Noah threw back his head and roared with laughter. Then he hugged her closer to himself. “Listen, you little monkey, what good is money if you don’t spend it? Now, I want you to close your eyes and picture a house…the kind of house you’d like us to build on our ranch.”
“It doesn’t have a house?”
“Yes, but it’s very old and sort of run-down.”
“Well, I’d like to see it before you tear it down.”
“Anything you say, sweetheart, as long as you say yes first. Will you be my wife?”
Maddie sucked in a long breath. “Yes…yes!”
Noah hugged and kissed her and whispered all sorts of erotic promises for later on, when they were finally rid of poor old Homer and his psychotic nurse, Connie.
“You know, I just realized something,” he said. “With your aim, I wasn’t safe at all the day I walked into Mark’s house and you threatened me with that paperweight.”
Maddie grinned impishly. “Right on, Dr. Husband-To-Be.”
“You adorable doll!” He kissed her with so much love and passion they both became breathless. “I’d better stop that for the time being,” he gasped.
“Save it, though. Don’t lose it or throw any of it away.”
“Never, sweetheart, never.”
Then, out of the blue, Maddie said, “We could breed Fanny,” and when Noah gave her a curious smile, she added, “On our ranch. Fanny and the right quarter horse stallion would make incredible babies.”
“Sounds absolutely fantastic. We’re going to make some beautiful babies ourselves. Okay, you sit here and dream up a whole bunch of great plans while I go find a telephone.” Standing, he bent over for one last kiss before striking off toward their vehicles.
Maddie watched him for a moment, then called, “Noah! I love you with all my heart, but don’t forget that’s my cell phone you’re carrying!”
“Like hell it is. It’s mine!” he called back, and then he laughed all the way to his SUV. Life with Maddie was never going to be dull. One thing was certain. He was going to refuse that position Dr. Clark had offered on the hospital board. Any spare time he had now was going to be spent with his sweetheart of a wife.
Someday, of course, he’d tell her all about Felicia. Why wouldn’t he? By then Maddie would be so saturated with his love he’d be able to tell her anything.
There was one question that he wished someone could answer for him, though. How in God’s good name had he lived so long without Maddie Kincaid?
Shaking his head, he got into his vehicle and headed for town.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Jackie Merritt for her contribution to the Montana Mavericks series.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8007-0
MARKED FOR MARRIAGE
Copyright © 2002 by Harlequin Books S.A.
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Marked for Marriage Page 24