Quinn smiled down at her. “I did get the winning score.”
His teammates obliged him with exaggerated eye-rolls, groans, and a few choice snide comments. Nelson went into a coughing fit brought on by fake hurling.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but you’re cute, so I’ll kiss you anyway.” Sarah raised on tiptoe and pecked Quinn’s lips.
“Jeez, not in front of the kids, please!” Nelson protested. “Shit, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”
Ignoring him and the rest of his teammates, Quinn tapped Sarah’s nose. “Ready to go meet Paige and look at houses?”
“Let’s go!” She bounced in place. Sarah loved looking at houses, could spend hours studying them, but today, he’d whittled down the choices to three he’d already checked out. He was especially excited for Sarah to see the last one.
“Buying a new house, Hads?” one of the guys asked.
“Yep. Time to downsize to something less ostentatious,” he quipped.
After touring the first two places, he and Sarah followed Paige to house number three, which was a stone-and-timber affair that sat on a golf course with spectacular mountain views.
Paige unlocked the front door and ushered them in. “Quinn, why don’t you show Sarah around? I’ll be in my car making calls if you need me.” She sent him a wink.
They stepped into an open entryway, and Sarah gasped. Yeah, she likes it. In the center of the entry, an enormously thick chain was suspended from the vaulted second-floor ceiling to the walkout basement level. It twisted its way through railed openings in the stone floor on each level, and water skittered over its links, giving it an old-world, rusted look.
Sarah craned her head upward. “This water feature is amazing!”
His chest swelled with pride as she walked around it. He could practically see the calculations zipping through her brain as she took it in and disassembled its secrets.
“There’s lots more to see.” He took her hand and led her toward a series of NanaWalls—glass walls that opened completely, letting exterior living spaces blend with the interior.
“Oh my God! I love these movable walls.” Again she paused, transfixed as her eyes scanned the wall systems, and he had to pull her away.
“So the house has six bedrooms, two family rooms, a wine cave, a billiards room, a gym, and this.” He led her into a vaulted, two-storied master bedroom with a marble bathroom that was straight out of a luxury spa.
Her head on a swivel, eyes wide as pucks, she didn’t see the room until he opened the door. She peered inside. “Is this another bedroom attached to the bathroom?”
“Nope. Guess again.”
She shook her head.
“It’s a big-ass closet. Now imagine every surface covered in mirrors, white fur rugs on the floor, and a leather lounge for two.” He grinned and stood back to enjoy the transformation in her expression. She didn’t disappoint.
Her hand flew to her mouth, but not in time to stifle a raucous laugh. “Oh. My. God! This would be perfect! Can you say mirror room?”
“Yes, I can, and I can also say ‘scorching-hot sex.’ It’d be a great room to shelter-in-place. Or shelter-in-lace.” He waggled his eyebrows at her.
“And here I thought you liked this house because you can step right onto the golf course and play through,” she chuckled. “Now I know the real attraction.”
He let her linger and ogle the space a while longer before he showed her the rest of the house. He felt like a kid on Christmas morning, and every expression, every word, every reaction from her were his presents to open—and he couldn’t wait.
They finally came to a stop in the airy great room and kitchen. He spread his arms wide. “So picture family dinners with you, me, Archer, Mom, Dad, Gage, Lily, and Daisy. Plenty of room for everyone. What do you think?”
Sarah folded her hands on the granite island counter and looked around with an expression he could only describe as awe. “I love it,” she whispered reverently.
“More than the others we’ve looked at?”
She positively beamed. “Absolutely.”
Quinn executed an inner fist pump. Scored again! Yes!
From his cargo shorts pocket, he extracted three objects. His heart rate kicked up a few notches, and he started to juggle. Sarah glanced at him and smirked. “Didn’t get in enough juggling at the picnic?”
He kept his eyes fixed on the items looping through the air. “Nope.”
She poked her head in cabinets and took another tour around the great room before stopping in front of him. Folding her arms across her chest, she tracked the circling objects. “Are you nervous today or just fidgety, Sparks?” she teased.
“Honestly? A little of both,” he murmured.
He could feel her heat as she drew closer. “Why?” Her eyes continued following the motion. Without waiting for his answer, she pointed at one of the items spinning in midair. “What’s that?”
Quinn snatched it, letting the others thud to the floor. “You mean this?” He opened his palm and presented her a small box.
Her eyes widened, and her mouth parted. “What is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
She stretched her fingers toward it, then snatched them back as if they were about to be sacrificed to a set of pointy fangs.
“Open it,” he urged. Excitement and nervousness twined inside him.
Curiosity lit her eyes as she plucked it out of his open palm. Oh so carefully, she opened the lid. He pulled in a breath that he nursed in his chest. She let out a gasp, and those wide, glittering hazel eyes drilled into him. “Is this … are you …?”
“Yes, that’s an engagement ring, and yes, I’m proposing.” No way did he want this girl to get away from him.
Stunned, she stared at the ring, then at him, and back again.
He pointed at the open box. “And that goes”—he twirled his finger in the air—“with the house.” Then he opened his arms wide. “And me. A total package. If you don’t like the house
