Double the Trouble (Texas Trouble 3)

by Becky McGraw

  "You, okay, baby?" she asked finally to break the silence.

  He looked over at her and his eyes lit up, as did his face with a wide grin, "Better than okay, sugar...perfect."

  She snorted, then he laughed when she said, "Nah, you're not perfect, darlin'...but then neither am I...we're both just screwed up enough that I think we deserve each other. Nobody else can put up with out sorry asses."

  "I've missed you so damned much, Karlie...thank you for giving me another chance," Gabe told her, his voice roughened by the emotion she saw in his eyes.

  "I honestly don't know why I am...the only thing I do know is I was damned miserable without you," Karlie told him sincerely.

  "Me too, darlin'...Sabrina wasn't kidding, she was about to shoot me," he told her with a chuckle, as he pulled up in front of the cabin and shut the motor off.

  He got out of the car and flew around to her side, then flung the door open and hauled her out of the car and into his arms for a kiss that set the soles of her feet on fire, then he stepped back and she gasped when he swung her up into his arms, and headed for the front porch.

  "Gabe, put me down...your arm," she reminded him with a laugh.

  "Is fine, now...and I want you in my arms, sugar...it's been too long," Gabe said gruffly, as they reached the door and he leaned down and dropped a light kiss on her lips. He reached down and turned the knob then carried her inside.

  Right inside the door, Gabe set her on her feet, then pulled her to him for another kiss that had her leaning into him to deepen it. Karlie couldn't seem to get close enough to him, wanted to crawl inside of him and bask in the pleasure she was feeling...pleasure that only he could give her. Moving her calf up to his thigh, she rubbed against him trying to douse the fire he was fanning inside of her. He was right, it had been too long, and she needed him inside of her now. With a wiggle of her hips, she begged with a groan, "I need you so bad, baby...love me, Gabe."

  He pulled her arms from around his neck, and stepped back then pinned her with dark blue eyes glittering with desire. Holding her hands in his, he shook his head then said,

  "Not yet, baby...there's a lot I want to say to you first." Gabe led her to the sofa in front of the fireplace, then pushed her down on it. "Sit tight, I'll be right back."

  Karlie sat there, her body smoldering, wondering what in the hell could be more important to him than making love to her. Gabe came back a few minutes later, and she saw that he'd taken a shower and changed into Wranglers and a western shirt. He'd also put on a new black Stetson and boots. Her heart rate kicked up, because he looked smoking hot, but he didn't look like her Gabe. She stood up, then took off the hat and tossed it on a chair then ran her fingers through his dark wavy hair, before tiptoeing to kiss him.

  "There, that's better," she told him with a grin.

  "You don't like my new cowboy duds, sugar?" he said in an extended drawl, with a sexy grin.

  "I like you anyway you come, darlin'," she told him in a voice thick as honey, then leaned up to kiss him again. "Preferably, in the bed naked and loving me," she teased him then licked his lower lip and he groaned then pushed her away again, which frustrated her. Karlie plopped down on the sofa and folded her arms under her breasts in agitation.

  "Patience, sweetheart...I have several things to say to you that can't wait," he told her seriously, then sat down beside her and took her hand in his. "I love you, Karlie Upton," he said then hesitated.

  "I love you too, Gabe Kelly, now let's go get nekkid," she told him with a laugh.

  He pinned her with serious eyes, and her smile dropped and she cleared her throat, "Sorry, baby...go ahead," she told him.

  "I am so damned sorry for what I said to you at the lake...that dream I had kind of had me running scared, and I lashed out at you."

  "I told you I forgive you...you don't have to apologize again...but out of curiosity, what was the dream about?"

  "I dreamed that you married Wade Roberts, because I was too stupid to ask you," he said in a choked whisper, as the feelings inspired by that dream coursed through him again.

  "And that made you run me off?" Karlie asked him with raised eyebrows.

  "Yeah, because I decided when I was really young that I wasn't ever getting married...after my mother left my dad," he said and shook his head. "It almost killed him, he wasn't the same after that...all he did was work his ass off to raise us. He had no life left in him. I was young, but I saw it...and learned from it."

  "That you can't trust women, because they'll run off on you," she filled in for him with a sad smile. Gabe nodded because he couldn't speak around the lump that formed in his throat. Karlie leaned over and put her arms around him and hugged him to her. "I'm sorry you went through that, darlin'. It must've been as hard as when my parents dumped me," she told him sympathetically, then added with a watery chuckle, "See we're both screwed up, but we understand each other."

  "I'm just trying to explain, baby...I want you to understand."

  "I do, darlin' and I'm not putting any pressure on you whatsoever...the reason I didn't want to move in with you wasn't because I expected you to marry me. I was afraid that I'd piss you off and I'd wind up with the same situation I was in with Jake..." Karlie told him and anger surged up inside of him, then she doused it when she added, her lower lip trembling with emotion, "Or when you saw how much trouble I truly was and you'd dump me too."

