The Rancher's Rules

He dried her off, kissing her body between tender swipes with the towel. She returned the favor, and it was all he could do not to initiate another bout of loving in the steam-filled room. He went to turn on the light.

“No. Don’t.”

“Baby?”

“There’s something I want to say.”

“And you want to do it while it’s dark?”

He heard a soft sigh. “Yes. I don’t want distractions or interruptions. Only the words. I want you to hear the words and believe them. Will you do that, Grant? Will you believe my words in the darkness?”

She sounded on the verge of tears, and he couldn’t help reaching out to touch her. He found her arm, and from there settled both hands on her shoulders. “Yes. I’ll believe anything you tell me, whether it’s dark or not.”

Her hands settled against his chest like the fluttering wings of a sparrow. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

One of her hands left his chest, and then he felt her finger tracing his lips, silencing them. “Thank you.” Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath. “I know you think I can’t be happy on a working ranch.”

He nodded. Her fingers were still pressing his lips closed.

“You’re wrong.”

He reached up and gently pulled her hand away from his mouth. “What are you trying to say?”

“Living with you, loving you, will make me happy. Living without you would be hell. Please don’t make me do it.”

He pulled her into a tight embrace. “Never. I want to marry you. I want you to have my babies. I’m not the one who started talking about affairs instead of a future after the most passionate night of love between two people known to man.”

He reached over and flipped on the light. “Marry me, Zoe.” He cupped her face with one hand while the other held her close to him. “I love you more than the ranch, more than my freedom, more than anything in my life. Marry me.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I love you. I love you so much. I’ll live on the ranch with you. I’ll have your babies, and I’ll be as stoic as they come every year at the stock sale.”

He smiled and shook his head, covering her lips with his thumb when she opened her mouth to answer. “I’d give up the ranch, if that was what it would take to make you happy as my wife, but I don’t think I’ll have to.”

She nodded her head in agreement. “You don’t have to.”

How he loved this woman. She would do it. She would live a lifestyle she hated to be with him, and he knew deep down in his gut that she would never ask him to leave it for her sake. Zoe’s love wasn’t like that. She gave with both hands.

“We’ve got a couple of alternatives. We can venture into horse ranching. I’ve thought about raising Arabians before, but the cattle always required too much of my time.”

Her brown eyes grew round and big. “Horses?” she whispered against his thumb.

“Yes. Or breeding cattle. They aren’t sold for beef. What do you think?” He moved his thumb so she could answer.

The tears in her eyes spilled over, but her smile left no doubt in his mind that they were tears of joy. “I think loving you is the greatest gift I’ve ever had in my life.”

“And loving you makes my life a gift.” He crushed her mouth under his, knowing in his heart that even if he had to sell the ranch he would always be happy and complete as long as he had Zoe by his side.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ZOE sat in perfect stillness as she soaked in the feeling of rightness surrounding her. Her parents weren’t here, but this was still the best Christmas she could ever remember.

The pastor had announced her and Grant’s upcoming wedding at the Christmas morning service, and her principal had looked very relieved. She allowed a small smile to curve her lips.

“What’s so funny, angel?”

Grant walked into the room with his dad, who carried the camcorder. Lottie was right behind them.

They’d already gorged on Christmas dinner, and now the time had come to open gifts. Next to church, this was Zoe’s favorite part of the day. “I was just remembering the look of abject relief on my principal’s face when the pastor announced our imminent wedding.”

Grant grinned. “He doesn’t have to worry about having another talk with you, huh?”

She smiled in return. “Uh-uh.”

He moved to sit next to her on the sofa and put one arm around her shoulder, hugging her to his body. “Ready to open your presents?” he asked in a husky whisper against her ear.

She shivered in sensual response. “Do any of them come packaged in fancy Spanish dye-tooled boots, well-worn jeans and red flannel?” she asked, describing his current attire.