In Love by Davenport, Fiona (love books to read txt) 📕

the beans the last time my girlfriend and I went to her house for dinner.”

Girlfriend? “You’re not here for a date with Charlotte?”

He laughed and stood back, allowing me to enter. “She’s letting me borrow her backyard and helping me set up to propose to my girlfriend.”

Relief flooded my body, and I almost sagged against the doorframe but managed to keep upright and crossed the threshold.

He shut the door behind me and stuck out his hand. “Hudson Kendall.”

Ah, he was a Kendall. “A cousin.”

“Unrelated by blood, but yeah. In every other sense, Charlie and London are actually more like sisters to Grace and me.”

I nodded as my eyes swept around the room, my mind already done with this conversation now that I knew the kid wasn’t a threat.

“She’s out back. I only heard your caterwauling because I came in to find the matches.”

I could see the kitchen and door to the back down the hallway so I immediately took a step in that direction. I growled and turned around swinging when a firm hand grabbed my arm.

Hudson evaded my hook and released my arm, backing up a couple of steps. “Relax, I just want to ask you a couple of questions. Charlie is one of the best people I know, and I love her like a sister. With Lincoln off in the army, the rest of the men in this family look out for her.”

I was tempted to ignore him and go to my girl, but if it were my sister in this situation, I’d be right where Hudson was now. I crossed my arms over my chest and brooded but nodded for him to continue.

“London vouched for you, or I wouldn’t have let you in the door. Still, I want to hear it for myself. Do you love her?”

“More than anything.”

“You’re going to marry her, not just move her into your bachelor pad as a permanent booty call?”

“You’re on thin ice referring to her like that, kid. But I see your point. Yes, I’m going to marry her as soon as possible.”

Hudson gestured to the hallway. “Good luck. Oh, but you two need to disappear in about thirty minutes before Grace arrives.”

I paused and gave him a chin lift. “Good luck to you, too.”

Hudson grinned. “She already said yes. I just wanted to give her the memory of an all-out romantic proposal.”

I headed to the back of the house in search of my girl, but Hudson’s words were playing in my mind. Maybe he had the right idea. I wouldn’t settle for any other outcome than Charlotte as my wife, but perhaps the illusion of a choice while being swept off her feet…

I pushed open the back door and froze at the sight before me. Charlotte was slowly spinning in a circle, surveying the fairyland she’d created. She was wearing shorts and a T-shirt, but with the twinkle lights all around her and the beautiful smile on her face, she might as well have been in an expensive, elegant dress.

“Rhett?”

My trance was broken by Charlotte’s confused voice. I settled my eyes on her pretty face, which was filled with genuine shock and a wariness that I didn’t understand.

I smiled. “Charlotte.”

“What...um, what are you doing here?”

I couldn’t very well tell her that I had a tail on her and came to break up the little date I thought she was having. My mind scrambled for an explanation that wasn’t a lie. “I had to see you.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think, baby? I can’t stop thinking about you. Your smile, your wit, your amazing body, your kind heart. Take your pick.”

“But…” She trailed off and glanced away for a moment. When her gaze returned to me, there was sadness that tore through my chest. “You said you were done with me.”

“What?!” I was utterly shocked. When the hell? Oh, fuck. I rushed down the steps and took her in my arms. She let me but remained stiff. “You misunderstood me, baby. I shouldn’t have phrased it that way. I meant I was done chasing you, Charlotte.”

“How is that different?” she asked, her tone perilously close to a pout.

A wolfish smile spread across my face before I clarified, “Because I’m going to catch you.”

6

Rhett

“Catch me?” Charlotte's green eyes rounded like saucers, and I suppressed a grin at the relief mixed with the shock that shone from them.

“Hey, you two.” Hudson popped his head out the door. “Sorry to interrupt, but Grace is going to be here in fifteen.”

I grinned mischievously and winked at Charlotte. “No problem. We’ll take this...discussion somewhere else.”

Before she realized what was happening, I scooped her into my arms and headed for the back door.

“What the fuck are you doing?” she squealed.

“Catching you, Charlotte,” I informed her. Then I narrowed my eyes on her in warning, “Language, baby.”

She gasped, but the outrage didn’t reach her eyes. “I can—hey! You can’t—but—wait!”

“Waited long enough.”

Hudson held open the door with a smirk, and Charlotte began to struggle in my arms. “Hudson! Do something!”

“Sure thing, coz,” he replied before jogging down the hall and opening the front door as well.

“Are you kidding me? Has everyone lost their damn minds?”

I tsked as we descended the steps to the sidewalk. “Don’t think I’m not keeping track of the spankings you’re earning.”

Charlotte muttered something that sounded like, over my dead body, and I chuckled.

“Not your dead body, baby. But definitely your naked one.”

Fenton had wisely followed me and was idling on the curb on the other side of the street. He alighted from the car as soon as we’d safely crossed over.

“Where do you think you’re taking me, you big oaf?” she snapped.

“Home.” I deftly maneuvered my way into the car without letting her go, then settled her across my lap.

“I am home,” she argued, pointing at the five-story brick townhouse.

I simply laughed and gave her a hug before kissing the top of her head and relaxing back into the seat.

“I don’t understand. What about that was funny?”

“Your adorably misguided belief that you were home.”

Charlotte huffed,