Somethin' Dirty: Country Fever, Book 4 (26 page)

Tessa waved a hand. “Go get that young singer and make her yours. Don’t worry about Lyric. We’ll be waiting to celebrate with you when you come home.”

Griffin’s chest tightened at what he was about to do. Making a big production of a proposal may not help. She still might turn him down.

“Okay, I’m outta here.”

“Luck!” Tessa called to his back. Before he left the house, he heard her resume reading the book to Lyric.

Again he checked that he had everything set for tonight. The truck contained everything he needed from condoms to a good bottle of champagne. He thought about getting a backup lighter for the candles, then resisted.

“Just get on with it,” he muttered and climbed into the truck.

He bounced across the field to the perfect location. The grass was shorter after a first cutting for hay, and the blades would cradle the mason jars so they didn’t fall over. The land sloped gently upward, so his message would be easily read.

He spent half an hour setting up the jars in a certain order. When the candles were lit, they’d spell
Marry Me
. He’d keep Nola in the truck some distance away while he lit the candles, then bring her down here.

Satisfied with the results, he hopped back into the truck and headed to the airport. During the long drive, his mind never quit. He raced over several scenarios.

Nola leaping into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him between whispers of “yes”.

Or pushing her red-gold hair off her face and turning a distressed gaze upon him. Trying to let him down gently, explaining she had a new career ahead of her and she didn’t want to be tied to an older cowboy with a daughter and a town she’d just escaped.

He pressed his lips into a line and watched a jet soar low, angling for the runway. Her plane landed in twenty minutes—just enough time for him to park and freak himself out waiting.

Before he went into the terminal, he grabbed a bouquet of wildflowers he’d stopped to pick on the way out of Reedy. The late blooms were everywhere right now. He’d considered a store-bought bouquet, but this fit him better.

He prayed they fit Nola too.

After finding her gate, he paced. The airport was quieter at this time of night. The sun had long ago faded from the sky, dropping out of sight as he reached his destination.

By the time they got back home and to the field where he planned his surprise, it would be the wee hours of the night. Somehow that made it seem more romantic.

People began to file out of the gate, and he tensed, waiting to catch a glimpse of the red-gold head he loved. His heart thrummed.

When she appeared, she immediately began searching the area for him, straining onto tiptoes to see over the people.

A thousand butterflies hatched in his stomach as he surged forward. She saw him and bounced into the air. Twice.

His heart soared. “Nola,” he grated out as he pushed past a woman and caught Nola in his arms.

She glued herself to him, arms around his neck, body flush against his. Arousal tore through him, and his cock jerked at her nearness. Heat clawed at his insides as he drew in a deep gulp of her scent.

She tipped up her face and their gazes locked for a strong heartbeat before he crushed his mouth to hers. She made a soft noise in her throat and wound herself more tightly around him.

He pulled her out of the way, still kissing her, the bouquet squashed against her spine. A few stems broke, and flowers skimmed his knuckles, but he didn’t care. She was here with him, in his arms. And he wasn’t letting her go.

He drew back to look at her. It didn’t matter she was wearing designer clothes and a glittering necklace, because her smile was all he cared about. Her full lips stretched over her white teeth, and his cock surged again at the thought of the blowjob she’d blown his mind with before he left Nashville.

Her eyes grew hooded. Could she be thinking that too?

“I’m sorry for treating you like I did, baby doll.”

She shook her head. “I can see by the look on your face you won’t do it again. I have some things to be sorry for too. When you called, I couldn’t bring myself to speak to you. Not after what I’d done with your song.” She dropped her gaze. “I’m sorry.”

He used a knuckle to lift her chin. Their gazes met, and everything was healed.

She ran a hand down his shirt front. “You look gorgeous. Like home.”

His throat clogged at her words, and he pulled the flowers around her body and placed them under her nose.

“Thank you,” she said thickly, burying her nose in the blooms. The pink petals kissed her skin, casting a rosier glow.

“How much luggage do you have?” He removed the long strap of a carry-on bag from her shoulder and wound an arm around her waist.

“This is it. If I need more clothes, there are some at my parents’.” She pointed to the carry-on and stared at his lips.

“What’s wrong?”

“Are you gonna kiss me again or not?” Her voice came out soft, but every cell in his body heard her and responded.

“Hell yeah, baby doll.” He enfolded her in his arms again and plunged his tongue between her lips. That she longed for more ignited him fully. His cock throbbed against his fly, demanding exit. He angled his head and swept her mouth with his tongue.

Her round breasts pressed against his chest, and he lifted a hand. Then remembering where they were, he dropped it to her waist. Gripping her hard, he probed the hollow above her hipbone with his thumb until she squirmed.

She tore away, breathless. “Let’s…”

“Get goin’.” He gripped her hand and led her out of the airport. He stuffed her into the truck with all haste, wanting to lock her away and never let her escape.

But she still might. He sucked in a deep breath and walked around to the driver’s door. When he climbed in, he found her nose in the wildflower bouquet again.

“These are my favorites. Did you know?” Her voice was still thick, her eyes shining in the dim lighting from the parking lamps.

He twisted the key in the ignition. “I do now.”

During the drive back to the ranch, she locked their fingers together and talked about Nashville. Things were happening fast for her, and her song—their song—was still riding high in the charts. She had performances booked on nighttime entertainment TV shows, and they were about to record her whole album.

“So you’ve been writing?” he asked, glancing at her profile, striking in the moonlight.

She looked at him again, her eyes softer yet. “You can’t imagine how much I wrote after you left me a week ago.”

He didn’t ask for more. It was enough.

