“What’s this all about, Jeremiah?” his mother asked from her wheelchair off to the side of the group.
“I don’t want to stick Callie with a cripple for a husband, Mom. I refuse to do that to her.”
“She loves you and you love her, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then quit being a dumbass and ask that girl to marry you.”
“But—”
“But nothing. Life is short. We never know when we’ll leave our loved ones behind. I’ve learned this myself the last several weeks as I saw your father and you boys deal with my accident. I could have been killed. I know it would have left you all devastated, but it’s not something we can control. If you love her, then cherish the time you have together by being together and loving each other like your life depends on it.”
Callie watched as Jeremiah turned back toward her. His grey eyes reflected love and acceptance as the words from his mother finally sank in.
Jeremiah stepped out of the circle of his brothers to approach her, taking her hand in his as he stopped in front of her. “I’m sorry, Callie. I do love you, but I’m scared.”
“I know, Jeremiah. I am too. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to have to deal with your disease, but I’m a strong woman who knows how to handle adversity no matter how much you want to protect me. I love you.”
“I love you too. I’m so sorry I put you through this.” With tears shining in his eyes, he got down on one knee. “I don’t have a ring for you right this minute, but will you marry me?”
She got down on the ground so they were face to face. She grasped his cheeks in her hands as she whispered a exuberant, “Yes!” She threw herself into his embrace, kissing him all over his face while he laughed.
His brothers slapped him on the back in congratulations until she managed to get him down on the floor, lying across his chest.
“This is a precarious position, darlin’. Not that I mind, you see, but I don’t think you are into exhibitionism, are you?”
“Jeremiah!”
He laughed as he rolled her under him and kissed her full on the mouth. When they came up for air, the room had cleared of his family. He threaded his fingers in her hair, bringing one small bunch around to tickle her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you too. When do you want to get married?”
“I don’t care. I want something small though. Only a few friends and family.”
“Sounds good to me.” A twinkle in his eyes told her he was up to something. “Ever been to Hawaii?”
“Nope.”
“Let’s get married there. I can fly everyone out there. We’ll have a wedding on the beach.”
“I love that idea, but how can you afford to fly everyone out there? Won’t it be really expensive?”
“We need to talk about finances, darlin’, but don’t worry, I can afford it and then some.”
“If you say so. I’ll leave that to you.”
“Trust me when I say you won’t have to worry about money for the rest of your life.”
“Are you rich?”
“Let’s say comfortable.” He kissed her full on the mouth, letting his tongue slide along the seam of her lips in an erotic dance until she opened for him on a groan.
When they parted, she said, “We are going to have to find somewhere else to live. Although I love your little cabin, there isn’t room for both of us.”
“I’m already planning on a house on the hill overlooking the valley. I’ll show you the plans after we make love.”
“Oh, I like the sound of that.”
“Good.” He climbed to his feet and held out a hand to her, dragging her up before he tossed her over his shoulder to head to his room.
“Jeremiah?”
“Yeah.”
“This caveman behavior is perfect.”
He laughed all the way to the cabin as her hair hung down his back and her hand had a firm grip on his buttocks.
Epilogue
Orange and red streaked the sky, making the sunset spectacular as they sat on the lounge near their cabana on Maui.
Jeremiah kissed her forehead when she snuggled down into his embrace, admiring the rock on her left hand. She couldn’t believe they were actually married.
The ceremony had been beautiful. He’d been dressed in a pure white pair of pants, white shirt, white cowboy hat with no shoes as she approached him in her off-the-shoulder white gown and bare feet. Clutched in her shaking hands was a bouquet of roses, lilies and baby’s breath tied with a deep blue ribbon.
His family and her father had stood by as she stopped next to him to take his hand in hers.
When all was said and done, she whispered her new name in awe, not quite believing she’d actually married her Jeremiah.
“What are you thinking about?”
“You. The ceremony. Everything. It’s hard for me to believe we are actually here in Hawaii and married. I’ve waited so long for this.”
