Page 29 of The Cowboy's Temporary Solution

In fact, I didn't know it would ever feel that good.

Ranger collapses beside me, breathing hard, and babbling about how good I feel, how much he loves me, and I giggle when he slips in a "good girl" completely unironically between kisses.

"I mean it about getting hitched, Serenity. You're the only woman I've ever even entertained that notion about, I'm not fool enough to let you get away now that I've found you."

His arms pull me tight to his chest where I curl against his heat and the masculine scent of him.

"I could be talked into it, I guess," I tease, tracing small designs along his bicep. "I've been looking for a chance to move out of the city anyway and I could be busy for years, recording all the history here in the valley."

"If it's history you want, I can take you up to Moonshine Ridge and introduce you to Mable Hart."

His words are mumbled against the top of my head, but not so bad I can't make them out.

"Where's that?"

"Up the mountain. Old gold rush boomtown. Mable's in her nineties now, but it was her great, great something grandfather that transformed the place from a mining camp into an actual town. Her and her friends run a local history museum up there.

"Archer Dean's got a friend of a friend who’s opening a brewery up there, last I heard."

"Sounds fun." I snuggle closer, even though the night is warm and Ranger is even warmer. I don't care. I've wanted to touch him since I first caught him staring at me-- not that I had any clue then that he was thinking the same thing.

"But, um, where are you planning to live now?" I wonder aloud. After all, I'm all for this crazy happy ever after plan of his, but much less crazy about doing it in Kim's guest room. Especially since I plan on doing a lot more of, well, Ranger.

"I have a lot on the property where we can build a house. Till then, we can stay in staff housing-- seeing as how the herdsman I just hired is shacked up with my brother now, one of the bigger houses is empty."

"Oh good..." A yawn interrupts my trailing thoughts. "Otherwise I'd have had to talk Singer into letting us stay here."

Ranger

A few days ago,I was sitting next to a beautiful woman on an airplane, worrying about the turns my life was about to take and begging a stranger to play make believe with me so I could stall long enough to figure out how I was going to get through them.

Tonight, that beautiful woman is falling asleep in my arms, no longer a stranger and there's nothing make believe about howmuch I'm looking forward to all the turns my life is about to take-- with her.

Tomorrow, we can start settling into the vacant house in staff housing. We'll call the family together to get everyone straight on my and Seri's relationship, and I'll have a proper meeting with Gunner and my other brothers about how we'll be handling the ranch from here on out.

At some point, I guess I need to hear Bernadine out-- but she's going to have to be good with having that conversation in front of Serenity. Maybe she doesn't have the ulterior motives I thought she did, but I'm not taking any chances of Seri feeling insecure.

My brain is still making plans when my eyes close for several hours. Right up until Serenity wakes me up just shy of dawn, with her needy little body begging for mine again.

Days later, after facing my brothers, and settling into the little house Seri and I will be sharing while we get our own built, I find myself pacing nervously across Mom's front lawn.

Serenity and Singer Kelly look to become close friends, and I'm glad to see how quick my woman has managed to fit into the scheme of things.

Small towns like Slow River Valley tend to be close knit and hard for outsiders to break into, but Seri's been an instant fit. Which is good, considering her interest in getting the locals to open up to her about their family histories-- and secrets.

Her boss back east was surprised to hear she was planning on staying out here, of course, but she agreed to keep Seri on payroll and let her work remote.

Sometime in the next few days, Seri and I will fly back and move her out of her place back there. Then we'll do the same for my life back in Houston.

Our lives are here in Slow River now-- together.

"Quit pacing, and come inside before you wear a rut in my lawn."

Mom hollers from the front porch.

She's been watching me pace since I beat Serenity back to the ranch-- Seri spent the day with Singer, up at the U&U talking to the Savages.

I spent my day deciding between round or princess cut. And now I'm worrying a path through Mom's grass, hoping I chose right.

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