By the time they trundled up the driveway, Nola had curled against his side, her head on his shoulder. When he rolled past the house and out through the field, she sat up straighter.

“Where are we going?”

He dropped a kiss to her temple, nuzzling her fragrant skin. “You’ll see.”

They bounced across the field, but he stopped some distance away from the place he’d set up the jars. She pivoted on the seat, bringing her denim-clad knees close to his. He stroked her silky fingers, and she looked at him expectantly.

Moonlight fell over her. It only enhanced her beauty.

“Give me five minutes. Stay here.” His voice sounded rough.

She nodded.

He got out of the truck, his heart racing. But he loped around a row of trees and across the field to the mason jars. As he lit the candles in each, his mind rushed ahead. To their wedding day and how good she’d be for Lyric.

When he had the candles all lit, he stood back and looked at the effect. The countryside glowed. Nola would look gorgeous amidst the candlelight, out here under the big Wyoming sky where she belonged.

He pocketed the lighter and practically ran back to the truck. Nola waited for him, twisting her hands in her lap. He unclenched her fingers and tugged her out into his arms. She clung to him for a long moment, and he couldn’t resist brushing his lips over hers.

The kiss quickly heated, but he pulled away. “Come with me.” On the way past the truck bed, he grabbed the basket and hooked it over his arm.

She grinned, eyes twinkling. Though she seemed happy, he worried. Overall she was quiet tonight.

As they neared the place he planned to propose, he had eyes only for her. When the candle glow kissed her skin, he watched her face. Her long brows knit in the middle. She shook her head, sending waves of hair bouncing over her breasts.

His heart plummeted. She was going to say no. It was over. He’d lost her.

Her mouth opened then closed.

He pushed out the breath he was holding. “Well?”

“I don’t… ARR?”

Confusion shot through his brain. He jerked around to look at the field. Half of the candles had blown out, leaving only ARR.

He dropped to his knees before her, gathering her hands in his. “Marry me. It’s supposed to be
Marry Me
. Marry me, Nola.”

She held his gaze for a long moment then threw her head back and released a laugh to the sky. When she looked at him again, he didn’t know whether to laugh with her or cry.

She skimmed her fingers over his jaw. “I thought you’d turned pirate on me for a moment.”

His chest convulsed with laughter that was almost a sob. He pressed his face to her belly, so terrified of never having her as his wife. “Well?” he asked against her shirt.

She shifted against him, falling to her knees. She cupped his face and stared deep into his eyes. “A thousand times yes, Griffin.”

His heart flipped and excitement doused the fear. He’d jumped again and landed safely on the other side. “Really?”

“I’d hoped you’d ask in Nashville. I would have said yes then.”

So disappointment had crept in. He wrapped his arms around her and threw them backward. They rolled in the grass, her body plastered to him.

“My wife. You’ll be my wife!” He wanted to roar it to the pinpricks of light shining down on them.

She raised herself over him, her eyes glazed with passion. “I can’t imagine not having you in my life forever, Griffin. And Lyric. I want Lyric as my daughter.”

Tears burned his nose. “She’s yours already, baby doll. And me…I’ve been yours since the moment I saw you in The Hellion. Nashville can have you when necessary, but I want you on my ranch. In my bed.”

She shivered, and he smoothed his hands down her bare arms. Her skin was cool, but not for long. He planned to heat every inch with his kisses.

“Reach into that basket. I have a blanket.”

She arched a brow. “Spent some time on this event, didn’t you?” She tipped to the side and snagged the basket handle. She dragged it across the ground.

“I had to make it perfect so you’d say yes. I couldn’t ask one more time.” He found the blanket and shook it out. After wrapping it around her, he rolled her so the blanket kept her body from the dew-covered grass and he hovered over her.

Her eyes glowed, reflecting the remaining candle flames. “I wish I would have seen the entire message before it blew out.”

“I’ll light it for you every year on this date, baby doll. You’ll see it fifty more times.”

A sound like a sob broke from her. He captured it with his mouth, snaking his tongue between her lips to taste her salty tears. He entangled his fingers in her hair and plied her with kisses so long and deep, her pussy clenched.

Nola’s heart was bursting with love and passion for Griffin. At the airport, she’d expected a ring and had been disappointed. When he’d stopped the truck, she’d waited expectantly, but he’d only gotten out.

But when he’d actually said the words, her heart had expanded ten times the size with all the love she felt for him.

She raked her fingers over the hard planes of his back, feeling every ridge and muscle. His harsh breathing matched hers. Something told her this night under the stars would be explosive.

Heat knotted her belly, and she shifted against him, seeking ease from the agony of want.

He ripped his mouth from hers and trailed a path of kisses down her throat to the swells of her breasts. Her nipples puckered, aching for more. He groaned as she arched under him.

“Gorgeous woman. Mine.” He found the hem of her shirt and eased his hand under, tunneling right to her aching breast. He squeezed it and she moaned. He turned his face aside, and she surged upward to clamp her lips over the skin of his neck.

She sucked, and he rocked the ridge of his erection into her. When she pulled back, she knew a dark mark would have risen on his skin. “There. You wear the hickeys.”

“Gladly.” He tugged her shirt up and off, abandoning it in the grass. She gasped at the cool night air kissing her heated flesh. With swift movements, he removed her bra. Before she could shiver from the cold on her breasts, he covered one with a broad palm and took the other in his mouth.

The revolution of his tongue around the hard tip made her cry out. He scraped his teeth gently over it, and juices flooded her pussy.

“Get out of these clothes so I can feel my fiancé’s muscles.” She plucked at the waist of his jeans, eager to feel his thick length in her hand, her body.