Page 51 of Mountain Refuge

When they reached the ranch, he told Mrs. White he didn’t want to be disturbed, then led Dani to his office. From the stricken look on the cook’s face, she most likely assumed that he did intend to fire her. No, but the office was the one place he knew they wouldn’t be disturbed. Inside, he closed the door, then turned to her. “Please sit.” He motioned to one of the padded leather chairs.

Dani slowly lowered to the chair and folded her hands in her lap. She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “I’m ready.”

He knelt in front of her and took her hands in his. “I love you, Danica. My boys love you.” Her hands trembled as tears filled her eyes. “I never thought I’d find another woman I wanted to spend my life with. Not until you walked up the road to my house. When I opened that door and looked into those nervous eyes that morning, I knew there was no way I could let you go.”

“I love you, too,” she said softly. “That’s why I went to Langello. He threatened to kill everyone I love.”

“I know.” He kissed the top of her hands before meeting her gaze again. “Will you marry me, Dani?”

“On one condition.”

“Anything.” His heart leaped.

“That it’s a small wedding by the waterfall. It’s all I want.”

“That I can do.” He cupped her face and kissed her.

Epilogue

A week later, wearing a simple white gown of satin, Dani strolled down the path toward the waterfall and her new life. Her white cowboy boots, a gift from her sister, crushed the white rose petals littering the path.

The sun kissed the waterfall with diamonds. Standing at the edge of the pool was Dylan, gorgeous in a black suit. No cowboy hat shaded his handsome face.

“We both got ourselves a cowboy,” her mother whispered, tightening her arm in Dani’s.

“You and Buster?” She arched a brow.

Her mother nodded. “He’s wonderful. The Cooper women are lucky indeed.”

Dani couldn’t agree more. Everything she’d ever dreamed of waited for her just a few feet away. Not only a caring husband, but also two wonderful boys. Her heart raced as she strolled closer.

Smile on his face, eyes lit, Dylan turned to face her as the other cowboys and a few friends from town stood. No church could have been more beautiful than this spot right here. Dylan’s private sanctuary he shared with his family and friends…with her. The two of them would spend their honeymoon night behind the curtain of water, shut off from the rest of the world, all the noise of the world pushed away, leaving just the rush of the water.

Dylan said he’d make sure everything was ready, whatever that meant. Her mother released her, then went to stand by Buster.

Dani’s gaze locked on Dylan’s. There’d been whispers around town that the two of them didn’t know each other well enough or long enough to get married. She disagreed. Dani knew everything she needed to about the wonderful man standing in front of her.

Brave, caring, moral…a man who would do anything to protect and provide for his family. A man who had dropped everything to come for her. Yes, she knew all she needed to know about Dylan Wyatt.

The pastor spoke loudly in order to be heard above the roar of the waterfall. When he pronounced them man and wife, and they shared their first kiss as a married couple, Willy led Lightning and Daisy, both with flowers in their manes and tails, to the wedding couple.

Dylan helped Dani onto her horse, gave her another kiss, then climbed into the saddle on Lightning. Cheers and applause rose as they rode back up the path Dani had come down just a short while ago.

“Mrs. Wyatt.” Dylan grinned.

“Mr. Wyatt.” Dani prayed she never gave him another day of grief. She had jeopardized her cowboy enough for a lifetime. “Let’s get this reception over with, so you can show me what’s behind waterfall curtain number one.”

Later, as the sun kissed the top of Misty Mountain, the two of them climbed to what would be their suite for the night. Plush comforters and pillows spread over a tarp. A bucket of ice held a bottle of Champagne. A picnic basket sat nearby.

Dani smiled and turned, stepping into her husband’s arms.

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