Page 28 of Breaking Her In

“Do you know what you’re saying?” my dad asks.

“I love your daughter, Ed. I love her more than life itself, and even if all I get to do is make her breakfast every morning and watch her muck out stalls, I’ll die a happy man.”

My heart skips a beat, and my knees nearly give out from under me.

“She’s not a fling, sir. As far as I’m concerned, she’s the rest of my life.”

My dad glares, his eyes narrowing, looking like he’s about to pull a gun on Colt. “Is that right?” he asks. “So, you’ll marry her then?”

I suck in a breath. Oh my God, what is he saying? I snap my gaze back to Colt, who doesn’t even blink. “Absolutely.”

Silence crashes down on us like someone just pressed the mute button.

Dad walks slowly forward, eyeing Colt like he’s investigating him. “You’re ready to work ten-hour days, raise kids,andtake care of your wife and never let her wonder if she married the wrong man?”

Again, Colt nods, and my heart swells inside my chest. “I’d crawl through hell and back for her, Ed.”

Dad looks at me, and I get the feeling that I could sayone wrong thingand the whole situation would explode and I’d ruin everything. He holds my gaze, then looks at Colt, then lets out a deep sigh.

“You hurt her, Colt, and I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.” He extends a hand. “But you sound sincere, and I respect that. You may not be an Ivy League boy, but you mean what you say, and I respect that. My daughter is yours.”

Colt grabs his hand without hesitation and shakes it, strong and sure. He turns to me, and for the first time in my life, I see a full smile on his face.

And then I’m crying again–but it’s the good kind of crying. The kind where your whole body feels like it’s glowing.

Colt turns to me, his eyes filled with unfiltered, wild love, and drops to one knee. “I don’t have a ring, darling.” He smirks. “But that’s the first thing on my to-do list.”

A laugh spills from my lips as I look down at him, wiping tears from my eyes. This can’t seriously be happening, can it?

“But, Lena Swanson, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” I blurt out. I hurl myself into his arms before he can even stand. But he’s a big guy and lifts me easily into the air as he rises. This must be a tough moment for my dad, but I actually hear him quietly chuckling as Colt squeezes me tightly against his chest.

We both made some mistakes, but he came through in the end. He made me remember the truth: I belong to him.

“Say the word, honey,” he whispers. “And I’ll take you back home right now.”

“The word,” I repeat, teasing him as he presses a respectful kiss against my cheek. “Let’s get out of here.”

Still holding me in his arms, he nods to my father, who moves aside to let us pass. He actually looks happy, which is a great first step. I know he was hoping I’d link up with some guy he approved–a banker or a lawyer or a hedge fund manager–so this is me flipping the script on him completely. It’ll take him a while to get used to it, but having his blessing now means the world to me. To both of us.

“Two days and I missed you so damn much,” I tell Colt as he carries me out front to his truck.

“Ain’t that the truth,” he chuckles. “Those two days felt like an eternity.”

His arms are strong and sure around me as he carries me. I settle into the seat and lean against it as he climbs in. He turns the key, and the engine rumbles to life. As we pull off, he places his hand on my thigh. I glance up at him and see the same look in his eyes that I’d see when we lay in bed together. When he’d look at me like he was starving.

“You have no idea how badly I need you, Lena,” he tells me, his voice low and strong. “Wait until we get back. Then I’ll show you.”

My thighs tingle as a primal thrill comes over me. Being wanted by this man is intoxicating.

“Back to the ranch?” I smile.

“Backhome,” he corrects me. “Where you belong.”

I smile into his shoulder as we drive, his scent wrapping me in a wonderful security that calms the storm that’s been raging inside me since I left.

Where I belong…

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