Page 63 of White Collar Rancher

It was hearing that she’d missed him, but seeing that she was moving on without him, that broke the remnants of any walls remaining. He had one last fear of hers to lay to rest.

“Katherine and Martin mentioned seeing you. Then they said that I don’t talk about you as much as I used to. ‘Used to ramble on and on’ were the words they used. Katherine asked if we had been seeing each other quietly because of everything and if that everything broke us up. I said I screwed up and would do anything to get you back.”

Her gaze sharpened and fear simmered in her golden depths. “How did they take it?”

“They’re watching Isaiah so I can be here.”

Her eyes glistened, and she pressed her lips together.

He stroked the back of his finger down her cheek. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I’ve cried a lot over you.”

Instead of dropping his hand at the shame running through him, he moved even closer until they were barely touching. “I’m so sorry I hurt you.”

She blinked and looked up at him. “It wouldn’t have been so hard if I didn’t love you, too.”

“Can we love each other together?” He pressed a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth. “Can we talk all night over a glass of wine when we’re not tangled together in my freshly washed sheets? Can you go and do all your doctoring while I go and do all my ranching and we’ll tell each other all about it afterward?” He planted another light kiss on the other side of her mouth. “Will you complete my little family?”

“You have a huge family.” She smiled as she said it. “And the best baby in the world.” When she slipped her arms around his shoulders, he wanted to rejoice. “Do you want more kids?”

“Only if you do. And whenever you do. And only if you stick around to help me.” He grinned. “But what are the odds that two babies in a row can have colic?” The look she gave him stopped his laughter. “Then you gotta promise to stick around. We make a good team.”

“One more thing. I’m going to Paris this summer to see my sister. You’re welcome to come, and if you can’t, I’m going anyway.”

“We’ll recruit some grandparents and have a getaway.”

She brushed her hands along his shoulders and gave his biceps an appreciative squeeze. “If you want to grow that beard back, I won’t complain.”

Epilogue

“So will you do it?” Priya arranged shirts, capris, and skirts in the suitcase. The clothing was folded and rolled, then lined up next to each other. She fiddled with the spacing, going for maximum space optimization now that she had more than her belongings to pack.

Justin spun around. Isaiah was swaddled against his body with a baby wrap. “You’re looking at the newest baby-wearing model.”

Priya straightened from her task and grinned. Krista had asked if Justin could help her out with the baby-wearing workshops. She had plenty of mom models. “Men everywhere will jump on the trend.”

“They already are, I’m telling you. We’re not a secret society.” He scanned the clothing arranged in organized piles on the bed. “Packing already?”

Their flight to Paris didn’t leave for five days. “I thought since I not only have to pack for me, but you, too, and we have to get Isaiah ready—”

Justin took two large steps toward her, turned so he didn’t crush Isaiah between them, and tucked her in tight for kiss. The brush of his whiskers tickled her chin. She loved the feel. He kept it trimmed short, and when he had his cowboy hat on, she could barely keep her hands to herself until Isaiah was in bed for the night.

Of course, they didn’t always wait. They’d mastered the quickie.

When he broke contact, he murmured, “I told you, your organization is sexy. Pack as early as you want.”

She didn’t have to pack for Isaiah. Justin’s parents were coming for the week, but she wanted all his stuff washed and ready.

Justin went to the closet and took out his suit. “Think we’ll need this?”

She cocked a brow. “You hate wearing that.”

“I love how you take it off.”

“Then pack it.” She might need to borrow another dress. Recreating the night they’d made up at the fund-raiser was another fantasy she hadn’t known she had.

He dropped the tux next to the pile she’d gathered.

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