by Soraya Lane
Cody punched him in the arm and he howled, pretending to nurse his arm.
“And you, unbelievable,” he said to Angelina, kissing his sister’s cheek and embracing her. “I can’t believe you came all this way.”
She hugged him, kissing his cheek back. “That gorgeous girl of yours is demanding. She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Ange said. “But I like her—she’s definitely a keeper.”
“Hell yes, that’s one thing we won’t ever be arguing about,” he said, giving his sister a wink as he turned to the rest of his family.
Lauren was standing across from him, on the other side of the table, and he noticed that she was slightly apart from his family, looking unsure. Was she worried what his reaction would be to having all his family here?
Thank you, he mouthed, hoping she could tell what he was trying to say.
He would have kept wondering, too, if her smile hadn’t lit up her entire face.
“Anyone ordered champagne yet?” he asked, still grinning at Lauren.
His father waved a waiter over and Tanner moved around everyone else to Lauren. Her smile was wide as he wrapped his arms around her and dipped her backward, kissing her as she giggled.
“Thank you,” he said, not caring that they were in the middle of a restaurant or that his entire family was watching. “For future reference, I hate surprise parties, but this”—he sighed and kissed her again—“this is about as perfect as it damn well gets.”
“Good,” she replied, pushing him back a little and hauling him toward his family, her grip on his hand firm. “Now stop kissing me and start drinking. We’ve got some celebrating to do!”
Tanner pulled out a chair for Lauren and took the bottle of Veuve Clicquot from the waiter. Another waiter was placing a tray of oysters on the table as Tanner popped the champagne, grinning when everyone started to clap.
“To my last bull ride!” Tanner said.
“To finally getting rid of the rocks in your head!” Cody added, holding up his glass.
Tanner poured Lauren’s glass first, bending to whisper in her ear. “To the most beautiful, perfect woman I could ever have wished for,” he said quietly, his words spoken only for her.
Her cheeks tinged pink but she touched his hand to stop him from rising.
“To our second chance at love,” she whispered back, staring into his eyes.
“Hurry up, lovebirds! We’re getting thirsty over here!” Cody called out.
Tanner ignored his brother, discarding the bottle on the table and kissing the hell out of his girl instead.
Epilogue
LAUREN walked in and flopped down on the sofa. She was exhausted. Mentally and physically, absolutely beside herself kind of exhausted.
“Tanner?” she called out.
She had no idea if he was in the house, but his truck had been in the garage and he hadn’t mentioned anything about going out. Usually if she was going to be home at a decent hour, he was waiting, surprising her with his new-found culinary skills, but she couldn’t smell anything cooking tonight and there wasn’t a sound in the house.
Lauren shut her eyes, deciding that he mustn’t be home. She didn’t mind. He was probably out having a drink with friends, and she could shut her eyes and catch up on some sleep before he got home. Her stomach was growling and she was thirsty, but it was worth starving for a bit longer if she was able to lie still.
She breathed deep, like she did in yoga, in through her nose, holding it a second, then slowly letting it out. She repeated it a few times and started to drift off, sleep slowly cocooning her as her body relaxed.
“Surprise.”
A low whisper was followed by something wet touching her cheek. What the heck? Her eyes popped open and she looked straight into the darkest brown eyes, so pure and innocent, followed by a tongue darting out to smear her with a big lick.
“Why are you holding a puppy?” she mumbled, wriggling back to a sitting position and rubbing her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming.
“Don’t you love him?” Tanner asked, holding up the pup and giving him a cuddle.
“Of course I love him, he’s a puppy,” she said dryly as Tanner passed the dog to her. She cradled him close and inhaled his sweet puppy smell, trying to keep him still as he wriggled and tried to get back to her face for more licks. He was chocolate brown and felt as smooth as silk.
“I thought it was about time we made a commitment,” he said. “We’re co-parenting now.”
Lauren laughed. “Co-parenting? Do you have any idea how much your old rodeo buddies would laugh if they heard you talking like that?”
Tanner laughed straight back at her and flopped beside her on the sofa. The puppy leapt straight out of her arms and scooted over to Tanner, lavishing him with love as her man pretended to fight him off then gave in to the attention.
“Getting jealous?” he asked.
“Of a puppy?” Lauren nudged him with her toe. “Please don’t tell me you did this to make me jealous and get more attention.”
“Shit, is it not going to work?”
They both laughed and she moved closer, snuggling up to him, head on his shoulder as she stroked the puppy’s silky soft head.
“He’s gorgeous, Tan,” she said. “He looks like he’s going to be huge though.”
“I might have picked the biggest puppy in the litter,” he confessed, kissing the top of her head. “Growing up we used to have a German Shorthaired Pointer, and when I saw this little guy for sale, I thought he’d be perfect. He’ll be great on the ranch, and they’re a great breed.”
Lauren didn’t mind. She loved animals, she’d just always been too busy to have a pet with the hours she worked. But if Tanner wanted a dog, then she was happy to share a home with it.
“So long as you get up in the night to take him out, he can be our fur-baby,” she said.
“Does that mean I’ll have to get up in the night for our human babies, too?” he teased.
