than a lifetime not, but he felt inclined to explain, “I don’t have much to offer you right now, Angel. Not what you deserve, but—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “I deserve happiness. You deserve happiness.” Her expression grew unsure. “I found heaven on earth in your arms, Rowdy. But I don’t want it if it’s not what you want, too.”
A gush of emotions washed over him like a spring flood. He gazed directly into those big brown eyes so she wouldn’t have any doubt. “I want it. You’re my heaven on earth, Angel. I love you.” He framed her face with his hands. “I’ve loved you for some time. I was just too stubborn to admit it.”
She giggled. “That, I’ll agree with. The man under this hat is a bit stubborn. But that’s all right. I can be a bit stubborn, too.”
“A bit?”
“That’s what I’ve been told.” She stretched onto her toes once more, bringing her lips close to his. “Kiss me, Rowdy.”
He touched the tip of her nose with his. “You sure are demanding, aren’t you?”
“Yep, and you like it.”
“Yes, I do. I like every little bossy bone in your body.” While desire, and love, threatened to strangle him, he kissed her with all the deep-down emotions erupting in his soul.
Her breasts bore into his chest, igniting months of craving into a burning inferno. Holding her tight and kissing her deeply weren’t enough. Moments before his willpower gave out Rowdy broke the kiss. Chest heaving, he set her a few inches away, so he could say his piece. “Angel Clayton, will you marry me?”
She squealed and jumped, landing in his arms. Her hands wound around his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.”
He caught her lips, kissing her thoroughly.
She wiggled in his arms, rubbing her feminine body deeply against him. Planting little kisses on his jaw, she asked, “When?”
The fire in his loins increased tenfold from her enthusiasm. Yet he had other responsibilities to uphold. “I need to ask your father’s permission first.”
She kissed Rowdy’s lips and then leaned back, gazing at him with serious eyes. “You have it. Years ago, when my father married Constance, he asked for my permission. I told him he didn’t need my permission any more than I’d need his when the day came for me to wed. He agreed. He trusts me and my judgments. Besides, he’d never have left you alone with me if you didn’t already have his permission.”
Rowdy grinned. He’d accepted that while pacing the path between the house and bunkhouse for an hour. Ellis Clayton was nobody’s fool. The man knew exactly what he was doing when he took his little trip across the ocean. The knowledge that the rancher thought so highly of him touched Rowdy deeply. Pride that Ellis felt he was good enough for Angel was part of it, but disappointment was there, too. He couldn’t fully show Angel how much he loved her until after her father returned.
She looked at him with a perplexed expression. He kissed her nose. “We’ll get married as soon as your folks get home.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
She was so adorable. After a quick kiss, he set her on her feet. As hard as it was, he let her loose and turned for the door.
She caught his arm. “Where are you going?”
The answer was in the back of his mind, but he had a hard time pulling it forward. “It’s late.”
Flying around to stand between him and the door, she planted her hands on her hips. “I know it’s late, but if you think you’re leaving this room, you better think again.”
He cracked a smile. She did deserve him. Only someone as hardheaded as he was would be able to keep her in line.
She ran a finger down the row of buttons on his shirt. “You just told me you love me, and asked me to marry you.”
He covered her hand with his. “And that’s why I’m leaving.”
Her other hand slipped around his neck and pulled his head down. “Rowdy,” she said huskily.
She pressed a finger to his lips. “I deserve happiness. You deserve happiness.” Her expression grew unsure. “I found heaven on earth in your arms, Rowdy. But I don’t want it if it’s not what you want, too.”
A gush of emotions washed over him like a spring flood. He gazed directly into those big brown eyes so she wouldn’t have any doubt. “I want it. You’re my heaven on earth, Angel. I love you.” He framed her face with his hands. “I’ve loved you for some time. I was just too stubborn to admit it.”
She giggled. “That, I’ll agree with. The man under this hat is a bit stubborn. But that’s all right. I can be a bit stubborn, too.”
“A bit?”
“That’s what I’ve been told.” She stretched onto her toes once more, bringing her lips close to his. “Kiss me, Rowdy.”
He touched the tip of her nose with his. “You sure are demanding, aren’t you?”
“Yep, and you like it.”
“Yes, I do. I like every little bossy bone in your body.” While desire, and love, threatened to strangle him, he kissed her with all the deep-down emotions erupting in his soul.
Her breasts bore into his chest, igniting months of craving into a burning inferno. Holding her tight and kissing her deeply weren’t enough. Moments before his willpower gave out Rowdy broke the kiss. Chest heaving, he set her a few inches away, so he could say his piece. “Angel Clayton, will you marry me?”
She squealed and jumped, landing in his arms. Her hands wound around his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.”
He caught her lips, kissing her thoroughly.
She wiggled in his arms, rubbing her feminine body deeply against him. Planting little kisses on his jaw, she asked, “When?”
The fire in his loins increased tenfold from her enthusiasm. Yet he had other responsibilities to uphold. “I need to ask your father’s permission first.”
She kissed Rowdy’s lips and then leaned back, gazing at him with serious eyes. “You have it. Years ago, when my father married Constance, he asked for my permission. I told him he didn’t need my permission any more than I’d need his when the day came for me to wed. He agreed. He trusts me and my judgments. Besides, he’d never have left you alone with me if you didn’t already have his permission.”
Rowdy grinned. He’d accepted that while pacing the path between the house and bunkhouse for an hour. Ellis Clayton was nobody’s fool. The man knew exactly what he was doing when he took his little trip across the ocean. The knowledge that the rancher thought so highly of him touched Rowdy deeply. Pride that Ellis felt he was good enough for Angel was part of it, but disappointment was there, too. He couldn’t fully show Angel how much he loved her until after her father returned.
She looked at him with a perplexed expression. He kissed her nose. “We’ll get married as soon as your folks get home.”
Her jaw dropped. “What?”
She was so adorable. After a quick kiss, he set her on her feet. As hard as it was, he let her loose and turned for the door.
She caught his arm. “Where are you going?”
The answer was in the back of his mind, but he had a hard time pulling it forward. “It’s late.”
Flying around to stand between him and the door, she planted her hands on her hips. “I know it’s late, but if you think you’re leaving this room, you better think again.”
He cracked a smile. She did deserve him. Only someone as hardheaded as he was would be able to keep her in line.
She ran a finger down the row of buttons on his shirt. “You just told me you love me, and asked me to marry you.”
He covered her hand with his. “And that’s why I’m leaving.”
Her other hand slipped around his neck and pulled his head down. “Rowdy,” she said huskily.
Similar Books
