“Mm,” Sugar moaned deeply as she polished off the roasted marshmallow on her skewer. Her eyeballs rolled into the back of her head as she savored the gooey delight.

Miles leaned over and purred in her ear, “All ‘em moans takin’ me back to last night.”

She nearly choked and shot him a warning glare that crumbled as the bonfire’s illumination intensified his charming smile. She swatted his shoulder and he responded with a rumbly chuckle.

It was dusk now. A cluster of brilliant reds and oranges of daylight stubbornly clung to the horizon as the early night’s dark blues and purples arrived. Firewood crackled in the manufactured blaze. A wool blanket cloaked her shoulders to combat the creeping chill.

A sense of peace hugged her. She didn’t have to worry about her family, her business, or her manipulative ex-husband.

This moment was perfect, and she wanted it to go on forever.

“I don’t want to go back,” she admitted, pouting.

Miles reminded, “We don’t have to.”

Sugar cocked her head back and sighed. “Yes, we do. There’s too much to be done. When I get back, everyone’s going to want a piece of me.”

Her parents’ fortieth wedding anniversary was swiftly approaching, and it was decided Sugar Mama’s event venue above the restaurant would be the location to celebrate such an occasion. Plus, it would be the night she and Miles would finally reveal to friends and family the upcoming arrival of their newest little chef.

Everything had to be perfect.

He took ahold of her chin and maneuvered it so she could look at him dead in the eye. “Well, I want all of you. All day, every day.”

She smiled warmly. “You got all of me, Miles. I wouldn’t be here with you in Maine if you didn’t.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Is that right?”

“Mm hm,” she hummed and delivered a lingering kiss to him that warmed up her insides. Then they settled into a comfortable silence as she leaned her head against his shoulder and roasted another marshmallow. Drawing it from the fire, she blew on it and peered at him, soaking up his thoughtful expression.

“Wow, you’re deep in thought,” she teased, nudging his shoulder with her own. “What’s going on up in that mind of yours, Miles Thibodeau?”

His gray eyes shifted to her. “You really want to know?”

“Of course.”

“Alright,” he agreed with a nod and stood up, retrieved something small from his back-pocket and descended onto one knee. Her brow scrunched accordingly, and she parted her lips to question what the world he was doing, but when he revealed a soft pink velvet box. The words then died in her throat and her jaw hung open, doe-like eyes broadening in utter shock.

Miles opened the box, the bonfire’s amber light shining upon the rose gold engagement and its heart-shaped diamond framed with a halo of tiny glinting diamonds.

“I’ve fantasized about this moment about a billion damn times and all ‘em times I couldn’t quite get it right how I wanted this to go,” Miles informed, his confident eyes seizing hers in a determined gaze. “I mean what do you say to a woman that bring you back from the dead? I can’t formulate into words how indebted I am to you, Sugar Magnolia Hartwell. I ain’t gonna try and sugarcoat this either. I ain’t asking either. I want you as my wife, so I can show you my gratitude for the rest of our days.”

As hot tears bubbled up in her eyes, Sugar’s breath quickened in a panic. “Miles, we’ve already talked about th—”

“I suppose this bears repeating. I want all of you. I need all of you, Sugar,” he said carefully. “You gonna deny me? I got my heart in my hand, offering it to you.”

A tear trickled down her cheek. “You’re not playing fair, Miles.”

“I ain’t played fair since Day 1, honey, and that’s a goddamn fact,” he said. “Deep down, I know you want this too. We’ve made my house into our home. We’ve got an itty-bitty blessin’ on the way. I’ve got your daddy’s blessin’ too. The only thing left to do is to declare our love and commitment before God.”

Sugar stared unsurely at him for what seemed like an eternity while he stared right back, his gray gaze unflinching and firm. Unable to look at him anymore, she lowered her eyes to the gleaming ring and chewed on her bottom lip hard.

She already dreamt of a lifetime by his side. After fighting against the idea of being a wife once more, in this moment, it made the most logical sense.

“Alright, let’s do it,” she consented softly with a sniffle.

A broad grin broke out across his handsome bearded face as he extracted the engagement ring and slipped it onto her ring finger. Tossing the box aside without care, he encroached on her and cupped her tear-streaked face, his calloused thumbs gently stroking the curve of her cheeks. He sealed the moment with a feverish kiss.

As they broke apart, he whispered hungrily, “I sure as fuck can’t wait to make you my wife. I’ve been waiting for this since damn near the beginning.”

“Hold your horses, cowboy. There’s no rush. I want to enjoy the engaged life before we knot the tie,” she teased.

Impatience flickered in his narrowing eyes. A sure sign he was going to battle with her about that. So, she gifted him with a feathery kiss to sway him in her favor.

Her relationship with Miles had always been clocked at an accelerated speed since its inception. The surprise of a baby slowed things down and for once, she felt like she could finally catch a breath. With weddings came an endless list of stresses and responsibilities, which she didn’t want to endure such a load considering this was a high-risk pregnancy. One could argue eloping was a better choice, but if she were to marry again, she wanted all her loved ones there as well as his.

Sugar just couldn’t understand his persistence on rushing down the aisle. Within less than a year, they built a comfortable life and a budding family. She was his and he was hers. Sugar Magnolia Hartwell wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Engagement ring or not.

“I don’t want to fight with you on this, Miles,” she sighed.

“It ain’t much of a fight if we already know who’s gonna win,” he countered. She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes, his smugness not sitting well with her. Sugar supposed it was her fault. Every battle between them resulted in his victories, but this time had to be different.

For once, she wanted to come out as victor.

“I guess you’ll be in for a rude awakening then,” she spouted back matter-of-factly.

Miles gave her a smoldering look.

An intense moment of silence drifted between them, their eyes locked in an unwavering battle for dominance. Finally, Sugar mustered up a façade of indifference and retrieved the half-empty bag of marshmallows resting on the log. She indulged herself in a marshmallow all the while refusing to back down from him—from this.

He then smirked and retrieved a marshmallow, bringing to her lips as a peace offering. “Since we’re businessfolk, I’m willin’ to negotiate terms that’ll be favorable for the three of us.”

She ate the presented treat, a thoughtful expression settling onto her face as she mulled over his words. “If I can make it through this pregnancy in one piece, I’ll gladly jump the broom with you.”

“Six months,” he stated.

Sugar nodded and plucked another marshmallow from the bag, offering it to him. “Six months. You think you can manage that, Miles Renard Thibodeau?”

“I’ll try my damnedest,” he pledged with a wink then devoured the sugary confection.