Page 63 of Wrangling a Wild Texan

“So you weren’t arrested?”

“Nope. Thankfully, Decker believes in second chances . . . and true love.” He leaned in to kiss her, but before he could, she punched him hard in the stomach. His eyes widened in shock as his breath came out in a startled woof.

“How dare you play such a trick on me, Reid Mitchell! You worried me half to death. And poor Sophie. She’s probably back at the trailer wearing a hole in the rug, thinking you’re going to jail and she’s going to be parentless. I should kick your butt from one end of this town to the other.” She might have socked him again if he hadn’t wrapped her in his arms. His eyes were twinkling and his lips trembled with suppressed laughter.

Which made her even angrier.

“Just what is so funny, you lowdown lying snake?”

His smile broke free. “I’ve never seen you this mad before and you’re mighty cute when you’re ticked off.”

“I’ll show you cute.” She struggled to get out of his arms, but it was like struggling to get out of a steel cage . . . one that was locked.

“Now calm down, honey. Sophie was in on it. And we only lied for one reason and that was to get you back where you belong.” His arms tightened. “Right here in my arms. How can you be mad at that?”

“I’m mad because you tricked me when you could have just come to the bed-and-breakfast and told me how you feel.”

“After the way I acted, I figured you deserved a bigger declaration. I’ll climb up on a thousand roofs in the middle of the night and almost break my fool neck, paint a million signs, even go to jail. Whatever it takes to keep you from leaving. I don’t plan on letting you go, Sunny Brook.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Ever.”

With his words, the hard shell, that years of her parents’ desertion had placed around her heart, melted like ice cream on a hot Texas sidewalk. She stopped struggling as tears gathered in her eyes.

“Well, why didn’t you say that in the first place?” She looped her arms around his neck and kissed him. When she drew back, he was grinning from ear to ear.

“So you’ll stay?”

She tried to act as nonchalant as possible, but it was hard when she was getting everything she ever wanted. Someone who loved her enough to never let her go. “Since you went to so much trouble to keep me, I guess it would be really mean to leave. And I’m just not a mean person.”

Reid’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the only reason you’re staying?”

“As you pointed out, there’s my family. And Sophie. And my gallery that I’ve decided to fill with my art.”

“I’m happy for you, but there’s not something you want to say to me?”

She pretended to think for a moment. “Umm . . . nope.”

He growled like the big grumpy bear he was. “Nope? Do you or don’t you love me, Sunny Brook Whitlock?”

She released the smile she’d been holding. For the first time in a long time, she was smiling from the inside out. “You should already know the answer to that. I think I’ve made it pretty obvious that you’ve been stealing pieces of my heart ever since I first socked you in the arm at Thanksgiving.”

“Even when I was a grieving grump?”

“Even then.” She smoothed his hair back from his forehead. “I don’t want a man who hides his true feelings. I want to know what you’re feeling every moment of every day. And I’m not going to hide my true feelings from you either. I’m not all sunshine, Reid. I’m going to have grumpy days too. Can you handle that?”

“As long as you’re by my side, Sunny, I can handle anything.”

He kissed her.

It was filled with reverence and love and respect. She suddenly realized that all her life she had felt unworthy of love. From her parents. Her brothers. The kids at school. Even her Secret Sisters. But Reid had helped her realize that shewasworthy. No matter how many pranks she’d pulled or how many fibs she’d told or how badly her paintings sold.

She deserved to be loved and cherished and never let go.

If the possessive way Reid held her was any indication, he intended to do just that.

And she intended to do the same.

She deepened the kiss and was seriously considering pushing him back into the jail cell to see how well they’d fit on the small bottom bunk when Sophie’s exclamation had them jumping apart.

“Uncle Reid!”

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