Page 128 of Stables

“Do you recognize any of these?” Handing her my cell, it’s hard not to want to focus on the tiny line in the results window.

Her eyes keep flicking between the counter and the fuzzy images. “No, I’m sorry, Blue. I can’t really make them out. Can you email them and we’ll look at them at home?”

He curses quietly enough we can’t make it out. “How long will that take?”

“Two hours.” My words echo in the small bathroom.

It’s bare in here without the towels and daisy rug on the floor.

We made sure to keep that.

“I don’t have that long. They’re loading them up. Where are you? This could be our only chance.” The urgency in his voice speaks volumes. He’s not one to get worked up easily.

“We’re at Char’s old place, the Hughes Farm out on Pine Crest.” I catch a glimpse of the time in the corner of my screen.

One more minute.

“Perfect, you’re on the way.” There’s a slamming sound and I can hear his engine start.

“Dix?” Char’s voice climbs as she stares at the pregnancy test.

“Holy shit.” It’s all I can breathe out.

“Dixon? You alright? What’s wrong?” Worry tinges Blue’s question.

I nearly drop my phone. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s the best thing in the world. I’m gonna be a father.”

Chapter 37

Char

I don’t know howto feel.

I’m both thrilled and terrified.

This was the point where Matt changed. When the world no longer focused on him, he transformed into the monster.

I know, in the heart of me, that Dixon won’t. But it’s hard not to let the sour past taint my enthusiasm.

When Dix wraps me in his arms, all of my doubts begin to fade. His thick fingers tangle in my hair, tilting my chin back.

“Char, I’m going to have a hard time not wanting to bubble wrap you now.” With the softest of touches, his lips find mine. His mustache tickles against my nose before he pulls away. “But, tying you to the bed won’t keep you any safer from me.” His gripfirms around my waist, and when he kisses me again, he invades my mouth with his tongue, coveting every corner.

Giggling against him, I cup his jaw. “Dix, I’m not broken. I was able to ride with Paisley almost all the way up to the end.” I won’t tell him I used the horses as an excuse to stay out of the house, and out of Matt’s reach.

Dixon’s nose wrinkles and his brows tighten. “As your doctor, we’ll have to discuss that.” The glint in his amber eyes softens as the rough pad of his thumb traces my bottom lip. “Let’s go get the garden stuff so when Blue gets here, we can go.”

Threading my hand around his back, I tuck my fingers into the rear pocket of his Wranglers. “What’s the hurry?”

“I need to start plans for more rooms.” He squints leading me outside. “You’ll be due in the spring, so will need to break ground as soon as it thaws.”

My poor plants are overgrown with weeds. I’m happy to see the irrigation is still working though. Leaning on the edge of one of the planters, I try to pull out as many of the irritating invaders as I can.

“You might be sick of me by spring. I’ll be as big as a whale and cranky—” I’m cut off by his muscular arm wrapping around my hips and tossing me over his shoulder.

His palm stings lightly on my ass making me jump, but he can’t see my smile.

“Knock that off, unless you want a real spanking,” he growls, sitting on the wooden stump bench at the end of the row.

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