She groaned. “Don’t even talk about it,” she said, hating the topic. “It makes me worry that you’ve got your heart set on kids.” There was a decent chance she could get pregnant one day, but there was just as good a chance that she couldn’t, and the thought still twisted her into knots.
“Hey, if we decide we want kids, we’ll find a way to have kids. There’s more than one way to have a baby.”
She reached for the puppy to give him a snuggle, holding him to her chest and kissing his warm little head. It was actually quite a nice idea to have a dog around the house—so long as he didn’t chew all her shoes.
“Do you know we’ve been together a year now?” Tanner asked.
Lauren smiled down at the puppy who’d just fallen asleep on her lap, then leaned into Tanner without disturbing their new baby. “It’s a year from our trip to Fiji,” she said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not convinced that’s our anniversary, Tan. We didn’t actually get together properly for a while after that.” She laughed. “A long while.”
He kissed her, his lips moving so softly over hers and making her moan. He knew just how to kiss her, just how gently to brush his lips over hers to turn her to liquid.
“It’s a year since I first laid eyes upon you again,” he murmured. “And a year since I got to see that gorgeous body naked again.”
She stifled a laugh. “Honey, the baby’s listening! You can’t talk like that anymore.”
The look Tanner gave her was wicked. “Screw the fur-baby.”
He carefully lifted the puppy and placed him on the sofa on the other side of Lauren, pausing to kiss her on the way past and stroke his fingers down her arm to her hand.
“Come with me,” he said. “I have our anniversary present waiting on the table.”
She wasn’t going to argue with him about whether or not it was their anniversary, because so long as there was food waiting on the table, and maybe wine, then she was happy. Lauren happily took his hand and let him haul her up, still tired but feeling more alive than
when she’d stumbled in. It had been another crazy busy season for her, and right now she’d be happy if she never had to work another day in her life.
“Oh,” she said, seeing papers stretched out over the table. Her heart sank—clearly he was excited about showing her something, but she wanted food!
“I was expecting dinner,” she said, trying not to register her disappointment.
“Dinner’s on its way,” he told her, pulling her forward. “I ordered Italian.”
Her stomach growled in response. “Okay,” she said, still not sure what he was giving her as she edged closer. And then she focused on the huge sheets of paper that were laid out.
They were blueprints of a house.
“The plans have been finished,” Tanner said, his voice lower, huskier than usual. “If you give them the green light, then they’ll start work on our house as soon as we’re ready.”
Lauren’s hand dropped from his as she leaned forward, fingers reaching for the papers and tracing every line as slowly as her eyes were. Holy shit. Every single thing she’d asked for, every little thing she’d ever mentioned to Tanner, had been included. There was her big wardrobe, the bathroom layout she wanted with the huge bath, the big ranch-style kitchen and nook area, the library with two walls of bookcases and the big veranda so she could sit and look out at the river. Every single thing was there.
“It’s perfect,” she whispered. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
Tanner’s arms closed around her from behind. “Does it look like home?”
Lauren took a deep breath as she studied the plans again, soaking in every part of the design and imagining herself living there, seeing herself sipping wine at the counter while Tanner cooked or sitting out on the veranda and admiring the sprawling ranch with him. It couldn’t have been any more perfect.
“It looks exactly like home to me,” she finally replied. “I couldn’t be more in love if I tried to be.”
“With me or the house?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow as she spun in his arms to face him.
“Both,” she said earnestly, surprised that he pulled back when she leaned in to kiss him.
“Lauren, there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about,” he said, running a hand through his hair and instantly alerting her to the fact he was nervous about something.
She waited, shoving her hands into her jeans pockets as she waited for him to continue. She was worried for a split second, until she saw a smile start to play across his lips. He was up to something!
“I just don’t feel comfortable moving in with you yet,” he said, hand on his heart and making her laugh. “Until you make an honest man out of me, I’m not sure I can do it.”
She planted one hand on her hip, playing along with his silly charade. “So the fact we share a bed at least five nights out of the week doesn’t bother you, but officially moving in with you is off the table? What exactly are you suggesting we do about it?”
Tanner’s face morphed into a smile the size of Texas. “It just so happens I have a solution, darlin’,” he said, reaching into his back pocket.
“Oh yeah?” she replied, breathless as she watched him, wondering what he was about to do.
“Yeah,” he said, dropping to one knee and reaching for her hand. “I had this crazy idea we could get married. What do you say?”
She slapped the hand he wasn’t holding over her mouth as he slid the biggest, sparkliest ring she’d ever seen onto her finger. The diamond was huge, the platinum band covered in smaller diamonds that caught the light and dazzled her.
“I’d say that’s no way to ask a girl,” she whispered.
Tanner rose and kissed her fingers, his eyes never leaving hers. “Lauren, will you marry me?”
She took a second to stare at the ring, to absorb what was happening. Little over a year ago, she’d never ever thought she’d cross paths with Tanner again, let alone marry the man!
“Yes,” she said, her voice shaking as she smiled and stepped into his chest. “Yes, Tanner, I’ll marry you.”
