“Sweetheart,” he said in a breath, holding on for dear life. It took a moment for him to think straight. He should talk to her. Instead, he covered her mouth in a steamy and deep kiss, squeezing her so hard he hoped he wouldn’t break her in two. It was the sound of her soft laughter that made him finally let go of her lips.

“You made me all wet,” she said. “Fancy bath you have there.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked, breathless.

“I needed you,” she said. “You needed me.”

He pushed a little hair out of her eyes. “When do you have to go back?”

“I don’t have to. Well, yes, I do. I left some things behind and I haven’t said a proper goodbye to Ray Anne or my friends, but there’s no hurry. Next week, maybe. For one night. Or maybe I’ll do it in one day.”

“What about Grace?” he asked.

“She said she’s going to have to replace me.” She ran her fingertips through his black, curling hair. “She said the second she saw us together she knew she’d have to replace me. She told me to stop wasting time.”

Cradling her head in one big hand, he gave her a tender kiss. “I’ve always admired Grace. Have I mentioned that?”

“Actually, no,” she said, laughing. “I hope I’m not imposing.”

He grinned. “Come with me,” he said.

He led her around the back of the house to the RV.

“I saw that from the road. Has the family started to arrive already? I thought I had time before—”

He cut her off by lifting her into his arms. “Your castle, my love. If you approve of it, we can get one of our own and live in it while we build.”

“It’s yours?”

“Ours. It’s rented but if it works for you, I’ll buy one.” He grinned devilishly. “I could come home for lunch.”

“I’ve always been impressed by how enterprising you are.”

He turned her so he could open the door to the RV and then they both laughed. It wasn’t big enough for him to carry her over the threshold and inside without doing some damage. He put her down carefully.

“Oh! Matt! You did this all by yourself?”

“What do you think?”

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said. “It might be bigger than that little loft.”

“They’re getting very fancy,” he said. “It has a two-person shower and a whirlpool tub.”

“What a wonderful idea, I would have never—”

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms again. “Thank you for making me face the ghosts. I would’ve fought the past forever and damn, it feels so much better to realize that I can leave some things behind and look at the future with you. I don’t know how you know these things...”

“I was only guessing,” she said. “But I wanted you so much and I knew I couldn’t have you until you were free.”

“We’re ready now, honey. We have to be ready now because I’m so in love with you, I’m starting to hallucinate.”

“You did have a dazed look for a second. Will your parents approve of you living in sin right on their property?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care. But for your information, we’re not going to live in sin for long. At the first opportunity we’ll get married. I need you to be my wife. You’re already my heart and my breath. Tell me you’ll marry me, that we’ll belong to each other.”

“I think we already do belong to each other, Matt. The rest is a formality. A very sweet formality.”

* * *

George Lacoumette stood just outside the barn, watching the back of the house where the vegetable sink was. As Paco came out, George put out an arm, blocking him. They stood together, George leaning on a shovel handle and Paco wiping his brow with a kerchief. They watched as Matt rinsed his head, scrubbed his hands and then spotted his girl. They observed as he kissed her brainless, then lifted her into his arms to carry her to that fancy new RV he’d parked at the side of the house. After a little more kissing and whispering, they disappeared inside.

“I don’t think Matt’s coming to dinner,” George said.

“Just as well,” Paco said. “We should maybe leave a little nourishment on the step for them.”

“They’d have to open the door to find it,” George said.

“Let’s wash up,” Paco said. “Now that the coast is clear.”

“Ginger is a nice girl,” George said. “She makes a lot more sense for him.”

“We’ll get a lot more work out of him now,” Paco said. “Married men are more reliable.”

“You sure he’s going to marry her?” George asked.

“Didn’t you see?” Paco asked. “He might marry her before dinner!”