“Hurry, Tess! We want to come up!”

“Hold your horses, you too,” she chided playfully. “I’m going to take your dad up first, then you can come up.”

The remodel on the barn had turned out great. The ground floor had been converted into an office space complete with a sofa, conference area, and kitchenette. Carter was a little surprised, since he’d assumed she would convert the ground floor into living space and the upstairs into an office. The once-rickety ladder was now a sturdy staircase complete with a slatted banister.

Tess turned and led the way up the stairs and Carter followed. Their position allowed him the perfect view of her ass and his hands itched to reach out and touch. The last thing he wanted right now was to keep his contact with her kid-friendly. He needed skin-on-skin contact with her like he needed air. When she got to the top of the staircase, Tess turned.

“Close your eyes.”

Carter regarded her for a moment and she folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t let me fall,” he teased.

“Please,” Tess scoffed. “These stairs are top safety rated.” When he didn’t close his eyes she sighed. “Take my hand,” Tess said. “I promise I won’t let you fall.”

She might have sounded put out but her wide grin told another story. God, he loved that smile. He wanted to wake up to that smile. Carter swallowed against the nerves that caused his heart to pound in his chest and closed his eyes.

Tess reached out and took his hand in hers. The warmth, the softness of her skin only served to jack his nerves into the stratosphere. They’d been seeing each other for almost a month and even though Carter told Tess he loved her every day, she’d yet to say it to him. He wore his heart on his sleeve and he was okay with that. Tess was more guarded. He knew she cared for him and the girls, but Carter longed to hear those words from her. She guided him up the last three stairs and when Carter found solid footing, he paused.

“Okay.” Carter heard the smile in Tess’s voice and it filled him near to bursting with emotion. “Open them.”

Carter’s jaw dropped. Not an office, not a living space, Tess had converted the loft into a sports-themed playroom for the girls. A net dangled from the ceiling filled with soccer balls, a decal picture of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team graced one wall. The other two walls were butter yellow and light blue, variations of the girls’ favorite colors. One corner sported a table and chairs, there were beanbags for them to lounge on, cubbies for shoes, art supplies, or whatever else they wanted, and a small TV was mounted to the north wall. It was a playroom of epic proportions.

Carter had wanted Tess to make this space her own. Instead, she’d given it to his girls.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Carter said.

Tess smiled. “I wanted to. I can work while they play. Or we can hang out downstairs and watch TV while they play. It’ll be a space for all of us to use however we want.”

“Tess.” Words failed him. His hand balled into a fist in his pocket and Carter swallowed down the emotion that choked him.

“I love them, Carter,” Tess said. Her gaze met his and she reached out to take his hand.

All Steph had wanted was for them to be happy. She’d wanted their girls to have a family. Parents who cared for them. Never in a million years could Carter have imagined he’d find someone as perfect as Tess. He sent out a silent prayer of thanks. She loves our girls, Steph.

“They love you, too.”

“Can we come up now?” Jane sounded like she might explode if she had to endure another minute of waiting.

“We’re dying down here!” Of course, Jenny had her sister beat when it came to lack of patience.

“Take a few deep breaths and count to fifty,” Carter called back. “Are you sure you’re ready for the noise and energy they’re going to bring to what’s supposed to be your quiet work space?”

Tess gave him a soft smile. “It’s unbearably quiet here when you guys are gone. I hate it.”

So did Carter. So much so that he’d made a decision. “I’m selling my house in Dallas.” He’d planned to save that news for later, but like Jenny, he couldn’t wait. “I want to live in Nacogdoches. The girls can go to school here and I’ll commute during the season. I’m tired of the distance between us, Tess. I can’t stand it.”

She beamed. The brilliance of her smile had nothing on the sun. “I love you, Carter,” she said on a breath. “I’ve missed you so much the past few weeks. I don’t want to be apart from you guys for even a day.”

I love you. Carter had been waiting weeks to hear those words from her. His heart pounded in his chest. “I love you, Tess. I don’t think I could love you more.”

He lowered his mouth to hers. Tess kissed him deeply, her lips moving over his in a slow tease that caused the blood to rush through Carter’s veins. The sound of giggles from downstairs brought them back to reality and Carter pulled away with a smile. I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. We’re a wild bunch.”

“I wouldn’t want you any other way,” Tess said. Her wide blue eyes delved into his, her expression open and honest. “I love you, Carter. I’m in it for the long haul.”

“Puh-leaze can we come up?” Jane’s voice bounced with her plea.

Carter raised a questioning brow.

“Come up!” Tess called with a laugh.

The girls raced up the stairs. When they made it up to the loft, their surprised faces and gasps of delight coaxed a wide smile to Tess’s face. They didn’t waste any time breaking in their new space, and Carter pulled Tess down onto one of the beanbags while the girls played.

“They’re never going to leave, you know,” he murmured in her ear.

“Good,” Tess said. She grabbed Carter’s arms and guided them around her. He leaned in for a quick kiss. “This is what I want. All of us here, together.”

Relief flooded him. It’s what he’d wanted since the day he’d told her he loved her. “You’re sure about this, huh?”

“I’ve never been so sure about anything,” Tess answered softly. “You guys are it for me. Forever.”

“Forever?”

Tess smiled. “Does that scare you?”

Carter disengaged his right arm from around Tess and dug into his pocket to retrieve the tiny velvet box. He’d planned to wait until the end of the weekend, but it seemed like the perfect time. Tess snuggled against him. The heat of her back against his chest put Carter at ease. He opened the box and held the shining diamond ring up for Tess’s inspection.

“It doesn’t scare me at all,” Carter murmured close to her ear. “I love you, Tess. I can’t say it enough. Will you give me the opportunity to say it every day for the rest of our lives?”

Tess turned to look into his face. Tears welled in her eyes. She cupped Carter’s cheek in her palm and a soft smile curved her beautiful mouth. “Absolutely.”

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