He whooped, picking her up and spinning her in a circle. She laughed, breathless with excitement, realizing she no longer worried about being too heavy for him. He’d shown her more than once that he was perfectly capable of scooping her into his arms.
He grinned down at her, desire and tenderness gleaming from the depths of his eyes. “Then let’s you get settled into my bedroom.”
###
Two weeks later, Maddie reflected on her whirlwind romance with Garrett as she took a shower, standing under the powerful spray of warm water. As soon as she’d said yes to his proposal, he’d hustled her and her belongings into his bedroom. They hadn’t emerged for a very long time. In fact, at one stage Maddie had wondered if he intended to keep her there permanently, not that she would have minded - at all. Bliss flickered across her face as she remembered exactly what had transpired that night.
Now that she was engaged to Garrett, she seemed to have a permanent smile on her face. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind about marrying him. The day after she’d accepted his proposal, he’d arranged for her belongings to be sent there.
“I’ll take care of it,” he reassured her, before going into the study to make the necessary arrangements. Two days later, all her boxes from Howard’s place had arrived.
After Maddie informed her surprised mother she was engaged to a rancher, she called Lyndsey. Her friend had been startled into speechlessness for a few seconds before promising to be there for the wedding.
When Lyndsey asked her if they’d set a date yet, Maddie looked down at her bare ring finger and confessed they hadn’t talked about dates yet. They hadn’t even gotten around to an engagement ring. Not that she minded, Maddie told herself fiercely. Garrett had shown her in plenty of other ways how much he cared for her. Although he hadn’t yet told her he loved her.
Turning off the water and picking up a soft, fluffy towel, she briskly dried herself. To be fair, she hadn’t told Garrett she loved him, either. It had been on the tip of her tongue numerous times, but she always chickened out at the last minute. Not for much longer.
Maddie looked around the bedroom for some clean clothes. She’d just been horseback riding with Garrett, and although he’d had to attend to some fencing that he’d spotted when they’d been riding along the north pasture, he’d told her to go home and relax.
She smiled. The ranch really did feel like home. Maddie flipped through the stack of clean lingerie. Her sexy blue bra and matching panties weren’t there. She frowned, trying to think when she'd worn them last. She remembered Garrett’s eyes lighting up in appreciation when he slid them off her one night, but his eyes always seemed to be appreciative when he helped her undress, no matter what kind of underwear she wore.
Maybe she’d somehow left them behind in her old bedroom. Maddie sashayed into the hall without a scrap on. Garrett had shown her many times just how much he admired her, and her body, with and without clothes. She now felt confident to walk around the house naked if she felt like it. And it was silly to wear a towel that just met around her curves when it would only take her a minute to look in the guest room for her lingerie.#p#分页标题#e#
Checking the back of the drawer in her old bedroom, she held up the silky blue scraps in triumph. Maybe tomorrow she’d drive to town and see if Donna had any more pretty under-things. She laughed softly to herself, wondering what Garrett’s reaction would be if she bought an incredibly sexy nightie as well.
###
The following day, Maddie’s fingers hovered on the keyboard of her laptop as she composed a resignation letter for her old job. When she’d accepted Garrett’s proposal, she’d called the library and told them she wouldn’t be able to return to work. Since she had some extra leave, her boss had suggested she take it, and send a letter of resignation.
Now it was time. This morning, Garrett had shown her an ad in the paper for a job in the small library in Elk View Corner.
“But you don’t need a job.” He looked as if he were biting back a secret grin. “I can support you.”
Maddie hesitated. She enjoyed helping out on the ranch. Even cleaning those dusty cabins had been fun in a way. But she was used to earning her own living. And he still hadn’t shown her the store account for her new clothes, although she supposed it didn’t really matter now they were engaged.
“I’d like to apply for it,” she said firmly.
He pulled her to him and kissed her until she was breathless. “Then go for it.” His hand stroked her hair, his lips meeting hers once more until he wrenched himself away with a groan of frustration. “I have to go and check on Farley.”