Reckless Love (Cowboys & Angels 7)

My chest ached knowing I had hurt her so many times.

“Scarlett, I’m not going to pretend I wasn’t a dick, because I was. I wasn’t sure how to handle the way I felt about you. It scared me. Sometimes it still does, but there is one thing I know for sure. I love you. I’ve loved you from the first moment I kissed you. You don’t think I’m terrified that I’m going to fuck this up and hurt you? Every damn day I wake up I worry I’m going to mess up somehow or someone is going to see you on the street and tell you how she hooked up with me and how I’ll never change. That all scares the piss out of me.”

I took her hands and smiled. “When it hit me that I might be losing you, I decided then and there that that wasn’t going to be an option.”

She nodded. “I know, and I feel stupid for being insecure. I don’t know if it’s just my hormones or what.”

“I’m not with you because of the baby. I’m with you because you are the love of my life. Our baby is just a bonus. You are the very reason I take each breath. I know I pushed you to move in with me and work here on the ranch. Call me greedy. I want you with me every single day. I have time to make up for and I don’t wanna waste another day.”

Tears filled her eyes, causing her to blink rapidly in an attempt to keep them back.

“I used to have this crazy idea that I didn’t want to be with one woman. At least, not anytime soon. But when the right one came along—you—it scared the fuck out of me. I tried to stay away so that I didn’t hurt you and all I ended up doing was hurting you.”

“I should have told you about the baby right away.”

“None of that matters. What matters is this very moment. You and me. The baby. I’d give my last breath for the two of you, don’t ever forget that.”

A tear escaped her eye as she whispered my name. “Trevor.”

She took in a deep breath before focusing back on me when she spoke.

“God answered my prayers when he made this baby. I’ll never regret that night. I’ll never regret anything that brought the two of us together, no matter how winding the road was. We both ended up at the same stop exactly when we needed to be there.”

Brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face, I kissed her. Slow at first. Whispering against her lips how much I loved her.

“I love you with every beat of my heart. You’re my everything, Scarlett Littlefield.”

Her arms wrapped around my neck, and in a breathy voice, she replied, “I want to be Scarlett Parker.”

Heat surged through my body as I drew back and gazed into her gorgeous, chestnut brown eyes. The flutter in my chest quickened as I asked, “What did you say?”

“I want to marry you, Trevor.”

I was positive my smile couldn’t possibly grow any bigger. “You’re serious? You’ll marry me?”

Nodding, she giggled in delight. “Yes! I want to be your wife when our baby is born. I don’t want to wait another second.”

“Oh baby, you just made me the happiest man on Earth. I need to let you know…you’re gonna have to wait a few seconds, though.”

Her brows pulled in some as she stared up at me. “Why?”

“Because I’m about to make love to you.”

“Here? Out in the field?”

“Yep, the first tree I get you to, I’m burying myself inside of you.”

Scarlett’s eyes turned dark with desire. Picking her up, I walked over to a tree, gently setting her down, and made good on my promise.

My father and mother sat on the sofa opposite me, staring like I’d just told them I had found the cure to cancer. I got it…at first. They were shocked. Scarlett and I had told them we were taking our time, not rushing into things. From the outside looking in, it probably looked the opposite. She’d moved in with me. Started working for me. And now we were talking marriage.

“Let me understand this, because a few months back, marriage wasn’t on the table,” Dad reminded us.

“It’s always been on the table for me, Dad. I wasn’t pushing Scarlett, that’s all. I wanted her to be ready, and she’s ready. She wants to be married with the Parker name when the baby is born.”

My mother smiled as she took my father’s hand.

“Are we talking a big wedding?”

“No, small. We’d like to get married here on the ranch. I need to still ask her Daddy for his permission.”

“Well, considering you knocked up his daughter…”

My mother hit my father in the stomach, causing him to bend over and let out a breath.