and down on his, and he reclined on a rock, letting her take control of their lovemaking. He watched her cheeks flush, the rosy pink color that painted her neck and chest, the hard little nubs of her nipples.

She was loud when she came, her voice echoing off the trees, and he took hold her hips, driving into her body at his pace now. Her orgasm continued, her muscles sucking him until he went over the edge into oblivion.

Their breathing slowed. He settled backwards again, taking her with him. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the ring, fitting it on the first knuckle of his index finger and tucking her under the chin.

“Mmm,” she said lethargically.

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

“Mmm.”

He kissed her forehead. “I could spend every day of my life like this with you.”

“I’m not moving to Colorado,” she deadpanned.

He laughed. “It’s not the place. It’s the person. I love you, Cassidy.”

“Love you, too.”

“Marry me.”

She sat up abruptly. “What?”

He reached for his pants and dug in the pocket for the small box he kept there. He held out the ring, never more nervous in his life than he was in that moment, and that included all his time in the military. “Marry me. Be my wife.”

She took the ring, concern taking over her features. “But I don’t cook.”

He laughed. “So what?”

“Don’t you want a woman who makes cookies and hosts recipe exchanges. That’s not who I am. That’s not somebody I’m ever going to be.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What makes you think I care so much about food?”

“Your mom makes bread from scratch. I interview gangsters. Sometimes I don’t even wash my clothes.”

He cocked his head. “Am I missing something? I don’t want to marry my mother, Cassidy. I want to marry you. And if you’re happy being an investigative reporter with dirty jeans, then I’m happy with you just the way you are.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Where did you get this crazy idea from?”

“Your mother told me, when you took me to meet your family.”

“Ahh… She has a funny sense of humor. It takes some getting used to.”

Cassidy’s eyes went wide. “That was a joke?”

“Yeah. She told my high school girlfriend I was gay. Something about if it’s meant to be, it will survive any obstacle.”

“That’s horrible! I’m going to kill her.”

“Can you wait until she’s your mother-in-law?”

She shook her head vigorously. “Yes.” She put one hand on either side of his face and kissed him. “I love you so much, Austin.” She laughed, squeezing him tightly.

“Twice in my life I thought I’d lost you,” he said. “Promise me you won’t let us drift apart like we did when things get tough. Promise me you’ll hang on to me even tighter.”

Her throat was thick with emotion and she worked to get the words past it. “I promise. I won’t let you go. Not ever again.”