Forever Her Cowboy (Always 1)

“I’m not good with babies. You know what they do to your body. It’s never the same after.” The regret in her mom’s voice makes me want to snap her fucking neck. I grab Noelle’s hand. She spins around, a shocked look on her face.

“We’re leaving,” I tell her.

“What? You don’t boss her around.”

“You can shut the fuck up.” Her mom's mouth falls open in shock. Good, that means she’s not talking. I would usually never speak to anyone that way, but after the way she’s treated my girl, I can’t control myself. I pull on Noelle’s hand, leading us back out of the house to the truck. When I open the door, she climbs in without a word. Fine by me. I want to do this at home.

Noelle wrings her hands in her lap, not saying anything.

“Everything is going to be fine, babe.”

She looks up from her hands to me. Her eyes are full of unshed tears. She’s killing me here. Have I fucked up? Does she not want this? I know she wants a family, but maybe it’s too soon.

My throat grows tight. “I promise. I don’t like that worried look on your face.”

“You’re not saying anything.”

“I want to talk at home.” I pull down my long driveway toward the house.

“I always think that this place couldn’t possibly be as pretty as I remember it, but every time I’m proven wrong. It gets more breathtaking each time.”

I want to beat my chest at her admission. The fact that she loves it makes me feel as if I’m on top of the world. The whole point was to make her a home. I took the old farmhouse and not only updated it, but I added on, too. I wanted to keep some of the original stuff, but I also wanted the house to be up to date.

“I’m going around. Keep your sexy ass in that seat.” I flick her seatbelt off before I hop out of the truck, coming around to her side to get her.

“I can walk,” she says, but there is no force in her words. She wraps her arms around my neck.

“I have to carry you over the threshold.”

“That’s only if you’re married.”

I put my thumb on the lock scan, causing the door to unlock. “We’re getting there.”

She tenses in my arms.

“We’re getting married,” I say again. I’m making that real clear. I kick the door shut.

“Where are we going?”

I keep carrying her through the house. She glances around trying to see everything. “Oh my God! That kitchen.” I can’t help but smile at that. I made sure to pay extra special attention to that part of the house, knowing how much she loves to cook and bake. I made sure that it had everything she could possibly dream of in it.

“And it’s all yours.” I walk into the master bedroom, dropping her on the bed. “Seems I can get you to talk more when I’ve got you in bed.” I grab her sandals, pulling them off.

“I’ll talk.” She scrambles to sit up, tucking her feet under her ass.

“So talk.” I step back and lean up against the dresser, needing some space or I’m going to grab her.

“Well, I’m pregnant, as you heard.”

“I got that. I’m fucking ecstatic.”

Her eyebrows furrow together. “When I asked about kids you made it sound like you weren’t ready.”

I think back. “Because I hesitated?”

“That and you assumed I’m on birth control.”

“I’ve always known you’re not on birth control.”

“Oh.” Her eyes go wide for a moment. “But.” She pauses. “But then you knew I could get pregnant?”

I let out a breath. “I’m going to be straight with you. I don’t ever want lies or half-truths between us.”

“Me either,” she agrees.

“I knew what I was doing from that first night. I wasn't thinking Oh maybe she’ll get pregnant. I was trying to get you pregnant.” She stares at me, her mouth hanging open. I push off the dresser. “Why did you tense when I made the marriage comment?”

“I don’t want to get married because I’m pregnant.”

“I’ve made my intentions pretty clear about where we’re going.”

She nods in agreement. “You’re right. I know. I think I was just freaking out. These past few weeks have been the best of my life, and I don’t want that to change.”

“They have been.” Now that she's mine I feel like I can breathe again. I walk over to the nightstand, grabbing the box out of it.

“Josh?”

“I was planning to do this while we were here. I wanted it to be our first memory in this house.” I open the box. “I didn't know you were pregnant.” A tear slides down her face. It’s a simple ring. A platinum band with a very large princess cut diamond. It seemed fitting. It’s also not too flashy or overdone. She’d hate that. “Well, princess?” I pull the ring out of the box, tossing it onto the bed.