She was beyond thankful for Matt. From day one, he’d been a wonderful father. Diapers, walking the halls in the middle of the night, doctor’s appointments—he did it all, especially when she was still recovering. There’d even been a few times when she’d realized he was knuckling through a migraine without complaining.
The first couple of weeks had been rough, with both of them exhausted to the point of sniping at each other. They’d found a rhythm, though, and they’d adapted to the demands of their new little dictator. When the depression hit and knocked Dara off balance, Matt had made sure both she and the baby were taken care of.
If ever she’d had any doubts that she and Matt could make this work, those vanished during the first three months of their son’s life. They’d seen each other at their very worst—exhausted, stressed, bitchy—and when the smoke cleared, nothing had changed.
Well, she couldn’t say nothing had changed. The first time she’d walked in and found Matthew curled up on Matt’s chest, or when she’d heard Matt talking to his son when he didn’t think anyone was around, she’d fallen so much more in love with him. One of the high chairs had even taken up permanent residence in the kitchen so Matt could have the kid in there while he was cooking.
Last week, Matt had taken him to the barn for the first time. He’d carefully introduced him to one of the horses, and the baby’s eyes instantly lit up. When Matthew smiled and he’d reached for the horse, she actually felt Matt’s heart melting.
“Like father, like son,” Beth had said. “Guess we’re gonna need a smaller saddle.”
Grinning, Dara had said, “Or they can just ride double until Matt’s willing to let go of him.”
Matt had just smiled. “I like that idea.”
In between all the chaos of life with a newborn, Matt had also tried to reconcile with his parents. Ultimately, he and his father had been able to salvage what little relationship they’d had, and things were getting better there. Especially since Matt’s dad was absolutely smitten with his grandson.
Mrs. Coolidge, though, was just too toxic. Matt tried and tried, but after one too many snide remarks about Dara and the baby, he’d cut her off. Funny—his migraines had started clearing up after that.
Dara’s mother still had an opinion about everything, but she was getting better about biting her tongue. Especially since Dara—with some encouragement from Matt’s therapist, who she was now seeing too—had learned to put her foot down even harder than before. And Dad, of course, was as wrapped around the baby’s finger as Matt’s father.
The truck slowed down, bringing Dara back into the present. Matt pulled down the long driveway, and as the house came into view, her heart skipped. The place had been under construction for the last couple of months, and it was finally complete, and it was gorgeous. Just gorgeous.
Neither of them had wanted a gigantic place, but it certainly wasn’t small. The white plantation-style exterior—pillars and all—was even better than she’d imagined it would be, and once she’d had a chance to plant some flowers and bushes around the driveway and lawn, it would be perfect.
Beyond the house, the stable wasn’t quite finished yet, and there were still some fences going up in the pastures behind the half-constructed arena, but it was coming together.
“Well.” Matt parked in front of the garage. “This is it.”
“It looks amazing.”
“From the outside, yeah. The interior…” He grimaced.
“You didn’t hire whoever decorated the rental, did you?”
A laugh burst out of him. “Uh. No.” He took the keys out of the ignition. “I think you’re going to like it, actually. Let’s go check it out.”
They got out of the truck and carefully took Matthew out too. The baby was tucked snugly in his car seat, and he didn’t stir at all as Matt carried him up the front walk.
On the porch, Matt handed Dara a set of keys. “Care to let us into our new house?”
She grinned. “I would love to.”
The click of the dead bolt made her heart jump. She pushed the door open, the brand-new hinges moving soundlessly, and was immediately greeted with the scents of new construction—fresh paint, sawdust that had almost certainly been cleaned up but had still left its mark on the air.
The foyer was still bare, but gorgeous with its sweeping staircase and sunbeams spilling in through all the windows. She could already imagine a grandfather clock beneath the bannister, her grandma’s lovely red Persian rug across the white marble tile, and some framed artwork on the walls.
“Take a look around.” Matt put a hand on her back and kissed her cheek. “It’s all yours.”
“All ours, you mean?”
He smiled. “Semantics.” He gestured at their surroundings. “Check it out.”
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“Should we flip a coin? Heads, upstairs. Tails, downstairs?”
Dara laughed and gestured toward the kitchen. “Or we could just go that way.”
“Lead the way.”
When Matt said he’d spared no expense, he wasn’t joking—this was amazing. The kitchen was mostly his domain, every stainless steel and granite surface painstakingly selected along with the top-of-the-line appliances, and it warmed her heart to see an extra high chair parked beside the island. It was far enough from anything that might be hot or sharp, but close enough for Matthew to be in here while his dad was cooking—she wasn’t sure which of the two of them enjoyed that more, but they’d been doing it since the baby was barely a month old.