  "These last two weeks without you have been hell...I haven't been eating, I can't sleep, and I think Cole wants to fire me, because I can't focus at work. I need you darlin', I can't live without you...I don't want to live without you."

  "I'm here, Gabe...I'm not going anywhere. I love you, sugar."

  Fear, determination and love tangled up in Gabe's heart and he took a deep breath, then reached in his pocket and pulled out the little box he'd had in his dresser drawer for a couple of days now. This was his independence day, the day he finally put his past behind him and looked toward the future.

  He slid off the couch and got on his knees in front of Karlie and took her hand in his, then told her, "I believe that. It's time for both of us to put the past to rest and look at our future...together. Karlie, I love you and trust you more than any woman I've ever known...I don't ever want to lose you again." Gabe swallowed then flipped open the box with his thumb and held out the little blue velvet box to her, and asked, "Karlie Upton, would you spend the rest of your life loving me? Will you marry me, darlin'?'

  Karlie shook her head and panic rose up from his toes and his ears started buzzing. If she turned him down, he'd probably lose his mind. Getting over the hurdle of his fear and insecurity about relationships, marriage, was the hardest thing he'd ever done in his life. She couldn't turn him down.

  "Gabe, you really don't have to do this, sugar. I would live with you for the rest of my life...love you for the rest of my life...with or without vows, because I can't live without you either."

  Relief flooded through him when he realized she wasn't turning him down, she was trying to give him an out...he didn't want a fucking out. "No--I don't want to just live with you anymore...that's off the table," he grated then added, "I want a commitment Karlie...I want to make one to you...I want you to be mine forever."

  "If you're sure that's what you wa--"

  "I'm never been more positive about anything in my life, Karlie..." he said fervently then pulled her into his arms and ground his mouth against hers, trying to show her how serious he was.

  After a minute, Karlie put her hands on his chest and pushed then sat back on the sofa looking at him with those beautiful bright blue eyes sparkling with happiness and love. Giving him that thousand-watt smile that melted his knees, she said, "Yes, Gabe Kelley, I'd be honored to be your wife."

  Victory and joy shot through him and let out a ear-splitting whoop, then he grabbed her off the couch and hugged her tightly to him then spun her in cir
cles.

  "Whoa, wild man...you're making me dizzy," she told him with a laugh.

  "You've been making me dizzy, since I met you, wild child...I guess we're even now," he told her with a grin then claimed her lips in a kiss so passionate Karlie's toes curled in her boots.

  EPILOGUE

  Gabe tugged at the bow tie on his Armani tuxedo, thinking it felt sort of like a noose around his neck. What his idea of marriage used to be...before Karlie Upton had come into his life. The beautiful redhead had changed his whole perspective on marriage...hell on life. Standing next to Cole, his best man, at the gazebo where they'd say their vows in a few short minutes, he was squirming like he had fleas in his drawers. It wasn't because he was afraid though, he wanted to see his beautiful bride walking down that white runner, to promise him she would be his forever.

  Gabe had never wanted anything more in his life...could never ask for more. He was one lucky bastard.

  His eyes wandered over to the front row and he saw Luke sitting there feeding his little baby daughter Bella. She was the most beautiful baby Gabe had ever seen with her dark hair, sky blue eyes and pink skin...and Luke seemed like he was mesmerized by her. Cassie sat beside him, wiping her full little lips with a cloth diaper when she dribbled.

  The sight caused a yearning so deep in Gabe's soul it actually hurt him. He wanted the family he'd never had...with Karlie...their children would know every day how much they were loved. His little girl would have her mama's beautiful red hair...maybe they'd have a matched set of hellions like Karlie and Katie. He groaned at the thought, but then smiled. It seemed like that's all he could do these days, smile, and it felt damned good to finally have something to smile about.

  Looking over to the other side of the aisle, he saw Beau sitting next to Sabrina, his very pregnant sister who looked like she was about to pop any second. They were both grinning from ear to ear. Beau gave him a thumbs up and he nodded and smiled. Over the last three months, he'd made it down to Bowie on the weekends and they'd gotten to know each other, gone fishing and just hung out with Sabrina and Karlie.

  Getting to know his brother had been a pleasure, he was a good man in spite of their mother. Beau had told him stories about some of the things she'd done, while he was growing up, and it made Gabe glad she'd left them...well almost. At least the knowledge made him realize that she hadn't left because they were flawed or unworthy...the defect was inside of her. Jolie Kelley just hadn't had the capacity to love anyone, but herself.

  The fiddlers started playing Cannon in D and woke Gabe up from the cloud he'd been drifting around in all day. When it cleared he saw Katie floating down the aisle, a vision in the peachy colored dress that Karlie had picked out for her...a prelude to what his bride would look like. When she reached the gazebo and stood across the runner from them, the fiddler's started the bridal march, and everyone stood up and looked back toward the beginning of the runner.

