The Black Sheep's Inheritance(32)

Her eyes filled with tears and her breath caught in her throat. It was everything she'd hoped for. Only better.

"I love your mind. Your humor. Your kindness. I love everything about you."

"I can't believe this," she murmured, wondering if somehow she had  fallen asleep back at the condo and maybe this was all just a very real,  very involved dream.

"Believe it," he said, bending low enough to kiss her forehead before  drawing back to look at her again. "Remember what J.D. said? Family is  important and love is all that matters?"

"I remember." His eyes were shining down on her. The shutters were  gone. They were clear and beautiful and glittering with emotions so deep  they stole her breath.

"Well, you're my family. And my love for you is everything." He pulled  her in close to him, lifted both hands and cupped her face between his  palms. "I'm asking you to marry me, Colleen. Marry me and make a family  of our own. Kids. Dogs. Horses. We'll have it all if you'll just say  yes."

She wanted to. More than anything in her life, she wanted what he was  offering. But she had to say, "I still want to get my practitioner's  license. I want to have that rural practice I told you about."

He grinned and her heart nearly leaped up her throat. Would he always have this effect on her? God, she hoped so.

"Not a problem, honey," he said. "When you have calls to make, I'll watch the kids."

"Kids," she repeated, because she loved the sound of it.

"At least five or six."

She laughed then and felt her whole world come right again.

"So, will you marry me, Colleen?" He kissed the tip of her nose, then  brushed her mouth with his. "Trust me, love. I've learned enough to  listen. To know that though I could make it through my life alone, I  don't want to. I want you-I need you-by my side. Always."

"There's really nowhere else I'd rather be," she said as she leaned  into him. Her heart was full, and she had everything she'd ever dreamed  of, right there offering her his heart. His life. His love. "Sage, I  love you so much, of course I'll marry you."

"Thank God," he whispered and kissed her there in the room where they  had first begun. Where they would come when they wanted to remember.  When they wanted to celebrate the fact that love really was the only  thing that mattered.





     Epilogue

The wedding was two weeks later.

Colleen was amazed at just how quickly everything could come together.  But Sage hadn't wanted to wait, and really, neither had she. Why wait  when you had at last found the one person in the world for you?

Sage's ranch was decorated with flowers everywhere. He'd arranged for  both a florist and a gardener to come in and turn the yard into a  rainbow of color. There was also a hastily constructed dance floor on  the wide front yard, lit by miles of tiny white twinkling lights that  in the dusk looked like stars being born. Music from a local country  band had the dance floor crowded and the scent of barbecue tempted  everyone there.                       
       
           



       

It had been perfect, Colleen thought. Even the weather had cooperated,  blessing the ceremony with a cool, clear day and a starry night.

She'd been on her feet for hours now, but she wasn't the least bit  tired. Joy filled her, keeping a smile on her face and a thrill in her  heart. She took a sip of champagne and looked out across the ranch at  the people who had come to celebrate with them. It had been a small  ceremony, only friends and family, and somehow that had made the whole  thing more special.

Marlene was dancing with Walter Drake, the older woman laughing at  something he said. Angie and Evan looked to be involved in a heated  discussion, and Colleen frowned slightly. She could only hope that the  situation would be cleared up soon, before it destroyed what the couple  shared. Dylan was supervising the barbecue station and Chance was  talking to Sage's ranch manager. Jenna and her husband were dancing and  Colleen's mother and Aunt Donna were huddled at a table, no doubt  planning their upcoming cruise.

"You're looking way too thoughtful for a bride," Sage said, coming up behind her. "And did I tell you how beautiful you are?"

She felt beautiful in her floor-length, off-the-shoulder white dress  that skimmed her curves and swirled at her feet. But then, Sage was  handsome in a black suit that was so elegantly cut he took her breath  away.

"You did," she assured him, "but feel free to repeat yourself."

He chuckled, slid his arms around her middle and held her close to  him. Colleen laid her hands on his arms and leaned her head back against  his broad chest. "It's just such a perfect day."

He bent his head briefly to kiss her neck. "Any day I can get Colleen Falkner to say 'I do' is a good day."

She looked up at him. "That's Colleen Lassiter to you, mister."

He grinned and her heart did a flip. "Sounds good, doesn't it?"

"Sounds wonderful," she agreed, then nodded toward her mother and  aunt. "They're so excited about the house you're having built for them  on the ranch."

He laughed a little. "I know. Between the two of them, they're about to drive the architect wild enough to jump out a window."

Colleen's gaze slid across to the other side of the wide, manicured  lawn, where the foundation of a house had already been laid. Sage had  surprised her, and thrilled her mother, with his plans to build a  three-bedroom house on the property for Laura and Donna. They would  have their own place but be close enough to the main house that they  could come and go as they pleased. The two women hadn't stopped talking  about it since.

"They've changed the layout of the downstairs three times already," Sage mused, humor evident in his tone.

"You realize that with this beautiful house, they probably won't want  to move to Florida after all?" And really, the two women had only  decided on Florida because Aunt Donna already lived there and it would  have been the easiest solution. Now things were different.

"Why would they, when Wyoming has everything?" he asked, then, smiling  gently he added, "They only wanted to live together. Now they don't  have to be in Florida to do it. And if your mom gets sick of winter,  we'll buy the two of them a condo in Florida and they can go as often  as they like."

Her heart did the flippy thing again as she realized just what an amazing man she'd fallen in love with. "You're incredible."

"Not really," he said wryly, "but I'm glad you think so."

"I really do," she told him, turning in his arms so that she could  look at him. Colleen knew that every ounce of love she felt for him had  to be shining from her eyes, because she felt lit from within, as if  she was absolutely glowing with the happiness she'd found.

"Besides," he said on a low laugh, "once the two of them have their  passports in hand, I have a feeling they're going to be taking lots of  trips. They can't wait for that cruise you're sending them on. But home  will always be here. Waiting for them."

She studied his features, wanting to be absolutely sure he was okay  with this and not just doing it because he knew she'd love having her  family close by. "Are you really positive, Sage? There aren't many men  willing to have their mother-in-law, not to mention her sister, living  right on his doorstep."                       
       
           



       

All trace of amusement left his face as he met her eyes. He lifted one  hand to smooth a stray lock of her hair back behind her ear before  saying, "J.D.'s not here today-and damned if I don't wish he was. But I  know what he'd say and I feel the same way. Family is important. Love  is all that matters."

Tears filled her eyes. "Oh, you really know how to touch my heart."

"You are my heart, Colleen." He bent to kiss her gently, briefly. "And  your mom. Donna. They're nice women. Why shouldn't they be with their  family?" He grinned. "Besides, when our babies start arriving, how  great will it be to have two willing babysitters close by?"

They'd already started trying to make their family, and Colleen sighed  with the thought. Babies. A husband who loved her. Her vision still  blurred with a wash of tears she was too happy to shed, she went up on  her toes and kissed him. "I love you, Sage Lassiter."

"Damn straight you do," he said, his half grin taking all of the arrogance out of the statement.

"You're impossible."

"And very lucky," he added.

"Oh, that too," she agreed, sliding her arms around his waist and  cuddling in close. He held her tightly enough that she heard the steady  thump of his heart beneath her ear. Closing her eyes, she smiled to  herself and relished the sensation of having her life be everything she  could ever have hoped for.