My Secret Fantasies

The buyers—investors from Kentucky—were excited about two stallions and were willing to pay a very healthy price for them. Business was good.

“You keep saying I’m going to be tired, but I feel better than ever.” She did a twirl to prove it, an impromptu dance move that made her print skirt swirl out and her curls bounce around her cheeks. “See? Full of energy.”

“Excellent. That means you’ll be able to go to Town Hall with me tonight and make things official.” He picked up her left hand and kissed the backs of her fingers near the princess-cut diamond he’d placed there four months after declaring his undying devotion, his love and his need to publicly claim her as his wife.

He would never forget the feeling he’d had when she said yes. Whatever else he achieved in life, it wouldn’t compare to that. Although, maybe seven months from now, he’d feel differently.

He rubbed a hand over her still-flat belly while a few horses trotted past on the exercise track that ran behind the tearoom.

“Town Hall... I guess we could do that.” She gave a careless shrug and a wink, less concerned than him about finalizing the deal she said was already signed, sealed and delivered in her heart. “Or maybe you should stay at home and see what naughty adventures Shaelynn has been having....”

“You’ve been writing again?” He’d never get her to Town Hall at this rate, damn it. His blood was already simmering just thinking about how daring Miranda’s alter ego had gotten lately.

“Yes. I’m telling you, pregnancy agrees with me. I’ve never felt so creative and full of energy.”

He kissed her cheek and squeezed her shoulders, so proud of her for her triumphant grand opening and all she’d achieved here. She had decided the naughty novel was just for them and just for fun, but she’d devoted time to the horse rehab efforts, taking a training course and reading books on working with Thoroughbreds. Of course, that was on hiatus while she was expecting, but even now, she used her Nebraska Nice Girl fame to draw attention to the Thoroughbreds who needed another chance in life.

“Perfect. We’ll say the vows, sign the papers and still have time to read your latest chapter,” he teased.

Miranda studied him for a long moment, four silver earrings winking in the sunlight. “That sounds great.”

“It does?” He nearly choked on the words, he was so damn surprised.

“Yes! I said I’d marry you, Damien Fraser. Did you think I wouldn’t?” She put her arms around his shoulders and hugged him hard. “I love you with all my heart, you gorgeous, smooth-talking Casanova. I’m dying to be your wife. I’ve just been busy getting the tearoom together. But now that I see this—” she gestured with one arm spread wide “—it all feels right and perfect. I’d love to marry you tonight and celebrate our happily ever after.”

“You don’t think it’s wrong that we’re not inviting anyone else?” He felt a twinge of guilt about that. “I don’t want you to think you can’t have a big, fairy-tale wedding. There’s still time—”

“We’ll have a party another time and invite our friends, but we’re not the kind of couple who needs a big hoopla, right?” She’d said the same thing to him before, often enough that he believed it. She never would be close with her family, and while he’d mended fences with his, he didn’t mind celebrating his marriage to Miranda privately.

“I’m fine with it, but I want you to be happy. I don’t want you to ever have any regrets about our wedding.”

“Never.” She shook her head. “Besides, I’ve already got the fairy tale.” She threaded her fingers through his and locked their hands together. “Right here with me every day. All the time.”

Damien kissed her, mentally adding to the vows he had planned. He loved her, honored her...yes. But he was also going to make her the happiest woman on earth, since she’d already made all his dreams come true.