by Lisa Jackson
“What? Oh, God, your ego just won’t quit.”
“I love you,” he said again, and Kelly felt her heart rip into a thousand pieces. If only she could believe him, trust him, but she knew better. She opened her mouth to protest again but he snatched the glass of champagne from her fingers, flung it over the rail toward the creek, and pulled her into the circle of his arms. “What will it take to convince you?”
“You can’t.”
“Sure I can. We’ll elope tonight.”
“You’re crazy.”
“I’m serious.”
Her throat felt as if it were the size of an apple. Could she dare believe him? Trust him?
“I—I don’t believe that’s possible,” she whispered.
“Anything is.” He stared at her long and hard. “I sold my ranch. I’m moving back to Grand Hope. For good. And I want you to be my wife and the mother of my children. You do love me?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll get married.”
“I—I’d like that.”
“Then that’s settled.” He smiled down at her with his crooked, damnably sexy thousand-watt grin.
“I…I don’t…I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, stunned at the turn of events.
“Then don’t say anything, just kiss me.”
She nearly laughed through her tears, but tilted back her head and felt his mouth cover hers. Music filtered through the open door and he started moving, dancing with her, alone on the snow-blanketed veranda with the cold winter air swirling around them, and high overhead the stars twinkled in the night-darkened Montana sky.
Kelly leaned against him. She thought of the investigation, of the danger still surrounding the McCafferty brothers and of Randi and little J.R. Now, knowing she would soon marry Matt, she was more determined than ever to find the culprit who was terrorizing his family…her family.
But…for tonight, she’d dance with Matt, laugh with him and know that whatever fate had in store for them, they would face it together.
“Should we make the announcement?” he asked.
“Tonight?”
“Why wait?”
Why indeed?
“Let’s wait until tomorrow. Tonight belongs to Thorne and Nicole,” Kelly said as she glanced through the windows and saw the bride and groom gliding around the dance floor. Nicole’s eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed, and as the song ended Thorne swept her into a back-breaking dip. The crowd clapped.
“Then tomorrow,” Matt agreed.
“Yes, tomorrow.”
He kissed her then and she wound her arms around his neck. “All right, Detective. Let’s join the party. It looks like you lost your champagne. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be looking for the bad guys tonight? Wasn’t that your assignment?”
“Right you are, cowboy.”
“I don’t supposed you’ve seen any suspicious characters.”
“Only the McCafferty brothers,” she teased, linking her arm through his as they walked into the ballroom. “And you’ll never meet a sexier, more disreputable bunch of hombres in your life!”
“I suppose you’re right.” Matt laughed, then gave her a conspiratorial wink. “Welcome to the gang.”
“My pleasure,” she assured him as he wrapped his arms around her and they joined the other guests, who were dancing under the dimmed lights of the chandeliers. Her heart pounded, her head spun and she fought to keep tears of happiness from sliding down her cheeks. As he guided her easily across the floor, she smiled up at the man she loved, the man she’d been waiting for all her life, the man who would soon be her husband, a cowboy after her own heart.
Mrs. Matt McCafferty.
Detective Kelly McCafferty.
Either way, the name sounded right.
Epilogue
A horse nickered softly as Matt entered the darkened stables. He flipped on the first switch, allowing only half the bulbs to illuminate the musty interior. Mares and colts rustled in their stalls and the wind whistled outside. Diablo Rojo stuck his head over the stall door and snorted.
“Yeah, yeah, and I’m glad to see you, too.” Matt reached into his pocket for a bit of apple he’d pilfered from the kitchen as he walked to the Appaloosa’s box. He tipped his hat back a bit to look the feisty colt square in the eye. “Juanita’s making a pie, but I figured she didn’t need this.” Opening the flat of his hand, he added, “However, she might just disagree, and if she did, we both know she’d skin me alive.” Soft lips swept the morsel from his palm. “So we’re friends, are we, Devil?”
The horse tossed his head. His dark eyes were still bright with a fire no man would ever tame. Not even a McCafferty.
“That’s what I thought.”
He rubbed the colt’s wide forehead and surveyed the stock. A few of the broodmares were penned within, their swollen bellies indicating that they’d soon deliver the next generation of McCafferty foals.
Matt smiled as his boots rang on the concrete aisle between the stalls. God, he loved these animals. In the spring he’d transfer his own herd here. By that time he’d be married, maybe have a child of his own on the way.
The door creaked open and Kelly slid inside, bringing in a rush of bitter cold air. Snowflakes collected on the shoulders of her jacket and melted in her red hair. Matt’s heart pumped at the sight of her, just as it did every time since the first time he’d laid eyes on her.
