Tempting Love (Cowboys & Angels 3)

Tears built in Amelia’s eyes as Wade pulled her close.

“To Amelia and Wade,” Mitchell said, lifting his glass. “May you both have a lifetime of happiness and here’s to all your dreams coming true. And may you give dad a new grandbaby soon!”

“What?” John shouted out as everyone else cheered, “Here-here!”

I pretended to take a drink. Until I went to the doctor on Monday, I was playing it safe, but I also didn’t want to draw any attention to myself. I’d given Mitchell a knowing look when I took the glass of champagne earlier. Not a single person, other than Mitchell, had noticed I’d had the same glass all evening.

Everyone moved outside under a giant white tent. The Parker family was all sitting at one table while friends sat at nearby tables. News of Mitchell and I becoming a couple had spread fast among the Parker family’s friends, so I was seated next to Mitchell at the family table, with Cord on my right.

Dinner was served and soon mini-conversations started at each table. Mitchell and his father talked about the ranch and some new horse that would be arriving in the next few days. I hadn’t realized how much Mitchell was involved with the ranch until the past week. There wasn’t anything he didn’t know about horses, and he pretty much ran the horse stables on some days. We had stopped by three evenings in a row so he could check on two new horses and a filly that had been born last week. I loved seeing him with the horses. Of course, the Parker ranch was a cattle ranch, but I could see something in Mitchell’s eyes when he was in that barn with the horses. I wanted desperately to ask him about it but decided to wait.

“I heard you got shot at work on Thursday,” Tripp announced. My fork froze at my lips and my hand started to shake.

Mitchell let out a half-hearted laugh. “Yeah, good thing I had my vest on.”

This time, the fork dropped and clattered against the plate. Everyone at the table looked at me.

“You okay, Corina?” Waylynn asked from across the table. Our eyes met, and I wasn’t sure what to say. I could tell she knew exactly why I was having a panic attack.

She gave me a knowing look before focusing in on Mitchell. She made a face then jerked her head toward me.

Mitchell turned and took my hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think to mention it.”

I stared at him. “You didn’t think to mention it?” It’s not like I wanted much from him. To be faithful. To be honest. And to tell me if he got shot at!

“Everything was fine. It wasn’t a big deal.” He looked agitated.

“Mitchell, you said it was a good thing you had your vest on. Does that mean he actually hit you with the bullet?”

“Shit. Sorry, Mitch,” Tripp said with a slight laugh. I glared at him. He stopped laughing on a dime.

Swinging my eyes back to Mitchell, he frowned. “It’s part of the job.”

He turned to his father and started talking about harvesting or something while I tried to make heads or tails out of what I had heard. I stared at my plate, my breath not the least bit controlled no matter how hard I tried.

“Corina, will you help me get something in the kitchen?” Waylynn asked.

My eyes lifted, and she raised her brows before motioning for me to get up and follow her.

I was on automatic. I stood, turned, walked to the kitchen.

Waylynn took my hand and pulled me into the family room. “Breathe.”

I shook my head as I let Mitchell’s words replay in my mind.

Her hands gripped my shoulders. “Corina Miller! Breathe, goddammit!”

I looked into Waylynn’s blue eyes and sucked in a breath.

She nodded. “Good. Let it out.”

Exhaling, I sat on the leather sofa.

“Corina, I know being a cop was one of the reasons why Mitchell never wanted to settle down. Now with you possibly being in the family way and the fact that he is head over heels in love with you, I think he was only trying to shield you.”

Staring at her, I opened my mouth. “You think he feels that way about me too?”

Waylynn laughed. “Hell, yes. Girl, don’t you see the way he looks at you? I mean even before y’all were together he had puppy dog love eyes. He may not be saying it yet, but Mitchell is head over heels.”

A smile lifted my face as I let her words sink in. Then they slipped away. “I knew it was dangerous to be in a relationship with a cop, Waylynn, but if he’s going to hide this type of thing from me, I don’t know how I feel about that.”

She nodded. “And if he had told you, what would have happened?”