Page 197 of Burned

Matt reached for my hand and led me to the pond just beyond the large garden. I watched the calves play in the field as we passed by their pen.

Horses neighed in the background, temporarily drowning out the steady buzz of bug life.

“We should visit more often.”

He stopped and turned to me. “I’d like that.”

Matt brushed a strand of hair off my face and tucked it behind my ear. I leaned into his touch, thinking it’d be magical to kiss him with the tall grass and wild flower-surrounded pond as a backdrop and the bugs and animals providing the soundtrack.

“Did I ever tell you why I left my buddies that night?”

He’d never said anything; I just assumed the prospect of sex was more enticing than having another beer with his teammates.

“Sex?”

“Well, yeah,” he laughed, “but we were celebrating a successful mission.” He paused. “One we didn’t think we’d survive, let alone complete.”

“Oh.” Not the most elegant response.Why didn’t he stay and celebrate? Why’s he telling me this now?

“Madi, from the moment I saw you, I couldn’t…” He sighed. “You have this aura about you. It’s fucking magnetic. When you approached me at the bar, I was helpless against it.”

My gut tightened. My breath stuttered.

“Madi.” Matt got down on one knee. “I love you with every fiber of my being, and I’ll work every day to be the man you deserve.”

Tears ran down my cheeks. Cheeks that were mostly scar-free because of the man on his knee telling me he didn’t think he deserved me yet.

“Will you—”

I tackled him while shouting, “Yes.”

We tumbled onto the grass and made out like teenagers. When we finally came up for air, Matt picked up the red velvet ring box he’d dropped.

“Fuck, the ring fell out.”

It took us thirty-five minutes to find the gorgeous diamond with small deep purple amethysts on each side.

But only because we couldn’t keep our hands off each other…