Dearly Departed: Magic and Mayhem Universe (Poppy Carlyle Chronicles) Read online

  I could barely think let alone speak, but I managed, “That’s all right.”

  He flipped open the box, and I gasped. Inside glistened the most beautiful diamond ring I’d ever seen. A combination of marquise and round diamonds created what look like cat paws on each side of the gold setting, and a diamond that had to be at least two karats rested in the center. It was perfect.

  “It was my grandmother’s on my mother side,” he said.

  “Jaxson, it’s beautiful.” I looked at him. “Did your mom know about this last night?”

  “Yeah, she gave me the ring a few weeks ago and has been waiting for me to pop the question.”

  “Weeks? You’ve been planning this for weeks?”

  “I’ve been planning this since the night I threw you in jail.”

  “But that’s when you found out—” I bit off the rest of the sentence. Nobody else knew that I was a grim reaper, and from the way they’d handled us dating, I didn’t think they’d be able to handle another surprise. “Are you sure you want to marry me? I mean, I’m not your normal girlfriend.”

  “There’s never been anybody but you, Poppy.” As he pulled the ring out of the box, I held out my hand. “Poppy Carlyle, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

  It was as if everybody in the room held their breath, waiting for my reply. I glanced around the table. My family had big grins on their faces, and though the Jackson’s didn’t seem all that happy about the marriage proposal, they didn’t outright object.

  I glanced over my shoulder, and my aunt Tula gave me a thumbs up. “Go on girl, before he changes his mind.”

  “Well?” Jax whispered. “What do the spirit say?”

  “That I had better say yes before you change your mind.”

  He edged the ring up my finger. “Is that a yes?”

  “I’d be crazy not to marry the man I loved.” I smiled and pushed my hand toward him. “Jaxson Jarvis Jackson, It would make me the happiest woman in the world to be your wife.” I arched an eyebrow at him. “For better or worse.”

  “There goes the family,” Rosalie mutter.

  Ignoring her, I leaned in a laid a long wet one my fiancé. Cheers erupted around us, probably all from my family, but I kept kissing Jax, never wanting this moment to end.

  Chapter Seven

  It had taken another hour before we were able to break away from our families. I sat next to Jax in the truck with my head resting on his shoulder, and his hand resting between my thighs. The windows were down, and the balmy night seemed to wrap us in a cocoon of intimacy. I couldn’t remember a time when I’d been happier. This was the perfect moment.

  My thoughts drifted through the last week and everything that had happened tonight. I couldn’t believe that in a few months I would be Poppy Jackson. As Jax slowed down and turned the corner, I smiled. Truth be told, I could’ve skipped all the wedding hoopla and gone straight to being married.

  I’d been lost in my thoughts and didn’t immediately noticed that Jax had turned down a road I didn’t recognize. I lifted my head. “Where are we going?”

  “I want to show you something.”

  “Does it involve you taking off your pants?”

  “You wish.” He pulled to a stop in the clearing and shut off the engine. “We’ll save that for later.”

  I gave him a little pout. “Party pooper.” He opened the door and climbed out, turning to me. I took his hand, and he helped me down from the truck. “What is this place?”

  “This is what I really wanted to talk to you about tonight.” He led me across the clearing, stopping at the edge.” Look.”

  From where we stood, I could see the snake River. Lights glowed on the left and right banks. “Is that my family’s homestead?” I asked, pointing.

  “Yep.” He motioned to the right. “And that’s my family’s place.” He stepped back and held his arms out to his sides. “And this is where I want to build our house. That is, if you agree.”

  “You mean you own this?”

  “We own this,” he corrected.

  “And you want to build a house for us?”

  “Yeah.” He motioned toward the river. “I think it’s a good compromise. Were halfway between each family’s homestead and yet far enough away that we should get a little bit of privacy. Though, after tonight, I’m not convinced we will ever truly have privacy.”

  I stared across the river, speechless. I shook my head and tried to find the words to express how I was feeling. “Wow,” was all I could work up.

  “Wow good? Or wow bad? Because we don’t have to live here if you don’t want to,” Jax said.

  “No!”

  His hopeful look evaporated. “So, you don’t want to live here?”

  “Yes, I mean, no. I mean, yes I definitely want to live here.” I turned to him. “This is perfect. And I love you so much for doing this. And I love you so much for putting up with my family.”

  “Well,” he said, strolling toward me. “That goes both ways.”

  I wrapped my arms around his waist. “And I love you for accepting me for who I am.”

  “What are you talking about? It will be so cool to be married to an angel of death.”

  “You know what this means though, right?”

  “That we could have unexpected guests at any time, and they might not be alive?”

  “Yes,” I said, lifting onto my tiptoes and kissing his chin. “But also, we might need to tweak our wedding vows.”

  “Why?”

  “Because till death do us part doesn’t apply.” I grinned up at him. “Honey, you ain’t never getting rid of me, even if you kick the bucket.”

  “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  He bent and captured my lips with his. I sank into him and gave a contented purr. Though stretching naked in the morning sun with Jaxon was amazing, I needed to amend my definition of bliss. This was the perfect moment—pure paradise.

  A second later, his phone sprang to life, the jarring ring disrupting the minute of ecstasy we’d found. “Don’t answer it,” I mumbled against his mouth.

  “It might be an emergency.”

  I grasped his hand and slid it to my breast. “This is the only emergency you need to worry about.”

  “Right,” he said. My phone erupted from somewhere inside the truck. “Don’t answer it,” he repeated.

  “I never considered it.” I opened my mouth and his tongue swept inside.

  We both ignored the incessant ringing until it stopped. No doubt the word of our engagement had spread through town, and our world was about to blow up.

  We had such a short amount of time before we’d be bombarded with questions and demands. I fully planned on forgetting the craziness waiting for us back home and turned my efforts to getting Jax out of his pants. I didn’t think it would take much cajoling.

  Out here we were just two lovers getting busy in the woods. No warring families. No dead people needing to be reaped. For now that was enough.

  The End

  (Until it’s time to plan a wedding.)

  To check out all the side-splitting books in the Magic and Mayhem Universe, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/

  FOR MORE INFORMATION on Boone Brux go to https://boonebrux.com

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  About the Author:

  Boone Brux is a USA Today Bestselling Author. Her books range from high fantasy to romantic comedy.

  She lives in the icy region of Alaska, where she writes full time with her husband, two daughters, and a myriad of animals. Always looking for the next adventure, it’s not unusual to find her traversing the remotest parts of the Alaskan bush. No person or escapade is off limits when it comes to weaving real life experiences into her books.

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  Also by Boone Brux

  Bringer and the Bane

  Shield of Fire

  Kiss of the Betrayer

  Chain of Illusions

  Echoes of Ice (Coming Soon)

  Grim Reality Series

  Styx & Stoned

  To Catch Her Death

  Dead Spooky

  Dead Jolly

  Fireweed and Brimstone

  Poppy Carlyle Chronicles

  Dearly Departed: Magic and Mayhem Universe

  Dearly Beloved: Magic and Mayhem Universe (Coming Soon)

  Reapercussions: Magic and Mayhem Universe

  Standalone

  Hellbound in Vegas

  Hell to Pay