by Barbara Gee
Much as he enjoyed her mouth moving over his skin, he hugged her and then stepped back. “But we have to go. There might be cherry pie, and I haven’t tasted cherries in almost a year.”
Izzy raised a brow. “Oh man, I can’t compete with cherries.”
He laughed. “Trust me, if I had to choose, I’d choose you every time, Izzy-B. But if I can eat cherry pie with you by my side, it’s the best of both worlds.”
She grabbed his hand and tugged him to the door. “Pie it is, then. After that, you’re coming home with me for the rest of the evening. You’re going to have to get a car, you know, so I don’t have to run you back here every night.”
“I have a car. A truck, actually. I’ll have it here within the week.”
He pulled Izzy to a stop just before they reached the Jeep. She turned around, her brows rising curiously. “What?” she asked when he just stood there looking at her.
“Just giving you fair warning, Izzy-B. It’s only a matter of time before I’m out of that cabin and at your house. And not in the guest bedroom.”
She grinned up at him. “A very short matter of time, I hope.”
“Count on it.”
“Oh, I’ve been counting,” she whispered, tilting her face up for one more kiss.
EPILOGUE
Their wedding day was three months later. Tanner had proposed after being back at the ranch for a month, after they’d gone to visit Izzy’s parents for a weekend and he’d secretly asked her father for permission. The proposal itself had been sweet and romantic, but not flashy, because that wasn’t Tanner. He’d surprised her one Friday by showing up at her house with a picnic supper. They’d ridden horses to a butte on the ranch, climbed to the top, and ate on a blanket spread on the grass. When the sun started to set, they sat side by side on an outcrop of rock and watched the color spread across the sky.
When the globe of the sun hit the horizon, Tanner took her left hand and slid a ring on her finger.
“Marry me, Isabella,” he’d said. “I want you by my side forever. God gave you to me, and I’ll honor that gift, and you, until death do us part. I love you. I’ll always love you. Marry me and let me show you how much.”
Two months after she said yes, or rather yes yes yes yes yes, they were married. Izzy walked down the aisle on her father’s arm and joyfully said I do. The reception was in the Desmond’s back yard and it was the most beautiful evening Izzy could imagine. Surrounded by family and friends, she and Tanner celebrated their love and commitment.
They ate. They danced. They took photos. They talked and laughed. Izzy was holding baby Noah when Tanner broke away from the group of men he’d been talking to and came up to her, putting his hand lightly on her arm.
“The baby is cute, and this has been a great party,” he whispered in her ear, “but we have to leave early tomorrow for the airport. Time to go.”
She looked at him, her eyes sparkling. “Need to get your beauty sleep?” she teased him.
He slowly raised one dark brow. “Yeah. Sleep.”
Izzy laughed. “Let’s start saying our goodbyes then. I’m rather…..sleepy….myself.”
Thirty minutes later, he swooped her up and carried her through the front door of her house. Their house, now. Tomorrow they would be in a tropical location. Tonight, they were in their own home.
Tanner set her on her feet and looked down at her, his lips quirking up into a smile. “It’s ten-thirty.”
She grinned up at him, knowing what he was thinking. “Normally you’d be on your way out the door so people didn’t see your car here too late and think we were up to no good.”
“I hated leaving.”
“I hated it, too. Some nights I was really close to begging you to stay.”
“We made it, though.” His dark eyes warmed as he smiled. “I’m not leaving now.”
Izzy shivered and slowly shook her head. “No, you aren’t.”
He took her face in his hands. “Are you as happy about that as I am?”
She felt her cheeks getting warm. “Pretty sure I’m even happier.”
“Pretty sure that’s impossible.” He dropped a soft kiss on her mouth. “I’ve needed you my whole life, baby. I needed you, and didn’t even know it. But now that I do, I’m going to tell you and show you every day how glad I am I found you. You’ll never have to wonder how I feel.”
Her heart swelled. She saw the love and desire in his dark eyes, and she knew it was reflected in her own. “I love you, Tanner.”
“Love you back, Mrs. James,” he said softly. “I’ll always love you.”
***
Thank you so much for reading See Me, Cover Me. I hope you enjoyed it. If you get a chance, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.
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If you wish to be notified when Book 5 in the Full Heart Ranch series becomes available, please contact me at:
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Other titles by Barbara Gee:
Always a Will and A Way
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LYCORKM
Find Me, Save Me
Book #1 in the Full Heart Ranch Series
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SGWEKVY
Love Me, Trust Me
Book #2 in the Full Heart Ranch Series
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XTHXH7O
Know Me, Keep Me
Book #3 in the Full Heart Ranch Series
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018FTHJPQ
