Page 59 of Sheltering Lawson
“Yes, ma’am. Can you step out of the car?”
I opened my door and slipped out of the driver’s seat. “Are you sure about this law of sassbucketing?” I released a long, martyred sigh.
His mouth twitched again, his eyes twinkling. “Positive. I can show you the penal code.”
I set one of my forearms on his shoulder and he watched me with those piercing blue-green eyes. Undeterred, I set my other arm against the opposite shoulder. “Oh, it’s been way too long since I’ve seen your penal code,” I breathed.
He made a soft groan, wrapped his arm around my waist and dragged me against him, a shudder coursing through him. “Don’t make me add another count of sassbucketing. The judge will throw the book at you.”
Trapped by the intensity of his gaze, I stared at him, all my feelings for him swelling up inside me. “Aren’t you going to frisk me. I could be carrying a concealed weapon.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you’re carrying a very lethal concealed weapon, and I intend to frisk you thoroughly and repeatedly,” he said, his voice low and ragged.
“Oh, will handcuffs be required?”
He leaned down, his mouth so close. “Do I need to bind you?”
I pressed my mouth to his and for a minute I forgot where we were, who was driving by, my own damn name. I savored those firm lips, sent my hand along his strong jaw. I broke the kiss and he pressed his forehead to mine. With my eyes closed, I whispered, “No. You don’t, Deputy Ethan Fairchild. I’m so in love with you that you could knock me over with a feather.” I played with the hair at the nape of his neck, below the edge of his cap. “You look soooo sexy in your uniform.” I ran my finger over his name plate—E. Fairchild.
His voice thick, he asked, “Is that so?” He brushed his mouth over mine. “Well, your sentence, then, is to love me for the rest of your life.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, ruby velvet box. He opened it to reveal the most beautiful antique ring.
“Will you marry me, Haley Donovan, and be my sassbucket for life?”
My eyes filled with tears. “Yes, I’ll marry you for better, for worse, and for a lifetime of mandatory sassbucketing. I’m nothing but a law-breaking, bad girl where you’re concerned.”
He chuckled and pulled me into his arms. “Damn, I love you, Haley.”
I had been a runaway princess, and I thought that no one could save me, but I had been wrong. I’d landed in Suttontowne, and I was more than saved. I had found my purpose, discovered that I was pretty darn special, found a family and wasfinallyhome. “I love you, Ethan, so much.” He slipped the ring on my finger and my dreams came true, knight in shining armor, white horse and all.
Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER
HALEY
“Knock, knock,” I said as I opened the door to Booker and Aubree’s house. They expected me about this time of day as after my classes, I stopped by and took care of little Josette, named after Booker’s maternal great-grandmother, to give him a breather. Ethan would be meeting me here in just a little while. Aubree and Booker had offered us dinner, and I never turned down a meal.
“There she is,” I murmured as I entered Booker’s office, bent down and picked her up from the bottom of the playpen.
Booker looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Hey there, Haley. How you doin’, girl?”
“Dandy. How has little Josie been all day?”
“A little angel,” he said beaming.
“I have no doubt,” I cooed, then addressed the baby. “Does she want to go for a walk?” She gave me a huge smile. “Oh, I think she does.”
“How’s the law thing going.” He swiveled fully around in his chair. His intense blue eyes watching his happy daughter.
“I’m loving it. I knew I would.”
He rose and sent his hand over her little head, totally engulfing her full head of red hair. “Good, I’m going to hire you as my attorney as soon as you graduate and take the bar. I need a good one.”
“We’ll keep all of your business in the family. How’s the book coming?”
“Words flowing, screen filling. It’s all good.”
“Excellent. I’ll take her downstairs for a bit.” I squeezed his shoulder, he reminded me so much of Brax, but different. It was always so strange because they looked identical. But Booker smiled more often and he always had this twinkle in his eye like he had a private joke he was always laughing at. I really liked it as much as I loved Brax’s brusqueness and Boone’s mischievous slyness, like he was always plotting something chaotic and hilarious. “Mind if I go for a walk with her?”