“I figured I might find you here,” she said as she made her way between the boxes, her fingers trailing along the top rails. When she reached him she stood on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Not good enough. Before she could pull away, he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her tight against him, his lips finding hers instinctively. Her perfume invaded his nostrils and her warm body caused his to respond with a dire need to have all of her. Every day. For the rest of his life. “You came in here so we could have some privacy,” he charged when he finally lifted his head and noted the flush on her cheeks.
Her laughter rang to the dusty cross beams high overhead. “Well…that, too, I suppose, but I just wanted to check on you, see how you’re doing.”
“Fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
She lifted a shoulder. Wrinkled that damnably cute nose of hers. “I want to make sure that selling your place is something you want to do.” She was suddenly serious. “I mean, I could move if you wanted to keep your ranch and—”
“No way. This is home.” Still holding her, he glanced around the boxes filled with horses and, high above, to the hay mow. “I did what I had to. Proved my point that I could make it on my own. Now I want to be here.” He stared deep into her eyes. “With the woman I love.”
“Who’s that?” she teased, one side of her mouth lifting.
He barked out a laugh and squeezed her. “Besides, I’m not the only one making sacrifices.” He was talking about her decision to quit the police force and take a position as junior partner with Kurt Striker. They’d aired their differences and Kelly was convinced this was the right move. She needed more free time, a more flexible schedule, and less stress on the job as she became Mrs. Matt McCafferty. “How did Detective Espinoza take the news?”
“Not well,” she admitted.
“Tried to talk you out of it?”
“Mmm. Offered me a promotion.”
“And you turned him down?”
“In a heartbeat. Roberto knew it wasn’t going to happen, anyway. My mind was made up. I think he realized he couldn’t change it.”
“But he gave it a try.”
She grinned.
“How about your folks?”
“They’re another story.” She giggled, snuggled closer to him. “They’re adjusting. And even though they’re grateful for the trust fund, they’re not sure they can trust anyone named McCafferty.”
“Even their daughter?”
“We’ll see. It’ll take some time.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and she sighed. “Will the
y come to the wedding?” he asked.
“With some arm twisting.”
“Really?”
“No…I’m kidding.” Her breath was warm against his chest. “Neither one of my parents would miss my wedding for the world and Karla’s excited about being my maid of honor, though she did have a few choice words about marriage and broken dreams.”
“Funny, my family’s all for it,” he said as Diablo stretched his neck, stuck his head over the stall door and, with nostrils flared, searched Matt for another piece of apple.
“Your family is just grateful to marry you off.”
“Very funny.”
“They thought you were hopeless.”
“They were probably right, but it could be something else, you know. It could be that you captivated my brothers and sister.”
“Oh, right,” she countered, but seemed to glow under the compliment. She checked her watch and sighed. “Got to run.”
“You just got here.”
“I promised Randi I’d babysit. Does he have a name yet?”
“She’s, and I quote, ‘working on it.’ Until she does, we’re all still calling him J.R. She doesn’t like it too much, but she’s going along with it. Doesn’t have much choice.”
“I haven’t given up on finding who’s been threatening her,” Kelly said, her eyes darkening thoughtfully as she twisted a button on his jacket. “I’ll just be working with Kurt instead of the sheriff’s department.”
“We’ll get him,” Matt said, and meant it. “Together.” He pushed a lock of hair from her face. “Just like we’ll do everything.”
“Everything?” she teased, her brown eyes sparkling in that mischievous way he found so intoxicating. One arched brow lifted in naughty anticipation.
“Everything.” He meant it. To prove his point, he pressed her against the wall, let her feel the want in him.
“Oh…oh…” He kissed her and she melted, sagged against the old siding.
“Wh-what about when we have children, and the baby needs to be fed or diapered and it’s one in the morning?” she asked breathlessly as he lifted his head.
“No problem.”
“Spoken like a true man. What about running them all over the map when they’ve got piano and soccer practice and you’re dealing with a sick horse or cattle that have escaped through a hole in the fence?”
“Bring it on,” he said.
“What about—”
“What about this?” he said, wrapping his arms around her more tightly. “You and I, we should quit worrying about what will happen when we have the kids and start concentrating on making a baby.”
“Now?” she asked as he kissed the side of her face.
“Now.”
“Here?”
“Anywhere.” His lips brushed over hers, and as he bent down to lift her off her feet, he felt his father’s rodeo belt buckle press into the muscles of his abdomen. “Anywhere. Anytime. Anyhow. Just as long as it’s you and me.”
“You got it, cowboy,” she whispered into his open mouth, and removed his hat, before dropping it onto her own head and kissing him as if she’d never stop.
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781459219052
Copyright © 2012 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holder of the individual works as follows:
THE MCCAFFERTYS: THORNE
Copyright © 2000 by Susan Crose
THE MCCAFFERTYS: MATT
Copyright © 2001 by Susan Crose
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