Page 26 of Rival Heart
“He was. He might actually love you more than you think, baby.”
I roll my eyes but leave it there. Curling a hand in his shirt, I rest my head on his solid chest, feeling his heat burning, warming the fear right out of me.
Margot says, “Awww. You two are two cute.” Her sparkling eyes cut to the Sheriff, and she grins wickedly. “I think you deserve your own true love after all this work you’ve been having to do with this town lately.”
I swear the man pales. The guy is huge and I think he’s terrified of two old ladies.
“Being Sheriff is a full-time job. I take that job seriously. I don’t have time for a woman. Especially since my boy is in college. He still needs me almost as much as before he left home. Boy gets into trouble like you wouldn’t believe,” he grumbles under his breath.
I sigh and lean in closer to Jace. “Do you think after you take me to doc we could stop at the bakery? I really could use that coffee.”
Jace chuckles and walks up to a patiently waiting Raphael. “I think right at this moment, I’d give you any damn thing you want.”
Smirking, I slip my feet into the stirrups and he slips up behind me. “I’ll have to think of something really good then.”
“Don’t push your luck, Mrs. Henry.”
“Oh, I think I’ve got a helluva lot of luck, Mr. Henry. I think I’m practically wallowing in it. After all, I got lucky enough to get a second chance with you. I think that makes me pretty damn lucky.”
His arms tighten around me and I sigh, sinking back into him. I’ve got my horse, some land, the best man I’ve ever met and he actually loves me.
I think I’m the luckiest woman that’s ever walked this land. Jace leans down and his lips claim mine gently. My heart races and I struggle to take a deep breath.
God, I love this man!
Epilogue
Jace
“I’m telling you. This is not necessary, man. You’re already married. And you have a kid.”
I can’t stop smiling as my best friends grumble while they dress in their long-sleeved button-ups in sky blue and the dress wranglers that my wife insisted on. All of them have their necks open and boots on, gray Stetsons on their heads.
Sebastian and Ricky are completely fine. Their wives are outside and running herd on the growing brood of kids we’re bringing into our families. The town is booming with new kids and we’re doing our part.
All of us couldn’t be more surprised that Sheriff Lane Martin is one of those guys. He’s actually found his perfect woman although it was a bit of mess for a while. But Louise and Margot refused to give up.
“Yoo-hoo! Is everybody decent?” Speak of the devils!
I’d like to tell them to leave us alone but they’re not bad people. They have our best interests at heart.
If only they’d stop meddling!
Louise’s eyes sparkle and she pats my chest and then the Sheriff’s. “You boys clean up mighty nice. Are you excited to finally be doing this the right way, Jace?”
I cock a brow at them and grin. “You think this actually makes a difference? I’ve got a baby boy and another one on the way. I think we’ve done quite a few things right!”
Margot chuckles. “Dirty boy! Keep that kind of talk for your wife!”
Louise pats my chest again. “Don’t worry about it, Jace. I can take it if she can’t!”
All the guys in the tiny room that we’re getting dressed in wince.
“How is your ranch coming along?”
“It’s going very well. We’ve been getting a bit of a reputation around the ranch circuit. Our horses are very well-known at this point and we’ve had two, Shadow Play and Funtime, that have both won awards in cattle roping and cutting. We’ve got a list of ranchers coming to us to build up their own stock.”
“That’s amazing! I’m so glad that you decided to do something you wanted to do with the ranch. You have any idea when your brothers might show up?”
