“Me too.”
“I didn’t get a chance to thank you.”
She’d come into the yard to see a trailer packed full of horses—the best stock for barrel racing she could ask for. Tears prickled at the backs of her eyes.
“You liked the horses, then?”
“Liked?” she choked. “God, Mav. They’re beautiful. The best thing anyone’s ever done for me, and people have done plenty. Why did you do it?”
His gaze drank in her face as if he hadn’t seen her for years and maybe never would again. “I know you want to quit the rodeo. Now you’ve got the excuse. You’ve gotta stay home and work with your horses. I’ve got another trip to town planned in three weeks to pick up seven more.”
“Oh Mav.” She plastered her shaky fingers over her trembling lips.
He reached for her, gathering her in by the hands until she fell lightly against his chest. “I don’t wanna hurt you.”
“Shh,” he said into her hair. “You won’t hurt me. Unless you won’t forgive me for being an ass. I kept pushing you away, and I was an idiot. I wouldn’t blame you for telling me to go to hell, but I sure hope you don’t do that.”
What was it about this man who infuriated her and melted her into a puddle, sometimes at the same time?
He turned his lips into her temple, and she dragged in a deep breath of his scent. But he wasn’t exactly himself, wearing odd-smelling hospital garb. She wanted his soft denim shirt—her Mav.
“You are an ass,” she muttered, battling tears.
“I know, honey. I promise my days of being an ass are through. You made me see I’m not the man my family told me I was all these years. I’m not losing my mind, not out of control except when it comes to keepin’ my hands off you.”
She made a soft noise as emotions welled inside her.
“You showed me that it’s okay to walk away from people who aren’t good for me, and accept those who are.” He pulled her tighter into his arms, and her tears started to fall.
“I’m in love with you, woman.” His gritty tone warmed her every inch.
“I love you too, Mav.”
“And I’m not letting another young buck near you. You’re mine, and nobody else is laying a hand on you.”
She drew back to look into his face. “This means you can’t change your mind. Can’t send me away again and say you’re too old for me.”
He stared deep into her eyes. With a shake of his head, he murmured, “No. Never again.”
“And you’ve gotta tell my brothers.”
“I will. Soon as I get outta here.”
“Or right now.” The curtain twitched aside, and Ryder stuck his head in. He crowded close to the bed, and the rest of her brothers followed. Wynonna looked from face to face and saw traces of her father in each one. Boys who’d grown into good men—and who recognized a good man when they saw one. Just like her father had.
“Welcome to the family.” Buck stuck out his hand, and Mav took it in a firm clasp.
“Thank you. I’ll do right by your sister.”
“We figure you’re the only one able to tame her. Maybe you can keep her from handing out any more puppies.”
“Come on. There are more kids who need them. Little Cho should be ready in another year or two. And Montana and Shiloh. Plus, Joy should be announcing any day whether or not she’s having a boy or girl needing a puppy.”
Mav ran a hand down her spine, grinning at her. “Don’t forget my niece Macie.”
She waved a hand. “Already done. Should be turning up at your mom’s place in a few days.”
“Oh lord. My brother’s just stopped texting me. Woman, you’re a piece of work.”
“You wouldn’t like me any other way.”
“That’s for sure.” He wrapped a fist around her long hair and tugged her close in a kiss for all to see.
Epilogue
“You know it’s time for your annual supper in bed. Now get in there.” Wynonna waved at the door to Mav’s sleeping quarters, which he’d given up for her room in the big house right after putting the ring on Wynonna’s finger.
He groaned. “Why do we have to remember the night of the tractor accident when you brought me supper in bed?”
“Because,” she wiggled by him and opened the door, juggling a tray of her momma’s good cornbread and chili on one hand and two glass bottles in another, “it’s the event that brought us together. If you hadn’t tipped that tractor over on yourself and scared the bejeezus outta me, you never would have come to admit you love me.”
He entered the room and closed the door. It smelled slightly musty, with nobody using the space these days.
They looked at the mattress. “I much prefer your comfy bed. Just haven’t gotten used to your momma catching me coming from the shower in my towel,” he said.
