Expecting the Rancher's Heir

Sitting up, she frowned. “But I won’t mind being snowed in as long as it’s with you.”

He laughed. “I know, but I’m thinking down the line.” He placed his hand on her still-flat stomach. “When our baby is old enough, I don’t want to have him or her living with relatives to attend school like I had to do.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” she said, liking the idea that he wanted them to all be together.

“I also think it would be a good idea for us to spend this winter at Willow Lodge.” He kissed her nose. “That way we won’t miss any doctor appointments because of weather.”

“You’re just full of good ideas, aren’t you,” she said, unable to stop smiling. “That way while you’re traveling for the congressional investigation, I’ll at least have Erica and Avery over from time to time.”

“You can have your family over as much as you like, but I’ll be there, too,” he said, pressing his cheek to her temple. “You will?”

Grinning, he nodded. “I called Senator Kurk this afternoon and told him that after careful thought, I wouldn’t be available for the job after all.”

“Did he understand?” she asked, wondering if he’d made an enemy out of an old family friend.

“He told me he was disappointed, but he understood that being a newlywed I wouldn’t want to be away from you.” Shane kissed her temple, her cheek and the tip of her nose. “And that brings me to the last thing we need to talk over.”

“A wedding date?” she guessed.

He nodded. “Are we still good for New Year’s Eve, angel?”

“Absolutely.”

He nibbled kisses along the side of her neck. “Why don’t I get dressed and you take off the rest of the afternoon. I’d like to take you back to Willow Lodge and catch up on the three days we’ve been apart.”

“That sounds like your best idea yet, Cowboy,” she said, loving him more with each passing second.

He was her heart, her soul, her very life. She couldn’t wait to be back in his arms again, celebrating the happiness of finding each other, the life they had created and the love she knew for certain they would share for the rest of their lives.