Switzerland put on a show in spring, but even Geneva’s tulips and magnolias couldn’t compete with Natalie’s beauty. Especially the way she looked with pink in her cheeks, hair a little wild, a broad smile on her face as she ushered Blitz toward the front door of their home.
No longer just his home. Theirs.
Ford stopped in his tracks. How had he gotten so lucky? The four months since Nat had moved in with him almost didn’t seem real. More like a dream of something he’d never dared to wish for.
It hadn’t been without struggles and disagreements. They were human, and vastly different in many ways, after all. But they were good together. Amazing, really.
Heart thumping wildly in his chest, he followed her and Blitz into the house. Inside, Nat had put her much-needed stamp on the place, adding color and comfort that blended seamlessly with the guest house’s old-world architecture and his serviceable furnishings.
Blitz wriggled as Nat wiped the dog’s muddy feet and removed her leash, then took off for the water bowl, making a sopping mess by the back kitchen door. Once sated, she turned in a circle three times and finally plopped down against the wall with a bone-cracking clunk.
Nat laughed as she washed her hands. “I think we wore her out. At least for an hour or two.” She walked toward him with a gleam in her eye that made him want to cancel their plans and spend the day mapping her body with his tongue. She slid into his arms and raised her chin. “Maybe we should lie down too.” She bounced her eyebrows at him.
If he gave in to every urge to “lie down” with her, they’d never leave the house. He kissed her slowly, deeply, a sense of rightness flowing through his veins. “I’m still recovering from this morning.” Not a lie, but nothing that would stop him. “And we have to be at Katja’s in an hour.”
She raised an eyebrow and stroked her fingertip across his cheek. “And, you definitely don’t want to be late.”
“No, I’m starving.” For you. He barely resisted turning to suck her finger into his mouth. “What genius came up with brunch, anyway? Who wants to wait until eleven to eat?”
Her hips rubbed against his thighs, stoking a fire in his core that rarely seemed to go out these days. “Who says you have to wait?”
Cradling her cheeks, he studied her precious face. Her beauty went beyond her gold-flecked blue eyes and the pleasing curve of her smile. Beneath the flashy, lighthearted exterior lived a kindhearted warrior. She’d become a mother to Blitz, sneaking her treats and carefully washing her muddy paws. She’d befriended their landlord, inviting Katja to tea at least once a week. And she’d adopted Henri as a surrogate family member, drawing the man out of his shell of grief, helping him recover some of his zest for life.
Not to mention all the ways she made Ford’s life better, every day. And she still put herself in danger to make the world safer. He didn’t love the risk, but her passion for justice was part of what made her the woman he loved. He’d never ask her to stop for him.
The best sex of his life was just a bonus. Or maybe a consequence of being with someone he loved, who loved him back.
Every experience was better with Nat.
Dropping to his knees, he lifted the hem of her shirt and kissed the soft skin of her stomach. “I can’t wait any longer,” he said, looking up at her. “I’ve been wanting to do this for so long, but I couldn’t figure out how.” He took a deep breath. “So, I’m going to wing it.”
She laughed. “You’re doing fine so far.” But then, she must’ve seen something in his face. A little line formed between her brows. “What—” She sucked in a breath and her pretty eyes widened as he pulled a ring from his front pocket and opened his palm. The antique sapphire and diamonds sparkled in the light from the kitchen window. “Ford.”
His heart tap danced in his chest. “I’ve put this in my pocket every day for weeks, trying to find the perfect place, the perfect words, the perfect way to show you how much I love you. But I realized there’s no such thing. Or, maybe, that whatever I do will be perfect. For us.”
“When did you get so smart?” Her eyes glistened.
Easy question. “When I stopped fighting how I felt about you.” He rose to his feet because the angle was killing his neck. “I love you, Nat. More than I ever thought I could love a person. Somehow, more every day.” He gently took her left hand, his own trembling a little. “I love your passion and your playfulness, your conviction, and your loyalty to the people you care about. The world is a better place because of you, and my world is infinitely better with you in it.”
“Wow,” she said softly, her eyes shining. “Thank you. I love you too.” She looked at him in wonder. “Why are you shaking?”
He licked his lips and laughed lightly, ignoring his jittery stomach. “I’m nervous. And I did all of this backwards. I’m pretty sure I was supposed to wait on the ring until after the big speech.” Were his hands clammy? “See what happens when you don’t have a plan?”
Nat’s expression softened. “Ford.” She waited until his gaze met hers again. “I have a secret to tell you, okay?”
“Okay.” He swallowed hard.
Going up on tiptoe, she whispered near his ear, “I’m a sure thing. In bed and out.”
He smiled and his shoulders dropped a fraction. She always knew how to get him out of his head.
She lifted his hand and kissed the back of his fingers. “I love you too. So much. The way you watch out for the people in your life, the way you love me for who I am…even your very detailed plans.” With a stern look, she said, “Now quit fucking around and ask me already. You know how impatient I am.”
The tightness in his throat gave way to deep laughter. He went down on one knee this time and drank in the sight of the woman he loved beaming at him. “Natalie Nygaard-Brown…will you marry me?”
She gave a little squeal. “Yes! Of course.”
He slipped the ring on her finger, his chest suddenly too small to contain his emotions. Love. Joy. Pride that this incredible woman had chosen him. “Thank God.” He let her pull him to his feet so she could kiss the wits out of him.
“We’ve come a long way from being two consenting adults with serious chemistry who don’t hate each other, haven’t we?”
He groaned at the reminder of how this all started. “I was such a fool.” How had he ever resisted her? He combed his fingers into her hair and palmed her cheeks. “Thank you for not letting me push you away. My new plan is to love you for the rest of my life. No contingencies.”
Her smile nearly knocked him flat. “That’s a plan I can promise not to set fire to.”
♥ ♥ ♥
🔥 I hope you enjoyed a little extra time with Nat and Ford. If you got a kick out of Lie In The Dark, would you consider leaving a rating or review? Just click on any link below for quick access. Thanks! Gwen 💕
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