She giggled. “She’s seen it all over the years.”
“With you, I don’t doubt.” He hooked a finger in the neckline of her tank top and reeled her close. “How ‘bout some dessert before the main course?”
“Nuh-uh. The chili will be cold, and so will the cornbread.”
“’kay, fine, but you know this tradition cannot continue without us reliving every bit.” After she’d fed him a supper in bed, he’d pulled her down and made love to her until the light of dawn seeped into the windows.
A shiver of desire swept her up. She stared at her handsome husband and wondered if she’d ever get enough of him. Not ever, with her raging hormones.
“Get in bed.”
“Not unless you get in with me.”
They looked at each other before shucking their boots like kids. They shared a grin and crawled under the cover, which she’d just freshly washed and placed here that morning.
He dragged the tray up over his knees and looked at the chili. “Wonder how fast a person can eat chili?”
“You’re in that much of a hurry to have me under you?”
He raised a brow. “I’m in that much of a hurry to be inside you. Hand me one of them beers and let’s dig in.”
She held up two bottles. One was beer and one cream soda.
He blinked at them for a second. “You want the beer? I’ll drink the soda.”
“No. I got it for me.”
“But you love a cold one after a long day.”
“I know.” She twisted off the cap. “But I can’t drink it.”
“Can’t…?” He froze as realization struck. He gaped at her. “You’re…”
She nodded. “Havin’ your baby.”
“Baby? Holy shit, Wyn, are you serious?” He nearly tossed the tray and bowls of chili to the floor, but she rescued it in time and placed it at their feet so he could gather her up in his arms.
As soon as she settled against his chest, she dragged in a happy sigh. “So you’re good with it?”
“I can’t process it yet, but yes. I am. Come here, honey, and let me kiss those lips.”
She tilted her face up, expecting the passion and heat that had started the child growing in her belly in the first place. Instead, he cradled the back of her head and plundered her slowly and thoroughly. The stirrings low in her belly made her realize she was sitting on his cock, and he was growing hard.
“God, Wynonna.” He rested his forehead against hers for a moment. “Thank you.”
She smiled, her heart full to bursting with love for everything in her life, and especially this man. Her family was whole and healthy, and continuing to grow as her sisters-in-law tried to compete for the same due date. And the ranch was thriving, especially her horses. She’d dropped out of the rodeo a year before, but Buck had recently called it quits, along with his ropin’ partner. Asher and his new wife were busy raising his two girls from a previous marriage and a new little boy.
And the Calhouns were in negotiations for a final season contract for the Rope ‘n Ride show. It would be sad on some levels—an end of an era. Yet new sprouts came from tilled soil.
She bracketed Mav’s face i
n her hands and they shared a smile. He sneaked his hand between them and covered her stomach with his big, warm palm. She knew he’d protect his child and any that came after all the days of his life. And her as well—when he wasn’t busy arguing with her just to have makeup sex, that was.
“You ready to be called Daddy?”
“When?”
“September.”
“Close to your birthday?” he asked.
She nodded, and he groaned. “Momma said she got pregnant with me at the same time of year. Christmastime. You know, it must have happened Christmas Eve when you pinned me to the bed and showed me how to—”
He covered her mouth with hers in a hard kiss that showed she’d roused those passions again. “So I’ll have another little fiery girl to deal with.”
“Or boy.”
“Somethin’ tells me we’re in trouble.”
“You are.” She grabbed her hem and ripped her top overhead. Then she twisted to straddle him. “Ask me if I’m wearing panties.”
“Don’t need to. Because either way, you won’t be in two seconds.”
He pulled her down into a deep kiss and made a dozen new promises to love her before they came up for air. Mav trailed a hand down her belly, dotted with perspiration.
“What about the chili?” he asked.
“I was hopin’ you had plans for breakfast in bed.”
“Mmm.” He rolled atop her again. “That I do, honey.”
THE END
Em Petrova
Em Petrova was raised by hippies in the wilds of Pennsylvania but told her parents at the age of four she wanted to be a gypsy when she grew up. She has a soft spot for babies, puppies and 90s Grunge music and believes in Bigfoot and aliens. She started writing at the age of twelve and prides herself on making her characters larger than life and her sex scenes hotter than hot.
