Conflicted (Everlasting Love)(33)

“That’s ridiculous. You’re one of the most talented trainers in the country, Jesse. Everyone knows that—your future is as bright as you want it to be.”

“I’m the hired help, Desiree. I’m not like you. I don’t have a big, fancy horse-breeding pedigree behind me. I don’t have a fancy education or a guaranteed place in the horseracing community.” He paused, raised his hands so that she could see the nicks and calluses that were so much a part of who he was and what he did. “Look at me. I’m making good money now—I can support you—but it’s not the same. I’m not as rich as your father or as fancy as all those men he’s spent the past year introducing you to.”

He rolled over, stared into her endless blue eyes. “I don’t want you to regret marrying me in a few years, or a few months, when your blinders come off and you see what everyone else does—the half-breed scrambling to make something of himself.”

Desiree shoved him away from her. “Don’t say that. Don’t you ever say that.”

Her cheeks were red, her eyes blazing with indignation. “I love you, Jesse. The real you, not some man you think I’ve romanticized in my head. You are so much more than you think you are. You’re smart and brave and so incredibly talented that you awe me.”

She reached out, ran a hand through his hair. “God knows you’re not perfect, but I love you. I love you and I want to build my life with you. I don’t know how else to say it.”

He closed his eyes, thanked God for this most beautiful, most amazing woman that he had been gifted with. “Then let’s go get married, darlin’.”

Her smile, when it came, was brilliant. “Are you sure?”

He laughed, nuzzling her cheek with his lips. “Hell, no. I figure your father will kick us off the ranch as soon as he sees your wedding ring.”

“He’ll get over it,” she answered confidently as she ran her fingers lightly over the nape of his neck.

“Maybe in twenty years or so.”

She laughed. “More like twenty minutes or so. Daddy is nothing if not pragmatic. If he disowns me, who’s going to run the ranch when he’s gone?”

“I think he’ll be less than impressed with the idea of you running it while married to a half-Indian horse-trainer with a lousy pedigree.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She smiled mischievously. “You bring home the Triple Crown and all will be forgiven.”

“We’ll see about that.”

She flipped him over so that she was straddling him, her soft lower body rocking gently against his suddenly hard one. “You did remind me of something else we need to take care of though.”

He arched up, reveling in the little hitch of her breath as he did so. Reaching up, he caressed her breasts through the thin silk of her blouse. “What’s that, darlin’?”

Moaning as his hands found her tight nipples, Desiree let her head loll back as she moved restlessly against him. “Wedding rings,” she gasped, arching into the rhythmic stroking of his fingers.

He paused as her words sunk in, his mouth mere inches from her breast. Moaning her disappointment, she thrust herself against him even as he moved to lift her off him.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, her fingers moving swiftly over the buttons of her blouse.

“Getting your ring.”

“I didn’t mean now,” she pouted. “Come back to bed and finish what you started. We can go shopping later.”

Rummaging in his overnight bag, he tossed her a grin over his shoulder. “I don’t have to go shopping. I bought this for you two months ago.”

“Two months ago?” Sitting up quickly, her open blouse forgotten, she stared at him incredulously. “I just proposed to you eight days ago.”

“I know.” Returning swiftly, he crouched between her open legs and handed her a small, red box. “I’ve been carrying it around for weeks, trying to come up with the right way to ask you.”

She stared at him with her mouth half-open, completely dumbfounded. “You were going to propose to me?” she asked.

“Well, yeah. That’s what a man does when he finds the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with.”

“But you sounded so unenthusiastic when I asked you that I nearly died.”

“I said yes, didn’t I?”

“Barely.”

“You caught me off guard.” He pushed a lock of hair away from his eyes so that he could see her clearly. “I didn’t have the ring on me, I hadn’t made any plans and there you were, jumping the gun on me—as usual. I wasn’t ready.”

“I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.” He nodded at the box in her hands. “Are you going to open that or simply stare at it all day?”

With a nervous smile, she flipped the lid open and gasped, one hand flying to her mouth as she stared at the engagement ring he had picked out after much deliberation. The center stone was huge—a two-carat, almost flawless solitaire—while the band was lined all the way around with smaller, channel-set diamonds.

“Do you like it?” he asked, more nervous than he liked to admit. He’d searched for days for the perfect ring and had fallen in love with this one the second he laid eyes on it. Elegant but fun, it seemed to fit both sides of Desiree’s personality.