Page 97 of Bleeding Blackheart

I move my braids to the side and try to brush him off. “We don’t have to. I like things the way they are.”

He shakes his head at me. “That’s not what I asked you. I know we don’t have to. I know we like things as they are. I’m asking if you want to. It’s a simple yes or no. I won’t be mad either way.”

Feeling put on the spot, I look away from him to try and think more clearly. “I don’t know. Maybe. Yes, I guess. Yes, I’m open to it.”

He nods his head, and I elbow him. “What about you?”

His embarrassment shows this time when his cheeks turn red. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

My eyes roll. “After you just made me answer, that’s all you have to say? I thought you said it was a simple yes or no answer.”

He bites his lip, smirking. “It is.”

“Then answer honestly. I won’t care either way.” I prepare for his answer, knowing that I’ll be happy with whatever he says.

His arm that’s behind me wraps around me, pulling me closer, and he lowers his voice. “I think you’d look beautiful carrying my baby, Montana. If you want to, of course.”

I look back into his bright eyes and see they’re just as vulnerable as mine probably are. “Okay.”

He squeezes my arm. “Okay?”

A million different questions pop up in my head at once, but I ignore them, knowing we’ll figure it all out along the way. “Okay. If you want to try, I want to try. After the wedding maybe.”

He nods his head and lets out a breath, smiling. “Alright. After the wedding, we’ll see if we can make a baby.”

We spend some more time by the lake until we get closer to our movie showing, and then we get ready to go and head back to the car. I can hardly focus while Gunner drives, wondering what the future looks like for us. But the future’s not real, and all there is is right now, so I remind myself to enjoy the moment, looking out the window at the gorgeous view I get to see every day. And our horses get to enjoy it too.

Skye adapted way quicker than I thought she would, accepting Gunner like he never left. She’s sweet to me too, but I know he’s her favorite, and I’m alright with that. Violet’s mood has been a lot better in the past few days too, and the girls get along really well together.

The movie showing isn’t too far from the diner, so we get there quickly, passing our house when we go the opposite way. Gunner’s mind is clearly somewhere else too as he’s quiet during the movie and stays on his best behavior, only holding my hand and giving it gentle squeezes here and there.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so nervous. I lean against his shoulder, pressing my cheek against his arm. It’s what I do whenever he’s worked up, and it always makes him relax. As the show goes on, his hands start to roam a littlemore, and I laugh to myself, happy he’s feeling better. My minds starts to go back to normal too, and when the movie starts to get really scary, Gunner holds me through every jump and scream, pretending to hold it together when he’s terrified too. Even when he’s scared, he holds it together for me. That’s how he’s always been.

When the movie ends, we go back home, feeding Skye and Violet then making the bed before we get dinner started. Gunner still cooks most nights, and I get to sit at the counter and taste test his creations.

After locking up for the night, he gets the fireplace going, and we sit beside it, finally discussing our wedding. We decide we want to get married right here at home on the ranch, with Gunner’s close friends by our side. I hold my hands to the fire getting warm, thinking about how excited I am for everything to come.

40

Gunner

Three Years Later

Isit in a rocking chair next to the bed while Montana sleeps. Her brown skin is glowing, and her thick waves are spread out around her face and near her hips. She rolls to the side, snuggling against her pregnancy pillow. Carter will be here in three months, and today we’re going to go shopping for his nursery.

Charlotte squeals in my arms, and I stand up, trying to get her to quiet down so she doesn’t wake Montana. I bundle her tighter in her pink blanket and kiss her brown curls, hoping that’ll settle her down.

She looks so much like her mama. Big, bright hazel eyes, dark brown hair with tighter curls, and a huge smile. Her tan skin is a few shades darker than mine, but she has my nose.

I got my vasectomy reversed shortly before we got married, and we conceived Charlotte on our wedding night inour bed at home. Or maybe it was the barn. Either way, she was made here, and she’s seven months old.

I’m one hundred percent Carter was conceived in our bed. Montana was only four weeks postpartum, and it was too soon for us to go back at it, but we couldn’t resist, and here we are.

I thought I’d like being a father, but I love it.

Every day with Lottie is an adventure. She’s so happy and smart, and I can’t wait to teach her how to fish and ride a horse. The only thing I don’t love is changing her smelly diapers. But I’m trying to savor these moments because she’ll be big before I know it, thinking she’s too cool to hang around her old man.

I walk her out to the hall, telling her stories while she looks up at me mesmerized. After a few more minutes, her eyes start to droop, and I think I may be okay to take her back in the bedroom.

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