He dipped his mouth to hers in the warmest, softest, most gentle kiss of her life. His fingers trailed down her back as she cupped her hands around his neck, drinking in the taste and scent of him, and grinning against his mouth at the weight of her new ring on her hand.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
She lifted her hand to admire the huge square diamond.
“Nothing, I just”—she kissed him and tucked tight to him—“I just can’t believe that after all these years, after everything, that we’re here.”
Tanner kissed her again. “Well, you’d better believe it,” he murmured against her lips.
“A wedding and a fur-baby,” she whispered, glancing behind her at the now-sleeping puppy on the sofa.
“And a husband-to-be who wants to see you out of those clothes and wearing only that ring,” he teased as he tugged her back again for another kiss.
“Oh really?” she asked, fighting against him as he grabbed her wrists and held her still, making her giggle.
“Uh-huh, and he’s getting really impatient.”
Lauren broke free and ran, bolting away from him and down the hall. But Tanner’s heavier footfalls were interrupted by a yipping noise as the puppy suddenly woke up and joined in the chase.
“I’m having second thoughts about the fur-baby!” Tanner called out, as Lauren spun around in the hall in time to see him scoop up the puppy.
“Tough luck,” she said, taking the dog from him just as the doorbell rang. “Looks like you’re out of luck, husband.”
Tanner growled as he stormed back down the hall to the front door, and Lauren smooched the pup while he greeted the delivery guy. Italian takeout, a puppy, and a diamond ring—it was the perfect evening.
She blew a kiss at Tanner when he turned around to face her and he dropped the paper bags and ran down the hall, scooping her and the puppy up in one swoop and carrying them into the bedroom as Lauren’s laughter echoed around them.
The puppy barked when Tanner tried to kiss her, and he picked him up and gave him a hard stare.
“Look, scrappy, this ain’t gonna end well if you block me from kissing my girl.”
The puppy let out a yap in response, making them both burst out laughing.
“Whoever said they wanted children?” she asked, grinning up at Tanner.
“Beats me. I just want a wife.”
Lauren lay back and Tanner collapsed beside her, the puppy in between them. It might not be everyone’s version of perfect, but Lauren couldn’t have been happier if she’d tried.
“I love you, darlin’,” Tanner declared.
She grinned over at him. “I love you too, but I’ll love you even more if you go get that Italian for me. I’m starving.”
Tanner laughed. “Your wish is my command.”
Also by Soraya Lane
I Knew You Were Trouble
Cowboy Take Me Away
The Devil Wears Spurs
Cowboy Stole My Heart
PRAISE FOR THE NOVELS OF SORAYA LANE
I Knew You Were Trouble
“Readers will fall head-over-heels in love with Nate and Faith. Lane’s latest is filled with a huge dose of Southern Texas charm.”
—RT Book Reviews
“First-rate writing and memorable characters prove that sometimes things are worth the trouble as demonstrated by Ms. Lane.”
—Jenerated Reviews
“A fun, endearing, yet heartbreaking read that kept me eagerly turning pages just waiting to see how everything works out for Faith and Nate.”
—Romance Junkies
“For those who love a Texan man and some good flirtation, I recommend I Knew You Were Trouble.”
—Harlequin Junkie
Cowboy Take Me Away
“A sexy, charming Southern read.”
—RT Book Reviews
“Soraya Lane keeps the story going and exciting to the very end.”
—Read
er to Reader Review
“If you like steamy cowboy romances you’ll love this book.”
—Bitten By Love Reviews
“Captivating on so many levels … heartbreakingly memorable.”
—Romance Junkies
The Devil Wears Spurs
“Hot, handsome cowboys and sharp, amusing banter make Lane’s latest a fun, sexy read … With down-to-earth characters in a Western setting, Lane tells a story that will keep readers engaged until the very last page.”
—Romantic Times
“It’s no gamble to bet on cowboy Ryder King. Soraya Lane’s The Devil Wears Spurs is as hot as a Texas summer. It’s a wild ride you don’t want to miss.”
—New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Ryan
“Watch out, the Devil has met his match! Sit back with Soraya Lane’s The Devil Wears Spurs and enjoy the sparks that fly between champion bull rider Ryder and Chloe, a barmaid with a few aces up her sleeve. You won’t want their story to end!”
—Laura Moore, bestselling author of Once Tasted
“Sassy, sexy, and so much fun, The Devil Wears Spurs is a cowboy fantasy come to life. With this rowdy, romantic ride from the ranches of Texas to the casinos of Las Vegas, Soraya Lane proves herself a bright new voice in western romance.”
—Melissa Cutler, author of The Trouble with Cowboys
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a child, Soraya dreamed of becoming an author. Fast-forward more than a few years, and Soraya is now living her dream! She describes being an author as “the best job in the world,” and she hopes to be writing romance and women’s fiction for many years to come.
Soraya loves spending her days thinking up characters for books, and her home is a constant source of inspiration. She lives with her own real-life hero and two young sons on a small farm in New Zealand, surrounded by animals and with an office overlooking a field where their horses graze. For more information about Soraya, her books, and her writing life, visit sorayalane.com or www.facebook.com/SorayaLaneAuthor, or follow her on twitter @Soraya_Lane. She would love to hear from you. Sign up for email updates here.