Page 51 of In Bed with the Rancher

He tightened his arms, leaned over her to kiss her and she knew that the love of her life was holding her tightly, kissing her, going to marry her and they would have the family she had dreamed about.

“I’m so happy,” she said, sobbing with relief and joy and amazement as she clung to him and kissed him.

She felt bereft when he stepped out of her embrace and went down on one knee. He dug something out of his pocket and looked up at her. “I love you, Ava Carter. I love you with all my heart. I can’t live without you. Marry me and let’s have all the babies you want. Ava, will you marry me?”

She was crying and laughing at the same time and she couldn’t believe what he was saying, but she didn’t doubt that he meant every word. Her heart pounded with joy. “You’ll be okay with it if I want six kids?”

“I’ll be overjoyed because I’ll be with you. I love you, my darling, and I’ll ask you again, will you marry me?”

“Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you,” she exclaimed.

He held out a box wrapped in white paper and tied with a pink bow. She took it and opened it, her heart drumming. She gasped and looked at him and then back at a gorgeous, huge diamond set in a gold band. “This is beautiful.”

He stood and took the ring from her to slip it on her finger. She looked up into his dark eyes and she smiled. “I’ve missed you so.”

“Not anywhere like I’ve missed you. I’ve been miserable. I was so scared I’d lost you forever. I love you with all my heart and want you in my life, in my arms always.” He tightened his arms around her.

She looked down at her ring, then back up at him. “I’ve dreamed of this moment, I can’t tell you how many times, but I never expected you to change your opinions on marriage and children. Why, Wade?”

“A man can change. Olivia has changed my brother, and you’ve changed me.” He told her about Wynn’s visit to the ranch and how he seemed like a different man when he left the Bar S. “I realize there’s truth to what you’ve been saying all along. Family is the most important thing. And our kids will be good people, just like you. I love you, Ava, and I’ll never tire of calling you my wife and the mother of my children.”

He kissed her then, a long, passionate kiss that made her feel totally wanted and loved. She clung to him, her heart pounding with joy, with love for him, with happiness for their future.

“I have one request,” she said when she could manage to speak. “I want a wedding soon.”

He smiled. “We won’t interfere with the date Wynn and Olivia have picked—December twentieth—but I think we can make it a quick wedding. And I’ll take you anywhere you’d like to go for a honeymoon.”

“How about a wedding in early November?”

“That’s fine with me.” He chuckled. “That was easy.”

“It’s easy for me to pick a date because I don’t have family to worry about.”

“You do now, Ava.” He picked her up in his arms, kissed her and carried her to her bedroom.

She clung to him as they kissed. He stood her on her feet and held her tightly. She opened her eyes to look at him and at her ring that glittered in the soft light. “Ah, I love you and you’ve made me the happiest woman on earth.”

He laughed. “Have you stopped to think a minute about the future? Can you live on a ranch?”

“If it’s with you, yes, I can. I might get that teaching certificate because I’ll bet there’s a little country school somewhere near your ranch where I could teach.”

“As a matter of fact, there is. There’s a little town with a school. Great idea.”

“I’ll keep my place near Persimmon for a retreat. A retreat that maybe we can fill with kids,” she said, smiling at him.

He pulled her close. “I can’t wait to show you the Bar S.”

“Do you have a guest house?” she asked as he showered kisses on her ear and neck and nape while his hands moved over her.

“Yes, I have three guest houses.”

“I want to invite Gerald and Molly to visit us.”

“You can have anybody you want,” he whispered and leaned back to look at her. “You’re beautiful and I love you and you really have made me the happiest man on earth now.”

“Wait until we have a family. You’ll really know happiness then. It’ll be good, Wade, I promise.”

He laughed. “You can’t promise that. There are no guarantees in life like that.”

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