Page 27 of The Crime of Intensity

A hand slides over my forearm and I feel her head fall onto my shoulder.

“Babe’s seventeen and was my favorite horse until she had a foal, Baby. That mare right there I trained for you ’cause of Babe’s age and me not knowing how long it would take for me to find the right woman.”

“Was Dude your backup plan?” Kathleen chuckles.

I shake my head. “Nah. I ran across a stallion with a perfect bloodline. I want to keep breeding and training horses. Moving and passing the president patch over to Dean was always the plan. Solving cases I could never do without, but I don’t want it to consume me. When my father sent me here all those months ago? It was like he did it on purpose. Hell, maybe Decker and my Dad played matchmaker, knowing what I wanted for my future and how perfectly we’d match.”

“I always suspected my father had something to do with the undersheriff retiring,” Kathleen muses. “The undersheriff had lunch with my dad and later that day he retired.”

“Creating the perfect job for me.” I lean my forehead against hers. “We never stood a chance between our parents interfering, our jobs crossing paths, making our souls collide.”

“We did collide in more than one way.” She brushes her soft lips against mine.

I grab the nape of her neck to keep her in place as I deepen the kiss. Her hands slide to my chest, fists digging into the leather of my cut to pull me close. She groans and pulls back.

Dazed eyes stare right at me. “I love my gift. She’s gorgeous and I can’t wait to work with her. I’m sure the little nugget growing inside me will be fierce enough to get into the saddle when Dude will be at riding age.”

I hear her words but they take a breath or two for my brain to fully process.

Grabbing her by the shoulders I croak, “You’re…we…really? We’re pregnant?”

One nod from my woman makes happiness flow hot through my veins. “While you were gone I went to the doctor. We’re pregnant.”

“Fuck yes,” I bellow and scoop her into my arms to whirl her around.

Placing her back on her feet, I take her head in my hands and give her a gentle kiss to pour every bit of emotion I’m feeling into it. I’m so fucking thankful to have this woman in my life, to build a future, start a family, and combine everything I love in life. Our jobs, this ranch, life couldn’t get more perfect than this moment right here.

“I love you,” I tell her against her sweet mouth.

I feel her lips tug into a grin before she gives me the words, “Love you more.”

“Good, let’s go celebrate.” Grabbing her ass, I hoist her up and carry her into our home.

The first two weeks there was a lot of work to be done. Her parents along with a few brothers of my new MC helped out and it also gave me a chance to get to know all the people Kathleen grew up with.

Kathleen couldn’t do much and was bound to her desk to catch up on administrative work. When Davey shot her point blank, hitting her Kevlar vest, she bruised her ribs. The bullet that grazed her shoulder only needed a few stitches.

She didn’t mind me and the club handling some of the redecorating. The last week we’ve moved in completely and even her own horses are in the stable along with mine. Being the undersheriff allows us both to work different shifts.

We could easily be around one another all the time, but dividing shifts and tasks around the house suits us just fine. Dean also sent over a file of a cold case we are working on together. It’s always good to have fresh eyes on a case that’s been stuck for years.

Besides, this small town doesn’t have a massive amount of crimes. At least, now it’s all back to the quiet town Kathleen told me about with Davey Carville handled. Hopefully, he’s the first and last serial killer this town will have to deal with.

I kick the door shut with the heel of my boot and with it leave the world behind us. For now, it’s just me and Kathleen, and the tiny little bundle growing in her belly. Fuck. I’m gonna be a dad. Thankfully, we still have months ahead of us to prepare for what’s coming.

Nights without sleep is something we’re both familiar with being the sheriff and undersheriff of this town. Though, one can hope our kid turns out to be an angel who wants long naps and has the voice of her mother.

She doesn’t sing often, but when she knows no one is around? Yeah, she definitely makes my spine tingle with just the sound of her voice. Her mother is a famous country singer, and I know she’s joined her on a record or two. Kathleen’s ambition was never in the entertainment business. She followed in her father’s footsteps, as I did.

Law enforcement runs in our blood. It’s what made our paths cross and what we still do day in, and day out. My woman might be pregnant, but I’m sure she’ll keep working until she’s ready to give birth. Even if it’s only behind her desk.

I lay her down on the bed and stare down at the strong woman beneath me. Even if the urge to protect her runs fierce through my veins, I know deep down this woman is capable of handling anything. By supporting her, standing strong together, is how we will handle anything that comes our way.

Peeling away her clothes, I get her naked and am kicking off my boots to shed my clothes as well. Her tits rise and fall when I take my cock in hand and flip the piercing.

“Spread your legs,” I order, my voice filled with the lust that’s boiling inside my blood.

She follows through and lets her fingers slide down her body to tease her clit.

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