Page 3 of The Christmas Cowboy

He’d sidestepped that one. He was talking about a marriage of convenience. To Liam McFarland, the man she’d dreamed of being with for as long as she could remember. Wouldn’t that be torture—to marry him knowing he’d never feel for her what she felt for him?

What if his feelings changed? Could he fall for her? What if he didn’t and she fell even more in love with him? Talk about a disaster.

But God, the thought of telling her father she was pregnant and that the father had denied any responsibility… No, she’d run away before she did that. But she was a grown woman. Her life was here in Marietta. Her family was here. Liam was here. Her horses were here. Her dogs were here. No way in hell was she letting anything drive her away from her home and all she loved.

“I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t like having a marriage without sex.” Might as well get that out there now. “Would you?”

He was staring at her now with his hazel eyes deepening to green, and she had no idea what he was thinking. Great. He wasn’t attracted to her and he didn’t know how to tell her.

“No.”

“No, what?” she asked.

“No, I wouldn’t like to be married and not have sex with my wife. But if that’s what you want—”

“I just said it wasn’t.”

“Okay, then.”

Oh, the enthusiasm is killing me.“Liam, are you sure you want to marry me?”

“I’m sure.”

“Why do I get the feeling I’m ruining your life?” she muttered.

Liam chuckled. “You’re not. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

“I need you to ask me for real.”

“Do I have to get down on one knee?”

“Well, we are in the barn, so no.”

He held both her hands and looked deep into her eyes. “Val, will you marry me?”

She was crazy. That’s all there was to it. “Yes, Liam, I’ll marry you.”

*

Now for thelogistics. “I don’t want to upset you or make you think I don’t believe you,” Liam said, “but are you positive you’re pregnant? Sometimes tests are wrong.”

“I know, but this one wasn’t. I went to the urgent care clinic in Livingston the day after I took the home test, and they confirmed it. Besides, I’ve been barfing every morning and my boobs are sore. Plus I missed my period and I’m regular as clockwork.”

Liam knew about pregnancy in horses, cows, dogs, and cats, but he knew nothing about humans. It must have showed.

“Those are classic symptoms. It’s true, Liam.”

He nodded. “Okay. When do you want to do this?”

“As soon as we can. I don’t want to tell my father until after we’re married.”

“Won’t he wonder why we were in such a rush? And why we didn’t have a traditional wedding?”

“Maybe. But he’ll accept it. He’s always liked you.”

“I’ll need some time to arrange things. How about this coming weekend? Friday.”

“What do you need to arrange?”

---