Stone Cold Cowboy(112)

“What? That was funny.”

“None of this is funny,” Grandpa Sammy said. “You were supposed to act responsibly. Do right by her.”

“I was responsible.”

“He definitely did it right,” Colt added.

Ford smacked Colt in the shoulder.

Grandpa Sammy’s face darkened with anger. “It’s your responsibility to take care of her.”

Rory squared off with his grandfather. “I did take care of her. I planned to take things slow, do things in the right order. What I didn’t plan for was the condom to break. It was an accident. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did, and now we’re expecting a baby we both want and can’t wait to meet.”

Grandpa Sammy glanced past Rory at her.

She pulled the spoon from her mouth, leaving a huge lump of peanut butter behind. She spoke around it, pointing the spoon at Rory. “What he said.”

Grandpa Sammy pointed a finger at Rory. “You better do right by her.”

“Are you kidding me right now? Do right by her. Of course I’ll take care of her. I nearly lost her and my child today. I killed someone to protect them. Not just to save them, but to save myself. I can’t live a second without her. She is everything to me. I love her. I’m going to marry her.” Rory went to the cupboard, pulled down the mug he’d made for his mother in grade school, and dumped out the black velvet box. He held it up to his grandfather. “I bought her a ring days ago, but I need more time. I need to know she loves me, not because of the baby, but because it’s how she truly feels. I need time to convince her to marry me and make a life with me and our child here on the ranch.”

“Yes.” She didn’t have to think, she just blurted it out. She sat there watching Rory lose himself in defending his actions and what happened to his grandfather and completely forget she was sitting right behind him. The stress and trauma they’d been through these last weeks and especially today weighed on him. He wanted everything to be perfect, to go the right way, to be everything she deserved and he wanted for her.

That was all well and good, but all she needed to know, all she needed to hear, was the plain and simple truth. He loved her. That was all she needed.

Ford and Colt gasped, staring at her. Grandpa Sammy smiled like he’d won the lottery. Rory spun around, his eyes wide when he realized he’d forgotten about her, lost in the moment.

“Why do we need more time? Either you love me or you don’t. Either you want me or you don’t. If I do and you do and you want it and I want it, then why can’t we have it? Why can’t we just make it be? I’m tired of waiting for everything I want in my life.”

She looked him right in the eye and gave him everything he needed and deserved. “Yes. Yes, I love you. With everything I am, every breath I take, every beat of my heart, I love you. I have wanted to tell you that for so long, but held it back because of one stupid thing or another, but I can’t do it anymore. I won’t do it anymore. I loved you before we made this baby. I will love you every day for the rest of my life.

“I look at you and see only one thing. You’re my everything. You’re the one I want to be with always.

“So yes, I will marry you. I will be the best mother I can be to our child, but more than anything, I want to be your wife.”

“You do? Just like that?”

“Why not? I fell in love with you just like that.”

Rory slid his hand around her neck and drew her in for a soft kiss. He pressed his forehead to hers and gazed into her eyes. “I love you more than I can possibly say.”

“I know.”

He stepped back, flipped open the lid on the velvet box, and pulled out the diamond engagement ring. He held the ring up for her to see. Two pear-shaped diamonds sparkled in the light, their round sides touching in the center, the points out to the sides. Beautiful. Unique. Perfect.

She held Rory’s intense gaze.

“I can’t live a single second without you by my side.” He glanced at the two-stone ring, then back at her. “You and me?”

“You and me.”

He slid the ring on her finger. Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she smiled so big her face ached. He kissed her softly, wiping away her happy tears. He leaned back and repeated, “You and me.”

Rory picked up the sliced apples and stuffed them inside the peanut butter jar. He handed it to her and picked her up right off the countertop. She locked her legs around his waist and wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on. He spun around and walked straight past his brothers and grandfather.

“Night, sis,” Colt called.

“See you in the morning, pretty girl,” Grandpa Sammy added.