She burst into the world of publishing in 2010 after having five beautiful bambinos and figuring they were old enough to get their own snacks while she pounds away at the keys. In her not-so-spare time, she is fur-mommy to a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff.
Find More Books by Em Petrova on her Website
And Follow On:
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
FB Fan Page
Instagram
SUBSCRIBE
Bookbub
Other Titles by Em Petrova
Xtreme Ops
HITTING XTREMES
TO THE XTREME
XTREME BEHAVIOR
XTREME AFFAIRS
XTREME MEASURES
The Guard
HIS TO SHELTER
HIS TO DEFEND
HIS TO PROTECT
Crossroads
BAD IN BOOTS
CONFIDENT IN CHAPS
COCKY IN A COWBOY HAT
SAVAGE IN A STETSON
SHOW-OFF IN SPURS
Dark Falcons MC
DIXON
TANK
PATRIOT
DIESEL
BLADE
RIO
Moon Ranch
TOUGH AND TAMED
SCREWED AND SATISFIED
CHISELED AND CHERISHED
Ranger Ops
AT CLOSE RANGE
WITHIN RANGE
POINT BLANK RANGE
RANGE OF MOTION
TARGET IN RANGE
OUT OF RANGE
Knight Ops Series
ALL KNIGHTER
HEAT OF THE KNIGHT
HOT LOUISIANA KNIGHT
AFTER MIDKNIGHT
KNIGHT SHIFT
O’ CHRISTMAS KNIGHT
ANGEL OF THE KNIGHT
6-Pack Cowboys Series
6-PACK RANCHER
6-PACK WRANGLER
Wild West Series
SOMETHING ABOUT A LAWMAN
SOMETHING ABOUT A SHERIFF
SOMETHING ABOUT A BOUNTY HUNTER
SOMETHING ABOUT A MOUNTAIN MAN
Operation Cowboy Series
KICKIN’ UP DUST
SPURS & SURRENDER
The Boot Knockers Ranch Series
PUSHIN’ BUTTONS
BODY LANGUAGE
REINING MEN
ROPIN’ HEARTS
ROPE BURN
COWBOY NOT INCLUDED
CUPID COWBOYS
COWBOY BY CANDLELIGHT
THE BOOT KNOCKER’S BABY
ROPIN’ A ROMEO
Ménage à Trouble Series
WRANGLED UP
UP FOR GRABS
HOOKING UP
ALL WOUND UP
STIRRED UP
GETTING WARMED UP
Another Shot at Love Series
GRIFFIN
BRANT
AXEL
Rope ‘n Ride Series
BUCK
RYDER
RIDGE
WEST
LANE
WYNONNA
The Dalton Boys
COWBOY CRAZY Hank’s story
COWBOY BARGAIN Cash’s story
COWBOY CRUSHIN’ Witt’s story
COWBOY SECRET Beck’s story
COWBOY RUSH Kade’s Story
COWBOY MISTLETOE a Christmas novella
COWBOY FLIRTATION Ford’s Story
COWBOY TEMPTATION Easton’s Story
COWBOY SURPRISE Justus’s Story
COWGIRL DREAMER Gracie’s Story
COWGIRL MIRACLE Jessamine’s Story
COWGIRL HEART Kezziah’s Story
Single Titles and Boxes
THE DALTON BOYS BOX SET BOOKS 1-5
BOOT KNOCKERS RANCH SERIES BOOKS 1-6 PLUS BONUS
SINFUL HEARTS
JINGLE BOOTS
A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS
FULL RIDE
Firehouse 5 Series
ONE FIERY NIGHT
CONTROLLED BURN
SMOLDERING HEARTS
Club Ties Series
LOVE TIES
HEART TIES
MARKED AS HIS
SOUL TIES
ACE’S WILD
Hardworking Heroes Novellas
STRANDED AND STRADDLED
DALLAS NIGHTS
SLICK RIDER
SPURRED ON