Page 29 of The Rancher's Jilted Bride

"But—-"

"If I wanted your fucking opinion," he said pleasantly, "I'd have told you, Ms. Gaines."

The words were already out when he realized what he had just said...andhowhe had said it.

You fucking idiot!

Hale took a deep breath. He had promised himself he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize what he now had with her. But here he was, doing exactly that, and all because he wasn't man enough to handle a pair of hamsters.

Apologize, you bastard, and beg if you have to.

He turned to Heaven, but as soon as their gazes met, she burst into laughter instead.

"Eleven minutes," she told him.

What the hell did that mean?

Was she saying she would give eleven minutes to get the hell out—-

"I was wondering how long it would take before you started swearing again," she explained with a smile.

Well, fuck.

"And eleven minutes is a lot longer than I expected, so...yay!"

Hale could only stare at her.

Because right now, he just had no fucking words.

All he knew was that he was the luckiest man on earth to have her—-

"I just can't believe we're okay now."

—-and that he didn't deserve someone as sweet as her, with the way she even had stars in her eyes as she gazed at him.

Hale suddenly found himself able to conquer his unmanly fear of hamsters by gently taking each one by hand.

"Oh wow."

Hale knew he still had a lot to make up with Heaven, but did she really have to soundthatshocked?

He returned the furballs to their respective cages before turning to Haven. "I think you've just damned me with faint praise."

Heaven blinked at him in genuine confusion. "When?"

"When you said we'reokay."

"B-But aren't we—-"

Heaven could no longer speak, with the rest of her words disappearing in his kiss.

Oh, Hale.

Her body sang out a now-familiar melody as it came into contact with the powerful hardness of his frame. He was strong where she was soft, his every angle complementing her every curve. It was as if their flesh was meant to make music together, and oh, when she thought of how much more beautiful it would be, the moment they were one...

Hale, oh my Hale.

Just imagining this had her breath catching, and then she could barely breathe at all, with Hale now undressing her.

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