Page 30 of In Love with a Ranger

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. “I’m sorry. That slipped. You’re safe from me and completely right. When the ceremony is over, it will be one brief kiss, and then we’ll be done until you give the word.”

“Are you sure?”

“I promise – and I will keep my word to you.”

“That was… something.”

“Extremely ‘something,’” he nodded emphatically. “I could do that for hours,” and saw her sharp glance. “I’m just saying that it was amazing - and I could, but only if you want me to later on. Right now, we are just making things official and legal for both our families while working on friendship.”

“Exactly. We should probably go.”

“Go inside, right?” he said warily, wondering if she meant ‘go back to the cabin and skip this’… only to see her turn to him in surprise with a gentleness in his eyes that rolled up his spine.

“We’re going inside and getting married,” she confirmed softly and nodded. “Let’s head in, one step at a time, and we’ll figure this out.”

“You know, just so we are clear,” he began nervously. “You can always kiss me if you choose to – and I won’t mind. I mean, I think we’d still be friends, and I would be more than okay with it.”

“I appreciate you letting me know,” she smiled, exiting the truck, and Gideon slapped his forehead. He opened his door, trying to keep his voice low as he let off some pent-up steam before walking with her toward the courthouse.

“You can kiss me if you want to,” he mocked under his breath. “What are you, twelve? Ya’ big dumb dork, get your act together and try to look like you are calm.”

He was anything but calm on the inside.

Gideon was about to marry the hottest woman he’d laid eyes on. Yeah, he had it bad for Christina. He really hoped she didn’t regret this or make him wait years to finally sleep together - and paused.

Houghton’s words hit him like a ton of bricks, along with an awareness and understanding. Houghton’s willingness to spend years in Afghanistan took on a deeper meaning. He realized that it wasn’t just to make Jill happy, but to make those same feelings evolve and deepen over time for the both of them. She wanted a home with Houghton, and he made it possible, giving everything of himself and showing her that he wanted a home, too.

If Christina’s reaction to her first kiss was like that, he would wait forever to have her excited and willing to take things further. He would romance his bride, make her learn to trust and love him and give her as much space as she could ever require. All for that single hope that maybe she felt the same as he did. Looking up as he got his crutches under his arms, he paused, seeing her smile.

Maybe she could grow to love him and want to be loved in return. She could take as long as she wanted, even if it felt like forever. He would wait for this woman to claim him after that incredible kiss.

Dang it, he thought painfully. He’d wait decades for her.

And he swallowed nervously.

* * *

Almost an hour later, they were acting like nothing had happened this morning. They walked around the house, not holding hands or talking, and entered through the back door of the cabin like they had come from their tiny one on the back of the property.

“I’ll go help with breakfast,” Christina mumbled, walking away quickly as Gideon saw Houghton and Daphne looking at them curiously.

“Daphne, why don’t you help Christina, Jill, and Lena,” Houghton said pointedly, causing the woman to roll her eyes.

“Why, so you can find out the dirt all on your own?”

“There’s no dirt to be had,” Gideon said bluntly, handing Houghton the keys to the truck. “Thank you.”

“Where’d you go so early in the day?”

“Justice of the peace,” he said simply, not caring what anyone thought. They never really agreed to keep it a secret, only the details between them. It was bound to leak back to his family by way of Houghton to Giselle.

“Holy cow… y’all got married?”

“Daphne,” Houghton said pointedly, pursing his lips and pointing at the kitchen. The woman held up her hands in mock surrender, wide-eyed and shaking her head in dismay. Obviously, she was pretty soon at the spur-of-the-moment decision, but he had no regrets. The moment Daphne was out of earshot, Houghton looked at him. “Is she going to be happy?”

“I’m going to do everything I can to keep her that way.”

“She’s happy now?”

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