by Regina Duke
Kevin raised a hand. “I’d be glad to help.”
“Good.” Zach was pleased.
Krystal sighed inwardly. Her plan to spend the morning in the arena with Zach had already fallen through. But then, surely it wouldn’t take all morning to haul the hay.
The first part of her morning was very relaxing. She spent it grooming her Morgan gelding. By ten a.m. she had him saddled and bridled and had begun walking him around the arena. A large kerosene heater offered minimal comfort against the slowly dropping temperature, but Krystal was warmly dressed. She put her riding helmet on before mounting, and spent a delightful hour exercising her favorite horse. She loved the fact that all the worries of the world dropped away when she was on horseback. She felt a deep bond with Karla whose interest in horses and competition riding had spiked when she discovered that Mindy’s greatest dream was to own her own horse and spend her life working with them. And for that, Krystal was deeply indebted to Mindy and was delighted that her parents were going to give her the chance to pursue her dreams.
When she realized she was once again thinking of all the drama going on around her family, she knew it was time to give her mount a good rubdown and call it a day.
When all her horse chores were completed, she was surprised to glance at the barn clock and see that it was almost twelve-thirty. Her thoughts turned immediately to the mail. She secured her Morgan’s stall and fought the urge to run toward the front of the house. Too undignified, she was sure. She did allow herself a brisk walk as she headed for the exit.
She ran smack into Zachary. He caught her in his arms before she could bounce backward and hit the floor.
“I’m so sorry, ma’am. Are you all right?”
There it was again, that loving pronunciation of the word “ma’am.” Krystal got her footing sorted out, but did not pull away from Zach’s arms. “Thanks for catching me.”
Zach smiled at her, and her heart soared. He looked around, saw no one, then bent to her and kissed her softly on the lips.
Krystal felt like a girl again. The barn smells, the quiet comfort of the horses, all of it carried her back to her youth, to that day when she knew she would die if she didn’t get to marry this handsome, caring cowboy.
But then her parents stepped in. They were outraged and furious that she’d set her sights on the son of one of their hired hands. Not only that, he aspired to ride broncs in rodeos. She could not be serious.
Krystal hadn’t cared. She’d been ready to throw everything away, give up the family fortune, never see her parents again, if only she could be with Zachary King.
She had not expected Zach to turn her away. She learned years later that he’d done it to save her from herself. He didn’t want to be the reason she lost everything. He didn’t want her family to turn against her. He loved her too much, so he told her he needed to chase his rodeo dream, and he couldn’t do that with a wife.
Krystal’s world had crumbled. She married the man her family picked out for her, an up-and-coming Wall Street mogul named Douglas Wake. She moved through the first few years of her marriage, playing a role. Kevin and Karla came along, and she immersed herself in the joys of motherhood. Then Douglas tried to buy the family ranch out from under her parents. That was when Krystal returned, to save the ranch for her family and to draw lines in the sand with her overbearing husband.
And that’s when she’d seen Zach again and discovered that her heart had never wavered. Their eyes had met and she knew, deep inside, that he still loved her. And she understood then that he had always loved her. She knew exactly why he’d done what he did. And she loved him even more for it.
Now they were standing in her barn, sharing the warmth of a chaste embrace. Krystal wanted more, but she’d wanted more since high school. After spending most of their adult lives apart, she knew that what she had was better than being separated.
Zach took her hand. “Come here a minute. I want to show you something.” He led her into a clean empty stall.
Krystal said, “It’s cold out here. Maybe we should go in and have some lunch.” She was accustomed to hiding her feelings behind mundane phrases. She had to be careful how she spoke to him. She didn’t want any hints about her feelings to get back to Douglas. She didn’t dare rock the boat until those divorce papers were signed.
Zach smiled at her. He opened his barn coat and pulled a manila envelope out from under his arm.
Krystal drew a sharp breath. She took the envelope and studied the return address. Her heart filled with hope. She tried to open the envelope but her gloves made it impossible. Her hands trembled.
“Hold on,” said Zach. He took out his pocket knife and slit through the envelope with ease.
