Page 112 of A Rancher's Vow
The sound of his nieces and nephew playing drifted from the yard beside them. Happiness clear in their laughter.
He stiffened slightly then spoke softly. “Not that I want to scare you away right when we’re finally getting our shit together, but are you okay with my family? The whole big, overbearing, in-your-face lot of them?”
Charity took a deep breath before answering. “They did kind of scare me at first, especially Caleb. Your family can be intense, but it’s kind of like horseback riding.”
“It feels weirdly good?” he teased.
She pressed her fingers to his mouth, her own lips curling into a smile. “It felt like a sport that looked interesting, but I could never join in. But that was my lack of experience. Once I put my foot in the stirrup and went along for the ride, your family feels right. Comfortable yet exciting, and something I can enjoy.”
The relief on his face was crystal clear. “Your family is wonderful, too.”
“Chelsea likes you. Suz is crazy about you,” Charity teased.
He turned her in his arms, nestling her in tighter. “I’m a one-woman man, and you’re it, Tee. Let’s figure out how to make this work for real. No more pretend, nothing because we have to.”
“But we’re still ahashtag cute country couple.”
He laughed. “Yes, we are. And chances are we’ll be a few more hashtags in the future since that sort of nonsense never really goes away. But I’ll do my best to make sure anything I say that ends up online will be with your consent.”
“Easy promise since you’re never online,” Charity said.
Dustin paused. “I’m thinking about all the interview requests. Maybe Silver Stone should do one. And of all the family members, I’m the most logical to deal with the media right now.”
She hadn’t considered that a possibility, but even as they sat there, tangled together, the idea made sense. “I’m not jumping up and down excited, but it might be a good plan.”
“Just starting to consider it.” Dustin tucked her hair behind her ear. “That’s a question for down the road. Now I have other more important things for you to consider.”
“While sitting in a graveyard?”
His brown eyes flashed with amusement. “No one here with buttinski habits. It’s just you and me. And a hundred solar lights.”
She laughed then sobered. “You’re right. This is a good place to make decisions.”
Dustin tucked his knuckles under her chin, gaze caressing her gently. “Will you move in with me for real? Be my girlfriend and learn new things with me? Will you give us a chance to see if maybe this in-love thing is as sweet as I think it is?”
Her heart up and overflowed. “Okay.”
Laughter burst from him in one huge explosion of happiness. “Okay from me too.”
Charity found herself swept up in his arms. Twirling in a circle, her feet so far off the ground she could be flying, she held on for dear life until Dustin slowed and lowered her, still tucked against his body.
She pressed her hands to his face. “You make me happy.”
“Ditto.” He leaned in and kissed her again. This time with enough heat to make her toes curl.
A long sharp whistle rang from her left. Charity snapped her attention to the side to discover Carter stood on the fence railing, his faced screwed up in confusion. “Dad says you need to stop kissing before someone complains.” Carter frowned harder, looking all around the cemetery in confusion. “Who’s going to complain? Dead people don’t talk.”
Dustin chuckled. He caught Charity’s hand in his and led her toward the fence. “You’re right. No one in here minds kissing one bit. But your Dad is right too. We should come back to your house.”
“Mom is still having quiet time,” Carter warned. He bounced his way to Charity’s other side, and suddenly she was holding hands with two Stone men, albeit one only nine years old. “Can you show us some other dance stuff, Auntie Tee?”
“Of course.” Charity glanced at Dustin who was grinning at her. “Uncle Dustin will help.”
“Wheeeeee.” Carter took off like a shot, racing across the yard ahead of them to share the news with his dad and sisters. The three of them were now blowing bubbles, and dozens of shimmering balls floated up and eastward on the light breeze.
“My whole big, overwhelming family loves you already,” Dustin said quietly.
Her heart pulsed hard. “Then we’ve got a good chance of themaybe we’re in lovething sticking.”
