Page 50 of In Bed with the Rancher

Kids with Ava... Right now that sounded good to him. Being a dad. He couldn’t imagine himself being a father unless it was with her.

He’d knew he’d have to accept children if he wanted her in his life. After all, she had shut him out and said goodbye in order to avoid heartbreak months or years down the road when they separated. Well, there was a better way to guard against getting another broken heart and his way was a lot better than her way.

He pulled out his phone to call Ava and tell her he was coming to see her.

Twelve

Wade was coming over.

After three weeks, she was surprised he’d called, and she was still confused. He never gave a reason, just said he was coming. She wouldn’t get her hopes up—after all, she was sure nothing had changed. She couldn’t imagine that he had changed one tiny bit in his views. He was too set in them, and when his dad had had the last heart episode, Wade had become even more adamant that he didn’t want to marry and have children.

She had gone back to work in Dallas as soon as she got home, and tried to keep as busy as possible because it helped to have less moments to herself, lonely moments when she remembered being in his arms, being with him. Nothing could stop her missing him and his vitality, his passionate lovemaking, his flirting. She missed him terribly and she loved him deeply, but she still would leave him the same way again. She might not ever love a man to the extent that she loved Wade, but she couldn’t be in a relationship based on anything less than total commitment. And she would never give up her desire to marry and have children.

No matter the reason, he was coming to see her and she knew it wouldn’t work out.

Even so, she had carefully applied makeup, put on a short-sleeved red dress with a V-neck and a full skirt that fell in folds below her waist. Her hair was tied back at her nape with a sheer red scarf and she had matching high-heeled pumps.

When she heard his car, she couldn’t keep from going to the door. Her heartbeat raced. She tried to calm herself down because he could be coming for some ordinary reason and just be here minutes. When he rang the bell, she opened the door and her heart thudded.

He looked so incredibly handsome, so absolutely wonderful, dressed in a navy Western-cut suit, black boots and a white dress shirt with his usual French cuffs with gold cuff links. She wondered if she was going to love him the rest of her life and never marry because all men would pale in comparison. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and kiss him. Instead, she took a deep breath and, in a surprisingly modulated voice despite her pounding heart, said hello.

He looked at her. “Can I come in?”

“Oh,” she gasped. She hadn’t realized she was just standing there staring while she was fighting throwing herself into his arms. “Come in.”

Smiling, curiosity in his eyes, he stepped inside, closed the door and turned to her. “You look gorgeous.”

“Thank you. Come in and sit down,” she said, walking into her front room. He followed and she turned to face him. “Have a seat.”

“Thanks,” he said, but he kept looking at her and didn’t move. “I’ve missed you, Ava,” he said.

“I’ve missed you, too.” Her heart started drumming and she wondered what he had in mind. Why was he here? Why was he saying these things to her when he knew he was breaking her heart?

“Ava, I’ve been miserable without seeing you,” he said so softly, she could barely hear him.

He took a step closer. “I don’t know where to start. I’ve missed you. I love you. I’m miserable without you. You’re the most important person in the whole world to me.”

Her heart pounded but she couldn’t give in to him again, no matter how much she wanted to echo his words. Not when their relationship had no future. She just stood there looking at him, seeing the desire in his eyes.

He stepped forward to wrap his arms around her. His voice was shaky when he spoke again. “I love you, Ava. I want to marry you. We can have kids. If you’re their mother, they’ll have to be wonderful.”

Was she imagining this? For the past several weeks she’d dreamed every night that he’d show up at her door and say these things to her.

“Ava, did you hear me?” He gripped her arms tighter and it was like a wake-up call.

Her heart surged.

“Do you mean that? You really want kids?” She twisted away slightly to look up at him. Amazement shook her, as well as hope.

“I want whatever makes you happy,” he said. “If you want kids, then I want kids.”

“You’re sure?” she asked, her heart pounding as she held her breath. “That’s something you have to be sure about.”

“I’m sure. I don’t want to live alone or live the way I have been without you. It was pure hell. We’ll have all the kids you want. I have to have you in my life. Kids and all. Will you marry me?”

She couldn’t keep from crying as he was talking and holding her. “I’ve missed you and I love you and yes, yes, I’ll marry you,” she said.

He leaned back to look at her and wiped her tears. “Why are you crying? We can have kids. I want to marry you.”

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