  A second later, Karlie appeared there and stopped, along with Gabe's heart. She was so damned beautiful, he felt like he was staring into the sun. But the sight of her on Wade Robert's arm made him want to run down there and grab her. He held back the urge, reminding himself the bastard was going to be handing her off to him when they reached the end of the row. Quite symbolic to Gabe's way of thinking, because he knew how the man felt about Karlie, even if she didn't realize it.

  When Karlie had first suggested him to walk her down the aisle, because she didn't have a brother or father, he'd balked, because he didn't want the man anywhere near her. Then when she told him that's how she felt about Wade, like he was a brother, a friend, he capitulated, because what other choice did he have?

  So, Gabe gritted his teeth and held Karlie's gaze all the way down the aisle. Her eyes were sparkling with tears of happiness and her cheeks were flushed. Before she got to the end, he took two steps toward her, even though he was supposed to wait. He was through waiting.

  Wade grinned at him smugly, and lifted Karlie's veil, then holding her hands, he put a smacking kiss right on her lips. Gabe's teeth clenched and his hands fisted, as he fought the overwhelming urge to plant his fist in the cowboy's face. Wouldn't that give the town gossips something to talk about, he thought, the groom punching out the guy handing off the bride. Instead, he grabbed Karlie's hand and pulled her to him, then he gave Wade Roberts a scowl. Everyone in attendance started laughing, some of the younger guys whistled, which made Gabe's scowl even darker.

  "Take care of her, man...or I will," Wade told him with a wink, then walked over and sat by Luke and Cassie.

  Karlie chuckled and whispered by his ear, "He's just messing with you, sugar. He knows he'll never get the chance...because I love you and only you." Then his beautiful bride tiptoed and put a kiss on his cheek turning his scowl into a smile, right before he grabbed her and kissed her silly, before the vows were said. The crowd went wild, and Gabe thought that was perfectly appropriate for the joining of two wild spirits that had finally found peace in each other.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Becky McGraw is a married mother of three adult children, and a Southern girl by birth and the grace of God, ya'll. One of several career changes transplanted Becky and her family to Indiana, where she now lives with her husband and dog Abby.

  A jack of many trades in her life, Becky has been an optician, a beautician, a legal secretary, a senior project manager for an aviation management consulting firm, which took her all over the United States, a real estate broker, and now a graphic artist, web designer and writer.

  She knows just enough about a variety of topics to make her dangerous, and her romance novels interesting and varied. Being a graphic artist is a good thing for her too, because she creates her own cover art, along with writing the novels.

  Becky has been an avid reader of romance novels since she was a teenager, and has been known to read up to four novels of that genre a week, much to the dismay of her husband, and the delight of e-book sellers.

  She has been writing fictional short stories and novels for fun, as well as technical copy for her jobs for many years. She was a member of the Writer's Guild on AOL during her last venture into writing romance, as well as a founding member and treasurer of the first online chapter of the Romance Writers of America, From the Heart Romance Writers.

  With the advancement of online publishing opportunities, Becky has started writing again as voraciously as she reads. Be looking for all of the books in her Texas Trouble Series, a contemporary cowboy romance series, with hot cowboys, a dash of suspense, and a lot of southern flavor.

  ***

  Be sure to read the first two books in the Texas Trouble Series, by Becky McGraw, MY KIND OF TROUBLE (#1, Texas Trouble), and THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE (#2 Texas Trouble). Available on amazon.com, bn.com and smashwords.com

  READ EXCERPTS BELOW

  MY KIND OF TROUBLE

  by Becky McGraw,

  Copyright @ June 18, 2012

  Cassie Bellamy thought she'd left Bowie, Texas and Luke Matthews behind for good. She'd been gone for ten years and in that time had built a successful real estate business, had a new fiancé, and had all but forgotten about the Texas bad boy who'd sent her running to Phoenix in the first place.

  She wouldn't be going back now, but her daddy needed her at the Double B.

  Driving her old pickup truck "Bessie" back to Bowie had seemed like a good idea when she'd left Phoenix, but it didn't seem so good when she was broken down on the side of the road in ninety plus Texas weather in between Bowie and her daddy's farm. And it seemed an even worse idea when her knight in brown khaki turned out to be none other than the bad boy himself, a Sheriff now, and still as hot as the Texas sun.

  Cassie does her best to ignore Luke and remember her fiancé back in Phoenix, but Luke seems determined to make her remember his kisses and their nights of stargazing by the lake instead. And she definitely still has stars in her ey
es when she looks at the delectable Sheriff.

  Luke Matthews had worked damned hard to change the way people thought of him. He wasn't know as the bad boy son of the town's drunk anymore, they called him Sheriff now. For ten years, Luke had been living on the right side of the law, and had forgotten about Cassie Bellamy, the woman who'd left him dangling on a limb ten years ago.

  All that changes when he plays good Samaritan and stops to rescue a woman stranded on the side of the road. He finds out the fine behind and illegally long legs sticking out from under the hood of the beat up old truck belong to Cassie Bellamy. She was back in Bowie and just as sassy and stubborn as always...looking better than ever.