Page 73 of The Christmas Cowboy

“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it. I started falling for you on our honeymoon.”

Her heart swelled. Now, if only… “Liam? I wish the baby was yours.”

“The babyismine. Legally and in my heart.”

Val thought her heart would burst. “I am so lucky.”

“We both are.”

“When do you think the rest of the family will get here? I’m dying to give you your present.”

“What do you say we give each other our gifts before everyone gets here?”

“That sounds good. But I’d like to shower first.”

“You know, it would save time if we showered together.”

Val laughed. “I’m pretty sure that will take more time, not less. But that sounds like a plan.”

*

Val was right.Taking a shower together had taken them twice as long. But it was worth it. He was pretty much addicted to making love to Val.

He finished in the bathroom before Val and went to get her present out of the back of his closet and set it beside the bed on the side facing away from her closet. Mia had really come through for him. The painting of Val’s mare, Starlight, was spot-on. He’d managed to wrap it, even though he sucked at wrapping. His mom would have helped him but he’d wanted to do it himself. He felt like a kid at Christmas except far more than receiving presents, he was interested in giving them. He couldn’t wait to see Val’s face when she saw the painting.

He got dressed, wearing one of his nicer pairs of jeans and a red button-down shirt he liked to wear at Christmas. Val was no longer in the bathroom, having gone to her closet. She came out wearing a loose-fitting turtleneck, red knit mini-dress and over-the-knee black boots. Her hair was loose, down and in waves over her shoulders, the blonde looking really pretty against the red dress. Val didn’t wear a lot of makeup, maintaining that the horses didn’t care what she looked like. But today she’d put on something to make her eyes look smoky and mysterious and she’d slicked red lipstick over her lips.

He always thought she was pretty, but today she looked gorgeous. He wished he could cajole her into bed but he knew it wouldn’t happen since the rest of his family and hopefully hers were coming over soon.

“Does this look okay? It’s about the only thing I have that’s not fitted through the middle.”

“You look hot.”

“I was going for Christmasy.”

“You look Christmasy. And really hot.”

She laughed and shook her head. “You look nice. Is that a new shirt?”

“It’s my Christmas shirt.” He stood and went to the other side of the bed to get the painting. “I have something for you.”

She’d been putting on earrings but at that she turned around. “What—” She broke off and stared at the wrapped painting.

“It’s your present. Merry Christmas. Open it.” He felt like a doofus. What if she didn’t like it? No, that was stupid. He knew she’d love it. But she was acting weird.

She sat on the bed and propped it up so she could tear off the wrapping paper. She didn’t speak, but simply stared at it.

“Val?” Surely she didn’t hate it. But she was making him paranoid.

When she looked at him he saw tears in her eyes. Then she smiled, set the painting aside and threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Liam. It’s beautiful. She captured her perfectly.”

“Mia Gallagher painted it.”

“I know. I saw the signature. Plus—” She got up and went to her closet, coming out with a present that other than the wrapping paper looked exactly like the one he’d just given her. “Merry Christmas, Liam.”

He unwrapped it to see a painting of Moondance and Penny. “It’s beautiful. It looks just like them. Thank you.” He kissed her. “What a great present.”

“Great minds think alike, as they say. I can’t believe Mia didn’t say anything to either of us.”

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