Page 30 of The Cowboy's Off Limits Option

I give her a smirk, knowing there's no way either of us can promise that.

The way she looks back up at me with an upturn to her lips that mirrors mine has me ready to haul her back into my bedroom.

"No backsies, Cal. You marry him, you keep him. It's bad enough you made me kick my best friend's ass, don't make me kick my brother in law's ass too."

Before either Cal or I can respond to that promising note, Rowan's finger is pressed back to my solar plexus, his eyes burning with intensity.

"Fuck her over and they don't find a single piece of you for a hundred years. I'll make the Kelly/Ralston feud look like a joke."

"Won't happen," I assure him. "I'm gonna spend the rest of my life making her happy and chasing kids around this yard."

Forgetting Rowan for a second, I lean down to meet Cal's lips with mine.

Her brother's growl sounds farther away, but I'm too focused on Callie and the way she looks at me like what I said about chasing kids has her thinking about getting started right away.

"Not till you're married, Calla Lillian!" Rowan shouts from his truck as he pulls out of my drive. "Married!"

Gravel from the private road flies as he guns the engine and tears out of the ranch's property like he can't get away from us fast enough.

Callie rolls her eyes at her brother's display.

"He doesn't mean that," she tells me with a sly grin.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt me," I agree as I lift Callie in my arms and carry her back inside.

Epilogue 1

Six Months Later

Callie

"Really?!"

Ginger squeals, more or less quietly, as I nod excitedly.

"We found out last night," I confirm.

"Cool wedding present," she tells me. Her own hand moves over the bulge beneath her bridesmaid dress. "I'm excited our kids will be about the same age."

"Shh." I hush her quickly, my eye roaming the crowded reception for anyone who might be eavesdropping-- especially my brother. "It's still a secret."

"Don't tell me Row's still being a jerk about you guys getting together."

I give roll my eyes and twist my hand in a kinda-sorta gesture.

"I hope he falls for a girl half his age with a mean daddy." My bestie holds up a champagne flute filled with her home-brewedginger ale and clicks her glass against mine-- also filled with ginger ale.

"Would totally serve him right," I agree.

With a quick hug and another"congratulations,"Ginger slips back through the crowd in search of either her husband, or the bathroom. At seven months ahead of me in her first pregnancy, I've noticed she doesn't stay away from either for very long.

I scan the grounds for my own husband.

Husband.

As of about an hour ago now, Archer Dean is officially myhusband.

I'm still so blown away by it that I can't say it enough.

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