Matt and Chris found that hilarious.

Priss looked at Trace’s handsome face, a face she loved, and she kissed him. Hard.

For only a second, he allowed the sensual assault. He even kissed her back. Then he levered away from her. “You ruined my clothes, damn it.”

“Only because you were being a jealous jerk.”

His expression dark, he glared toward Matt.

Chris started humming, but poor Matt said, “Yeah,” and shrugged. “If you think about it, you’ll agree that you sort of were—and we both know there’s no reason.”

Trace started to wade toward Matt, still with Priss wrapped around him, and she blurted, “I love you, Trace.”

That effectively drew him to a halt. His hands contracted on her backside. “What?”

“I love you.” Then she pointed at Chris, and to where Matt had disappeared. “They told me to fess up, so I am, and if you reject me, I swear I’ll drown them both.”

Very slowly, Trace’s expression changed from the heat of anger to a different type of heat. “Say it again.”

“Why?” She frowned at him with challenge. “Why don’t you say something first?”

“All right.” Sliding his hands up her back, over her shoulders, and into her wet hair, he kissed her. “You make me nuts, Priscilla.” He turned his head and kissed her again, a little longer that time. “You make me hot as hell, too.”

“I love you,” Priss reminded him, hoping it might prompt him to a more telling declaration.

His next kiss lasted long enough to take the chill off the lake, and Priss got so wrapped up in the taste of him that she almost forgot what she wanted to hear.

Chris didn’t. From the dock, he said, “If you’re going to keep her waiting like this, someone needs to finish putting sunscreen on her.”

Trace moved fast, grabbing for Chris’s ankle, but Chris jumped back out of reach.

Priss, feeling very affected by that kiss, nuzzled Trace’s neck and stroked his shoulders. He smelled delicious, felt even better. “Stop being a voyeur, Chris, and go away.”

Having joined Chris on the dock, Matt asked, “Does that mean I can stay?”

Trace lurched forward again, and Matt jumped back so quick he fell on his butt. “I’m going, I’m going!”

To bring Trace’s attention back to her, Priss bit him. Not a hard bite, but she left the impression of her sharp teeth on that sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder.

Trace shuddered. “I love you, too.”

She licked the bite mark. “I’m so glad.”

He hefted her higher and waded over to the rock retaining wall built along the shoreline. He sat Priss down on a smooth slab of rock, looked at her in the bathing suit, and shook his head. “It should be illegal for a woman to look as good as you do.”

“Really?” She peered down at herself again, but saw nothing all that spectacular. “I’m glad you like it.”

“I love it. I love you.” He dug in his pocket. “When I left today, it was for this.”

Speechless, Priss watched as he opened a now-wet jeweler’s box. Inside, securely nestled in velvet, was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. Her heart nearly stopped.

“I wanted it to be a surprise.”

There were no words. Her eyes suddenly burned and her throat went tight.

Trace took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. The fit was perfect, but then, anything Trace did, he did right.

“Priss?” Using the edge of his fist, he lifted her chin. “We’ve been to movies and plays, to small diners and fancy restaurants. I’ve taken you dancing and hiking, to the amusement park and the zoo.”

Sounding like a choked frog, Priss said, “All the things I never got to do growing up.”

“But there’s so much more, honey.” He moved wet tendrils of hair away from her face and over her shoulder. “I was trying to give you time to enjoy it all.”

“No!” Priss did not want him second-guessing his intent. “I don’t need any more time. Really I don’t.”

Both still very attentive, Matt and Chris snickered. Trace just smiled at her.

Closing her hand into a fist, she held the ring tight. “All I need, all I want, is you.”

“Glad to hear it, because I’m not an overly patient guy. Hell, I think I knew you were the one for me the day you showed up at Murray’s office.” He kissed the tip of her nose, her lips, her chin. “You were so damned outrageous, and so pushy, that you scared me half to death.”

“You felt me up,” Priss reminded him. “But that was a first for me, too.”

“I remember it well.” He treated her to a deeper kiss, and ended it with a groan. “Every day since then, I’ve wanted you more. Even when you worried me, or lied to me, or made me insane, I admired you for it.”

Priss nodded. “Okay.”

This time, Trace laughed out loud.

“Come on,” Matt said. “Stop being so easy, Priss. Let him do it right.”

Priss scowled at him, but Trace brought her face back around. “My job isn’t going to change, honey—and no, Matt, you don’t need to slink away.”

Matt, who’d already been in the process of leaving, now waffled. “If you’re sure?”

“Priss knows what I’m talking about.” And with that, Trace ignored Matt. “Sometimes I’ll need to be gone, and sometimes you’re going to be afraid for me.”