Krystal slid the papers out, her eyes hungry for the specific signature that she’d been waiting for ever since she filed. At last, there it was. Douglas Wake had signed. Her divorce was final. She threw herself into Zach’s arms as hot tears leaked from beneath her lids. Her whole body trembled.
Zach held her tenderly. “You’re a free woman now, Miss Krystal.”
Krystal smiled. “You didn’t call me ma’am.”
“You’re no longer a married woman,” said Zach tenderly.
“Is this what you wanted to show me?”
“That was only part of it. I know you need time to figure this all out, but I let you go once, and I figured I better speak my piece before every eligible bachelor in Colorado finds out you’re single again.” He fumbled in the pocket of his barn coat, then pulled out a small velvet box. “I bought this here a long time ago, hoping I’d have a chance to give it to you. I saved all my rodeo money for it.”
Krystal held her breath as she opened the box. Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring she’d ever seen. “Oh, Zach, it’s gorgeous.”
“Just speaking my piece,” said Zach. “No need to answer right away. But I’d be honored if you’d agree to be my wife. Someday. When you’re ready.”
Krystal clutched the ring in one hand and threw her arms around his neck. “I’ve waited half my life for this moment,” she said. “I don’t want to wait any longer. Yes, my answer is yes.”
Zach cupped her face in his bare hands and looked into her eyes. “I never loved no other woman but you, Krystal Fineman. And loving you will be number one on my list of things to do every day for the rest of my life.”
Then he pulled her gently toward him and they kissed.
Krystal thought her heart would burst with happiness. The kiss took her breath away, and she felt a stirring in a part of her heart that she thought had died years ago. When she was forced to come up for air, she whispered, “I love you, Zachary King.”
Zach turned his face away, and Krystal froze. “What? What is it?” She pulled his face toward her so she could see his eyes, and she saw the tear that rolled down his cheek.
“Sorry,” said Zach. “I didn’t want you to see that. It’s just that I’ve waited a long time, too. I guess I got all mushy inside.”
Krystal pulled him into another kiss. When it ended, she said, “I won’t tell anyone I saw it.”
“Good.”
“Take this glove off my hand.”
Zach helped her remove her left glove. Krystal was so full of tender feelings for her wonderful man, she fought back more tears of her own. Zach was grinning at her now. Ever so gently, he slid the ring onto her third finger. “Now you’re mine at last,” he murmured.
Krystal linked her arm with his. “I’ve always been yours,” she said.
“It’s starting to snow real heavy.” He nuzzled her cheek. “I think we’d better call the hotel and make arrangements in case Teresa and the kids have to stay overnight.”
“That’s an excellent idea,” murmured Krystal. “But do we have to do it right now?” She turned her face and sought him out for another kiss. Her bliss lasted thirty seconds.
Then she heard the boys giggling. She and Zach ended the kiss and pretended that standing in a horse stall and stealing kisses
was perfectly normal. They exited the stall in time to see Keegan and the Garcia boys scrambling out of the barn. Through the open barn door they could see snow falling in fat flakes.
“Merry Christmas, Miss Krystal,” said Zach warmly.
“The best Christmas ever.” She smiled up at him. “Lunch?”
“Oh God, yes. I’m starving.”
Krystal laughed all the way back to the house.
End
Other Books by Regina Duke
The Wedding Wager (Colorado Billionaires, 1)
The Wedding Hope (Colorado Billionaires, 2)
The Wedding Venture (Colorado Billionaires, 3)
The Wedding Belle (Colorado Billionaires, 4)
Colorado Billionaires Boxed Set (Contains novels 1, 2, and 3)
Krystal's Christmas
Sunny's Christmas
Christmas Angel
My Vampire Wedding
Calin's Cowboy
North Rim Delight
The Woof in the Wedding Plans
Trickster and Other Stories
Linda White's Loving the Sensitive Dog
Linda White's Sir Darby: Another Sensitive Dog
Find all of Regina's books at Amazon.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author Regina Duke writes sweet romance, cozy mystery, and paranormal. She lives in the High Desert with her three dogs, and when she’s not writing, she’s playing the piano and enjoying her friends.
Learn more at http://www.reginaduke.com. For fiction, please visit her at www.ReginaDuke.com. And for non-fiction, www.LindaLouWrites.com.