After they’d passed through the kitchen and the empty—but massive—dining room, as well as most of the ground floor, he grinned and gestured for her to follow him. At the end of the hall, he stopped.
“This”—he pushed open a door—“is your office.”
It was perfect. Absolutely perfect. It was much sunnier than even her office in Los Angeles, thanks to two enormous windows. Her desk, file cabinets and bookshelves would fit in here with room to spare, and she could look out at the rolling hills that were in the process of becoming pastures.
“This is…” She exhaled. “Matt…”
“You like it?”
“I love it. All of it.” She put an arm around his waist and kissed him. “Thank you. For making all this happen.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re welcome. Oh, and I got you something.” With a shy little grin, he added, “A housewarming gift, I guess.”
“A house isn’t enough?”
“Not for you.” He carefully set the baby’s carrier on the floor at their feet and paused to gaze at their son. “Why doesn’t he sleep like this at night?”
“No kidding.”
Chuckling, he gave the baby one more glance and then turned to Dara. “While we have a minute to ourselves…” He held up a small turquoise box wrapped in white ribbon.
She smiled as she took it from him. “The people at Tiffany’s must know you by name by now.”
Matt chuckled, blushing adorably. “Only the best for you.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I want to.” He nodded toward the little box. “Open it.”
She slipped the white ribbon off the box and lifted the lid, revealing a pair of diamond stud earrings. He’d bought her an insane amount of gorgeous jewelry over the last year, but these were unbelievable. “Oh my God. These are beautiful.”
“Put them on?”
Dara grinned. “Of course.” She took them out of the box and put them on. “Do we have…” She looked around. “A mirror?”
“The one above the mantel isn’t here yet, but there’s one in the bedroom upstairs.”
“Too far away.” She laughed and fished a compact out of her purse and opened it.
As always, his taste was perfect—they weren’t too big, not too gaudy, but they were defi
nitely eye-catching. “Matt, thank you. These are just gorgeous.”
“I thought they’d go well with this.”
She lowered the mirror.
And her heart stopped.
He went to one knee, and between his upraised fingers was the most exquisite diamond solitaire. The round stone sparkled in the warm lighting, especially since his hand wasn’t completely steady.
“Matt…” She stared at him, the ring blurring in her peripheral vision and the mirror nearly tumbling from her hand. “Are you…”
“Yes. I am.” He moistened his lips and gently took her free hand. “There’s a reason I felt like something was missing in my life for ten years. It wasn’t just because I was a workaholic or because I was lonely. I…” Clearing his throat, he shook his head. “I stupidly didn’t realize how much I missed you until the day you walked back into my life and I suddenly had my best friend back.” He paused, taking a breath as if he needed to compose himself. “When you asked me in college if I’d donate for you, I told you it was an honor to be the father of your children.” He struggled to hold her gaze. “And it would be an honor to be your husband.”
Dara glanced back and forth from the ring to his eyes, so overwhelmed she could barely make sense of what was happening.
“Dara.” He swallowed hard. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course I will.”
Matt stood, and as he slipped the ring on her hand, she wiped her eyes.
He chuckled. “Damn hormones, right?” He sniffed too.
“Yeah. What’s your excuse?” Their eyes met, and they both laughed.
He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Dara.”
“I love you too.” She brushed a tear off his cheek. “I don’t think we got that whole love, marriage, baby carriage thing in the right order.”
“Maybe not for everyone else.” He kissed her softly. “But I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Holding him close, she realized she wouldn’t have either. It had been a long, bumpy road, and two years ago, she never would’ve imagined that road would lead her here. But it had, and now she and her best friend were getting married, and they were going to raise their little boy in the most beautiful house she’d ever seen.
All they had to do now was survive a Marley-Coolidge wedding.
That thought sobered her. “You do realize a wedding means…”
He shuddered. “Oh God.”
“There’s always Vegas.”
He loosened his embrace and met her gaze. “We can do better than that, don’t you think?”
“Honestly? I don’t think it gets any better than that. I’ve already had two overpriced and overdone weddings.” She touched his face. “But I mean, if it’s what you want, I—”
“I don’t care about the wedding.” He grasped her hand gently and kissed it. “As long as I’m marrying you, nothing else matters.”
“So you don’t care about—”
“Not even a little.”
“Well, in that case, let’s just go to Vegas, find an Elvis impersonator, grab a couple of witnesses off the street and have the tackiest, silliest wedding we can.”
