Chapter Thirty-Two
‡
Six months later…
Zach lit the last candle and stepped back to survey the effect. He’d made a special dinner for Leann and he wanted tonight to be as romantic as possible. He had an important question to ask her.
The meal was prepared and keeping warm in the kitchen. The dining room table was set with a snowy white tablecloth, a centerpiece of roses, and Leann’s mother’s best silver and china. When he’d talked to David and Elaine, she’d insisted Zach use them.
For good luck, she’d said. He hoped he didn’t need it but he wasn’t going to take any chances.
Sweating nervously through his shirt, he flew up the stairs and ripped it off, quickly tugging on a fresh white button down and tucking it into his pants. Leann would be home any minute and she had no idea he was even back in Tremont. She thought he was still in Denver working on a case. Though she was officially living with Dizzy at the moment, she stayed at his place when he was out of town to water the plants and generally keep an eye on things.
The sound of her key in the front door had him flying back down the stairs so he was standing there waiting for her when she walked in. Looking beautiful but tired, her eyes widened when she realized he was there and she tossed her briefcase away to run into his open arms.
“Why didn’t you call and tell me you were home?” she scolded him, placing kisses on his lips, cheeks, chin, and nose. “I would have picked you up at the airport.”
Taking his time, he pressed his lips to hers, drinking in the sweetness that was purely Leann. She tasted of coffee and chocolate and love. They were both breathless when he finally broke the kiss.
“I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I know you had a full day of meetings now that you’re a big important businesswoman at Anderson Industries.”
Leann had taken over as the head of all Human Resource functions under the Anderson business umbrella. Even her cousin Easton, who was notoriously quiet, raved about how she was updating their operation.
Rolling her eyes, she shrugged off her navy blue jacket and kicked off her high heels. “I’m going to ignore that as nothing about this job is glamorous. I was actually on a ladder today digging through old employee files that are going to go electronic.”
“Then I’ll pour you a glass of wine and let you relax while I serve dinner.” He dropped a kiss on her cheek. “I love you, baby.”
“Love you too.”
He’d calmed down for a few minutes when Leann walked in but now his heart was racing again, battering his ribs. He was fucking nervous. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this shaken. He’d stared down a murderer last week and he hadn’t been this scared.
What if she said no?
Slinking into the kitchen, he popped open the champagne and poured two glasses of the golden liquid before carrying returning to Leann. She was standing by the dining room table staring at the romantic setting he’d created, a smile curving her lips.
“You certainly have surprised me, you handsome devil. Someone is in a romantic mood tonight.”
Handing her the glass, he held up his own champagne. “How about a toast? To us. It just gets better and better.”
Clinking glasses, she smiled and sipped her drink. “I’ll definitely drink to that because it’s so true. We do get better at this relationship stuff every day.”
Passing a hand over the back of his damp neck, he nodded toward the table. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll bring dinner out? I hope you’re hungry.”
The next half-hour or so were almost normal. They ate and chatted about his business trip and her projects at work. She complimented the chicken and he promised to teach her how to make it. They sipped at the champagne while his blood pressure continued to steadily rise until he thought his head was going to explode off of his body, spin around, and come to rest in the middle of the table like some sort of macabre centerpiece.
Zach wanted to do it at just the right moment but that moment hadn’t arrived yet. Maybe he should somehow create the opening…
“You know, I missed you when I was away,” he began. “I’m becoming used to sleeping next to you.”
She wrinkled her nose and groaned. “I know I snore. You’re a saint to put up with it.”
What the hell? What was he waiting for?
Do it, man. Take the chance.
Chuckling, he reached for her hand, tangling the fingers with his own. “It would be my privilege to listen to you snore every night for the rest of my life.”
Leann laughed and shook her head. “You are romantic tonight. Luckily for you, you don’t have to do that.”
She wasn’t getting where he was going with this.
“What if I want to?”
She opened her mouth to answer but no words came. Blinking, she seemed to think about what he’d said. “Why…I mean…why would you want to do that?”
“Because I love you, Leann.”
She licked her lips and for once he was happy to see that she was as nervous as he was.
“Every night is a long time,” she said, her voice cracking at the end. “A long, long time.”
He’d been rehearsing this part all day. Hopefully he wouldn’t fuck it up.
“Forever wouldn’t be long enough.” Sliding out of his chair, he knelt on bended knee in front of her. Her hand flew to her lips and she gasped, the color high in her cheeks. He’d surprised her for sure. She hadn’t been expecting this. “I love you, Leann Anderson. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. The good days and the bad. In sickness and in health and all the other vows that there are. Will you marry me, baby? You’d make me the happiest man on earth if you’d say yes.”
More sweating. More pounding in his chest. He was actually a little lightheaded and dizzy. She wasn’t saying anything, looking totally stunned.
“Baby?” he prompted. They both couldn’t faint. One of them had to stay conscious.
She let out a long breath and made a squeaking sound that he couldn’t identify. He wasn’t breathing all that well either. He reminded himself to exhale.
“Was that a yes or a no or a maybe?”
“Yes!” she gasped, falling to the floor with him, her arms wrapping around his body and hugging and kissing him for all she was worth. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you. I love you.”
Cupping her face in his hands, he leaned down to give her a slow kiss as his heart sped up even faster than before like it might take flight out of his chest. She’d said yes.
Yes.
She was going to be his wife and he was going to be her husband. They were going to build a life together.
Just as soon as he remembered how to walk and talk because they were still on the hardwood floor, sprawled together in a tangle of arms and legs as they kissed and held each other, oblivious to their surroundings. Neither one wanted to break the spell cast over them. They were getting married.
He found his tongue and managed a few words. “I’m going to be the best husband I can be, honey. I swear it.”
Her fingers traced the line of his jaw and she looked up at him with such love in her gaze that his chest physically hurt. He couldn’t imagine what he’d done to deserve this woman but he’d make sure she was happy every day of her life.
“I know you will be. But remember what you told me…we’re still going to fight and get mad. The secret is not to stay that way.”
At this moment, Zach couldn’t imagine being angry with this amazing woman who had just agreed to be his wife. Of course, that feeling of euphoria wouldn’t last forever. They’d fuss at each other and disagree about the thermostat and what movie to watch. But with Leann he had found the one thing he’d always dreamed of. They’d build it together one brick at time. A home full of love and laughter.
I hope you enjoyed Zach and Leann’s happily ever after! Look for Dizzy’s story in Window To Danger coming soon!
Thank you for reading Reunited With Danger!
Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to be notified of Olivia’s new releases: