He set Kara on her feet and pointed down. “Um, would you mind explaining to your furry friends that I'm one of the good guys? They seem to be confused.”
“Whiskers!” Kara scooped the terrier up and spoke to him like a naughty child. “Shame on you. That's your new daddy. You can't bite him any more.” Elated and giddy, she knew she was grinning comically but she didn't care. She set the dog down and turned to Tyler. “There. How was that?”
“Wonderful.” He gently cupped her cheek, then slid his fingers into her silky hair and drew her closer. “Is there any way I can break you of making me surrogate daddy to all of your pets?”
Kara immediately thought of the very personal dream she'd confessed to Susan back at the church. In the past, she'd have kept the idea of having children to herself and hoped Tyler would eventually guess what she was thinking, what she wanted.
Now, however, she blurted out her reply before she had a chance to modify it. Or to change her mind. “Well, I suppose…if you were a real daddy, it wouldn't seem quite so appropriate.” The passion lighting Tyler's eyes told her she'd done the right thing by speaking her mind.
“I'd love that. I've always wanted kids,” he said softly, tenderly. “I guess there are a lot of other important things you and I need to settle, too, before we get married. I don't want to rush you into anything.”
Kara's smile was so expansive her cheek muscles were beginning to ache. “Oh, really? Shucks. Then I suppose next week would be too soon for the wedding, huh?” The look of astonishment on his face made her giggle. “Okay, okay. I'll give you a little more time if you insist. How about two weeks? I don't know if I can stand waiting three. I've been really, really lonesome. Especially lately.”
“Oh? Why is that?”
She playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Stop grinning at me like that. You know perfectly well what I mean. I'm tired of cooking dinner for one. And coming home to a dark house. And not having anybody but the animals to talk to at night. And…” Blushing, she broke off.
Tyler finished the sentence for her. “And sleeping alone? Me, too. Come on.” Tyler slid his arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the barn.
Kara was afraid he'd gotten the wrong idea until he stopped at Susan's car and opened the passenger door. She got in. “Where are we going?”
“To round up a best man and matron of honor, reserve the church and tell the preacher what we have in mind,” he said, joining her. “How long is it going to take you to find a wedding dress?”
“I'd get married in denim if I had to, as long as you were the groom.” She scooted over close to him and laid her hand on his thigh as if it were the most natural gesture in the world. Somehow, it felt like they'd always been together. Always been a couple.
Tyler put his hand over hers. “Did I mention how much I love you?”
“How should I know? I hardly remember my own name when I'm around you.”
His laugh was rich and deep. “I know what you mean. After your sister told me why you'd left the festival, I decided to chase after you before I realized I didn't have a car! That's why I borrowed this one.”
“I suppose we could drive back separately so you could return Susan's car and I'd have a way home,” Kara suggested logically.
“No way, lady. We don't need any other transportation when we have a perfectly good wagon and team waiting for us back at the church. You and I are taking a nice, slow hayride in the moonlight tonight. I might even stop once in a while and give you a few more kisses, if that's okay with you.”
“It's very okay.” Kara snuggled closer to him and sighed. This was turning out to be a wonderful day, and he'd promised her an equally wonderful evening.
With a start like that, and a man like Tyler to love her, the rest of her life was bound to be blessed.
No one could ask for more.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-2222-9
THE PERFECT COUPLE
Copyright © 2000 by Valerie Whisenand
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