Page 40 of Claimed By the Cowboy
“What about the party?”
“The party can survive without us. I can’t survive another minute without having my wife alone.”
She looks around at our family, all of whom are studiously pretending not to listen while obviously hanging on every word.
“Go,” Luna says with a grin. “We’ll clean up. You two have more important things to do.”
“Much more important,” Angus adds with a wicked grin, sliding his arm around Luna’s waist.
Heat floods Kitty’s cheeks, but she nods. “Okay. Let’s go home, husband.”
Those words hit me square in the chest. Because that’s exactly what I am now, and exactly what the cabin will be. The place where we’ll build our life together, where we’ll wake up in each other’s arms every morning for the rest of our lives.
Chapter 12
Tom
I sweep Kitty up in my arms, ignoring her squeal of surprise, and carry her toward the path that leads to our cabin. Behind us, cheers and catcalls follow, along with Cheese Puff’s triumphant bleat.
“Tom!” Kitty laughs, her arms winding around my neck. “I can walk!”
“Not happening. I’m carrying my bride over the threshold like a proper husband.”
“The threshold is half a mile away!”
“Then you better get comfortable, darlin’. Because I’m not putting you down until we’re inside our home.”
She settles against my chest with a contented sigh, her head tucked under my chin. “Our home. I like the sound of that.”
The cabin appears through the trees, windows glowing with warm light from the fire Dad made earlier. It looks like home—our home—and the rightness of it makes my chest tight with emotion.
I carry Kitty up the porch steps and pause at the door, looking down at the woman in my arms. My wife. The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, hair mussed from dancing, eyes bright with love and anticipation.
“Ready?” I ask when we reach the door.
She nods. “So ready.”
I carry her inside.
The cabin is lit with firelight and candles. Rose petals trail across the floor, and champagne waits on ice.
I set Kitty down slowly, letting her body slide against mine.
“Tom,” she breathes, looking around at the romantic setup. “It’s beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful.” I thread my fingers through her hair, letting the wildflowers fall. “My beautiful wife.”
Her hands come up to rest on my chest, and I can feel her heartbeat racing. “I’m nervous.”
“Good nervous or bad nervous?”
“Good. Definitely good.” She bites her lip, looking up at me through her lashes. “I want this. Want you. I just... I’ve never...”
I cup her face, thumbs stroking her cheeks. “We’ll go slow. As slow as you need.”
“What if I disappoint you?”
“Impossible.” I silence her with a kiss, soft and reassuring. “Kitty, darlin’, you could never disappoint me. Never.”
