Sun Burnt (11 page)

She disappeared from the opening. He withdrew his arm and his foot and retreated down the brick steps to stare hopefully at the door. The door closed in his face. Bea
u’
s heart sank. Car horns blew on the street. People passed by looking at him as if he were an alien. He felt like an alien. He was
n’
t sure how he would find his way in such a strange place.

He stood and waited, praying Kesslyn would give him a chance to prove he loved her. Just her. If she wanted to send him away, there was nothing he could do about it. He waited what felt like an eternity before the door opened wide.

Kesslyn stood there looking like a stranger in her business suit with her hair all pinned back. He wanted to free her hair, but he liked those heels. Lord, she could keep the heels.

“
You love me
?”
she asked unsure.

“
I do, Kesslyn. I want a life with you no matter where it is. I want to be your man. Forever
.”
He braced himself for rejection and dug his grandm
a’
s ring out of his pocket. There on the side of a city street in a strange city a world away from everything he knew, Beau got down on one knee.

“
I love you, Kesslyn Walker. You and no other for the rest of my life. Will you be my yankee bride
?”
he asked with his heart in his throat.

Kesslyn hurled herself down the steps. Beau just barely got to his feet to catch her. She wrapped herself around him and cried loudly. This was not how he thought his marriage proposal would go. He was holding her tight and rubbing her back while she cried.

Finally, she pulled herself together looked him in the eyes. She was smiling a broad beautiful smile of acceptance.

“
I love you, too, Beau. So much I was dying inside without you.
I’
ll marry you. Yes. I will
.”
She kissed him and the world was right again. Beau could breathe again. Kesslyn was going to be his wife. Nothing else mattered. As long as they were together.

****

Kesslyn and Beau were dancing their first dance as man and wife under the autumn Texas sky. They were married in a sweet but simple ceremony on the lawn behind the ranch house with all of Walker Creek looking on. Practically the entire town had shut down for the day to attend the wedding and reception.

Kesslyn looked up into her new husban
d’
s shining, happy eyes
.“
I love you, Beau. Thank you for making me the happiest woman in Texas
.
”

Beau chuckled
.“
I love you, baby. Even if you are a yankee
.
”

They laughed as he spun her around the dance floor. Sh
e’
d grown to love the idea of being Bea
u’
s yankee bride.

If you enjoyed Sun Burnt please visit catmillerbooks.com for links to all of Cat Miller’s books.

Be sure to connect with Cat at:

Twitter.com/CatMillerAuthor

Facebook.com/catmillerwriter