Cross My Heart (The Devil's Riders 8.50)

But Becky was all smiles as she opened her arms.

“Oooo, give me that baby!”

“Thank you, Becks. I owe you one.”

“You owe me one, too,” Whiskey growled. I almost cackled in glee.

“Whatever you say, brother.”

“What’s going on?” My wife asked sleepily as I handed the baby over quickly and closed the door. “Did you just give our child to a door to door salesman?”

I laughed. My girl was wickedly funny. Not a lot of people noticed though, because she was so soft spoken. Not to mention so damned beautiful it was hard to do anything but stare.

Stare, and drool.

I sighed. It wasn’t easy being in love with such a beautiful woman. Men made fools over her on a daily basis. Children adored her. Even animals seemed to sense that she was special.

“Just a loaner,” I teased, pulling her into my arms. “You look beautiful,” I said, staring down at her hungrily.

“I do?” She asked, her cute little face scrunching up. “I just woke up. How long was I out?”

“You look especially beautiful,” I said, squeezing her tightly. “You slept about three hours. Well, three hours and fourteen minutes,” I amended.

“Three? What? Oh my God, is it dinner time?”

“I got takeout.”

She stared at me, her mouth open. Then she shut it. She gave me what could only be described as a highly suspicious look.

“What is going on here, Cal?”

“Nothing,” I said innocently. I could practically feel the halo floating over my head.

“Cal! Tell me what you are up to!”

I sighed in mock resignation. The gig was up. I hoped she would be on board with my plan. But I wouldn’t be mad if she just wanted to crawl back in bed and sleep. She deserved it.

“I wanted to have a date night. And you needed rest. Especially because I plan on keeping you up all night…”

She squeaked as I hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around me.

“Cal!”

“Let’s make another nugget.”

“There can be only one,” she joked, eyeing me warily. She knew that the original Highlander was one of my favorite movies. We quoted it all the time.

“You don’t want to make another baby with me?” I asked, surprised, sliding her back down my body and setting her on her feet. We had talked about having a big family many times. But I knew that nursing school and having a newborn had kicked her ass.

She might be Wonder Woman, but even Wonder Woman needed a break now and then.

Or maybe she had changed her mind about having another kid. Or changed her mind about me… my gut twisted inside me at the unwelcome thought.

“I do,” she said, giving me a sweet look. “But not now. And we are definitely coming up with a new nickname for the next one.”

“Fair enough,” I said, feeling instantly relieved. I knew my lady loved me, but sometimes I worried. I wanted to keep her safe, warm, and happy. But most of all, I just wanted to keep her by my side, always. “But what about tonight? If you want to sleep, I understand. That is okay, too.”

“Sleep? I just woke up, silly,” She said, giving me a coy look. I knew that look. That was the look she got five seconds after I had surprised with a naughty request. It meant she was seriously considering the request.

She was considering me, and all the fun things we could do together. The look was pure intrigue.

“Besides, my oh-so-thoughtful husband surprised me with an impromptu date night,” she said, sliding her arms around my neck.

“Oh, he did, did he?” I asked, loving the feeling of her in my arms.

“Yes. And I think he should be rewarded for good behavior,” she said with a definite twinkle in her eye. My heart did a little lurch in anticipation.

“I happen to agree whole heartedly with that assessment, nurse Callaway.”

“Why thank you, Doctor,” she said pertly. I was no doctor, but my wife was well on her way to getting her nursing license. I could not be prouder.

My woman sparkled and shined. Everyone who met her saw it. She drew eyes to her wherever she went, like a bonafide celebrity. Sometimes I felt like I needed to erect a permanent barricade around her, just to keep people away.

But my girl could handle herself. She wasn’t swayed by flattery. She had proved it time and time again. I could trust her to the ends of the world and back.

The truth was, I worshipped her, and everyone knew it. I was protective because I wanted her to be safe, but it was also selfish. Because I knew I didn’t want to exist in a world without her.

I wanted to possess her, protect her, and adore her, all at once.

That feeling rose up in me, making me even more desperate to get her clothes off than usual. I peeled off layers as I carried her to the bedroom. She didn’t try and slow me down. Not until I set her down again and started ripping my own clothes off.