Page 61 of Keeping His Brat

She had a feeling Ben had been warned because he came out, looked around and then went back in to find the stragglers. Finally, they were all gathered in front of the barn. Sam swung out of the saddle and came over to help her down.

She didn’t need help normally, but at the moment she was incredibly stiff, and she was glad, albeit nervous, to take his hand. He wrapped an arm around her and turned them both to face the workers.

“As you all know, Charlie and I got back together last year, and we’ve been making plans for the future. We consider this ranch our home, and many of you have been family to us for a long time. So, it’s only natural that we would want you here for this.”

She froze. He… he couldn’t possibly be doing what she thought he was doing.

He turned to face her, got down on one knee, and grinned as he retrieved a small box from his pocket. “Charlotte McGee, will you marry me?”

She just stared at him.

He opened the box, showing off a pretty, but practical engagement ring with small blue and green stones in a silver band.

She was still staring. Finally, she leaned down to whisper emphatically in his ear, so only he could hear. “Now? Now, is when you ask me to marry you? After that miserable ride and my butt is…now?”

He grinned. “Yep. Seemed appropriate, don’t you think? Given our relationship and how all of that is part of it. I thought you’d appreciate the creativity.”

She straightened and glared at him. She considered saying no, just for a second to make him think she was refusing, but the look on his face made it clear he was expecting some kind of trick in retaliation.

And really… how could she be mad at him? He was right. Discipline and punishment were part of the relationship, and she was the one who’d asked for it to begin with. It was a mean trick to make her ride a horse on a sore butt, but then, well, shehadbroken a number of rules.

She shook her head. When it came down to it, she had to consider him making punishment part of the proposal as his way of saying he was going to keep taking care of her. It was weird, but oddly romantic in a way, even if her butt was still throbbing.

She drew in a deep breath and then let it out in a long sigh. “Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.” More than a few people were probably wondering why she rolled her eyes when she accepted, but Sam knew, and she could hear him snickering as he stood up and slid the ring onto her finger.

They were surrounded by cheering ranch hands who were quick to hug Charlie and slap Sam on the back. Someone led the horses away. It took a while to get everyone back to work, they were in the mood to celebrate, but finally they had dispersed.

“Not the surprise proposal you were expecting?” Sam asked, as they walked home holding hands.

“Definitely not … mean Daddy. I can’t believe you made me sit in a saddle after that paddling.” Even walking hurt at the moment, though to be fair part of that wasn’t just from the paddle. She’d been sitting unnaturally stiff during the ride, not moving with the rhythm of the horse because her butt hurt. She gave him her best pout, but he wasn’t moved by it.

“You deserved it. Besides proposing while your butt was still sore seemed appropriate somehow. I think it was the punishment aspect of our relationship that made it all work out this time.”

“Still mean,” she retorted. She wouldn’t admit it, but she did agree with him. “Can’t wait to see what you plan for our anniversaries” she muttered, deliberately loud enough for him to hear.

He threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, Charlie girl …I’ll think up something dirty, and delicious for each one, believe it.”

She absolutely did believe it and she couldn’t wait.

There were a lot of changes coming up, but their life together was just beginning, and she was stepping into it eagerly with her eyes wide open and her Daddy by her side.

The End.