“I love you, Callie.”
“I love you too.” She sighed as she ran her fingers through the hair on his chest. “When is the house getting started?”
“Next week. They’re breaking ground for the foundation while we’re here. Dad is keeping an eye on them after he and mom get back from here.”
“It was so great to have our families here for this. It was perfect.”
“I only want what my wife wants.” She sat up and gave him the most dubious look she could muster. “What?”
“Somehow I doubt that.”
“Why would you say something like that? I only want what you want.”
“Because I know how stubborn you can be, Jeremiah. Somehow I don’t think I’ll be getting away with much of anything.”
He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her back down to his chest. “You have me wrapped around your little finger, Mrs. Young. Don’t think any different.”
“What happens when we have kids?”
“They’ll have me wrapped around their fingers too, I’m sure, just like their mother.”
“Especially if we have little girls.”
“Oh, definitely.”
“How soon do you want children?” His fingers did a slow crawl down her arm, sending shivers racing in their wake.
“I’m not in any hurry. Are you?”
“Not really. I want to have some time, just the two of us, before we jump into having a family.”
“How many kids do you want?”
“I want a big family. Lots of kids, like six. I was lonesome as a child. I don’t want our kids to be like that.”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Are you going to ever tell me exactly how much money is in the bank?”
“Are you curious?”
“Yeah, but that’s not the reason I married you. You can handle all the bills and money. As long as I have an allowance to buy groceries, I’m good.”
“Honey, you can buy the entire store and it won’t hurt our finances.”
“How much, Jeremiah?”
He laughed as she ran her fingernail around his nipple. “Current balance or in general?”
“General figure is fine.”
“We have over ten million in the bank.”
She choked on her saliva as she muttered, “Ten million?”
“Yeah, and it’s growing every day.”
“Holy shit.”
“So when we get back, if you want to close your dad’s garage, you can. I’d rather like not having you work.”
“But I like working at the garage.”
“I know you do, baby, that’s why I wouldn’t ask you to, unless you wanted to.”
“I’ll talk to my dad to see what he says. I’d like to set him up so he wouldn’t have to worry about anything ever again. He could have someone come in to help him since I won’t be there anymore on a regular basis.”
“Done.”
“I love you, Jeremiah. You are so good to me.”
“You are the best wife
a man could ask for.” He pushed her onto her back and ran his tongue from her shoulder to her ear. “Wanna make love?”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
*The End*
About the Author
Sandy Sullivan is a romance author, who, when not writing, spends her time with her husband Shaun on their farm in middle Tennessee. She loves to ride her horses, play with their dogs and relax on the porch, enjoying the rolling hills of her home south of Nashville. Country music is a passion of hers and she loves to listen to it while she writes.
She is an avid reader of romance novels and enjoys reading Nora Roberts, Jude Deveraux and Susan Wiggs. Finding new authors and delving into something different helps feed the need for literature. A registered nurse by education, she loves to help people and spread the enjoyment of romance to those around her with her novels. She loves cowboys so you'll find many of her novels have sexy men in tight jeans and cowboy boots.
Other books by Sandy
Love Me Once, Love Me Twice (Montana Cowboys 1)
Before the Night is Over (Montana Cowboys 2)
Two for the Price of One (Montana Cowboys 3)
Difficult Choices (Montana Cowboys 4)
Doctor Me Up (Montana Cowboys 5)
Stakin’ His Claim
Country Minded Cougar
Meet Me in the Barn
Taming the Cougar
The Call of Duty Anthology
Five Hearts Anthology
Trouble With a Cowboy
Gotta Love a Cowboy
Make Mine a Cowboy (Cowboy Dreamin’ 1)
Healing a Cowboy’s Heart (Cowboy Dreamin’ 2)
For the Love of a Cowboy (Cowboy Dreamin’ 3)
Tempted by the Cowboy (Cowboy Dreamin’ 4)
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
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