Matt laughed. Then he quirked his lips. “You know, there’s still some work left to be done on the house, and the movers aren’t scheduled for another two weeks.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Are you thinking we should beg Beth to babysit, gas up the truck and—”
“Absolutely.”
“I’m in.”
Beth was thrilled to have her nephew for a few days, and she promised to stay tight-lipped about why as long as they brought her back something gaudy.
So with the baby at his aunt’s and the truck’s gas tank full, Matt and Dara roared out of Aspen Mill in a cloud of dust, destination: Vegas.
After that, a future together with the man who was well worth the long journey to find him, and the little boy she couldn’t imagine raising with anyone else. And she wouldn’t have had it any other way.
About the Author
Lauren Gallagher is an abnormal romance writer who has recently been exiled from the glittering utopia of Omaha, Nebraska, to an undisclosed location in South America. Along with her husband, a harem of concubines, and a phosphorescent porcupine, she remains, as always, in hiding from the Polynesian Mafia. For the moment, she seems to have eluded her nemesis, M/M romance author L.A. Witt, but figures L.A. will eventually become bored with the wilds of Spain and come looking for her. And when that time comes, Lauren will be ready. Assuming L.A. doesn’t have her hands full keeping track of Lori A. Witt and Ann Gallagher, which she probably will. Website: www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
Look for these titles by Lauren Gallagher
Now Available:
Who’s Your Daddy?
All The King’s Horses
The Princess and the Porn Star
I’ll Show You Mine
The Saint’s Wife
Kneel, Mr. President
Coming Soon:
The Best Laid Plans
Writing as L. A. Witt:
Now Available:
Nine-tenths of the Law
Out of Focus
Conduct Unbecoming
General Misconduct
The Walls of Troy
What He Left Behind
The Distance Between Us/Wilde’s Series
The Distance Between Us
A.J.’s Angel
The Closer You Get
Meet Me in the Middle
No Distance Left to Run (with Aleksandr Voinov)
No Place That Far (with Aleksandr Voinov)
Tooth & Claw Series
The Given & the Taken
The Healing & the Dying
The United & The Divided
The Only One
The Only One Who Knows (with Cat Grant)
The Only One Who Matters (with Cat Grant)
Coming Soon:
Not Safe For Work
Don’t miss these other titles by Lauren Gallagher
Sworn to have their lover’s back, front, or any other side that needs covering.
Secret Service agent Kent Sinclair, head of POTUS security, thought himself prepared for every contingency. Until the First Lady—a woman who barely tolerates his presence—approaches him with a request that startles the hell out of him.
Carlene Broderick is frightened. With the weight of the country and impending war on his shoulders, her husband, James, is buckling under the strain. The key to helping him cope is the name he calls out in his sleep—and it’s not hers. It belongs to his fellow ex-SEAL team buddy. His ex-lover. Kent.
Without hesitation, Kent plunges into treacherous emotional territory, only to realize it’s not really him that James needs. The Commander in Chief needs to give up complete control in the bedroom.
To relieve that much pressure, Kent and Carlene must work together and declare a truce that rapidly heats up into something more. Something that leaves James caught deep in forbidden territory—torn between his beloved wife and the man he’s never stopped loving.
Warning: Contains three forty-somethings discovering whole new sides of themselves, a rejuvenated marriage, and plenty of kinky fun. All brought to you by an ex-SEAL in a wetsuit, a bisexual President, and a First Lady with a tattoo on her ass
They could be each other’s second chance…unless their mistakes are too big to overlook.
When Alyssa Warren meets Shane McNeill at a wedding, sparks fly. Despite a litany of mistakes no one will let her forget, she can’t resist indulging in one hot night…one that leaves her hungry for more.
Alyssa’s not ready to let her past scare Shane off, though, so she proposes a casual arrangement—live in the moment, no discussing ancient history.
Shane’s on board with that. No-strings, kinky sex with a beautiful woman who has no interest in his past—and with a libido that matches his own? Hell yeah. If she knew about the monster mistakes he’s made, she’d run for the hills, so he’s all for enjoying this wild ride for as long as it lasts.
As they delve deeper into each other’s kinks, though, it’s only a matter of time before trust and intimacy start entangling their hearts. But before a future can take shape, they’ll have to come clean…and hope their confessions don’t drive them apart.
Warning: Contains a woman who knows what she wants in bed and isn’t afraid to demand it, and a man who’s more than happy to give—or take—anything her body desires. In between making deliciously dirty demands of his own, that is.
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B
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The Virgin Cowboy Billionaire’s Secret Baby
Copyright © 2015 by Lauren Gallagher
ISBN: 978-1-61922-877-1
Edited by Linda Ingmanson
Cover by Angela Waters
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
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