Cowboy Flirtation
Page 14
“Dad,” Ryan cut across him.
Now that Ford was closer to the thief, he saw the redness of his eyes and some red marks between his knuckles as well.
Drug use. No wonder he looked so ill. Or had come to such desperate ends.
The Daltons and Ryans continued to throw questions at him, but he remained silent. When the sheriff drove up and demanded he dismount so he could slap the cuffs on him, he did so without a fight.
Once the sheriff and deputy had him in custody, locked in the back of the SUV, the sheriff came to speak with them. “I’ve seen this one before. He’s out on bail.”
“Damn,” Ford said softly.
“This is a more serious offense and should keep him inside for a lot longer, though. I’m sorry this happened to your families. You did right in calling me to come, rather than taking matters into your own hands. But maybe I should deputize each one of ya—I could use the backup.”
While his family spoke with the sheriff another few minutes, Ford moved up to Mr. Ryan. The man turned and gave him a nod.
“Sir, if I could speak with you a moment.”
“Sure.” They walked a few feet away from the others.
Ford didn’t know quite how to begin. He hadn’t asked for Gabby’s hand in marriage—but somehow asking for Susannah’s felt like the only way to go.
He doffed his hat and met the man’s gaze. “I love your daughter, sir. And I’d like to ask for her hand.”
Mr. Ryan went still. He was a big man, as big as Ford. If he decided to throw a punch, Ford would take the blow without retaliation.
After long seconds, Mr. Ryan said, “She knows you’re asking?”
“Not exactly, but she knows I love her.”
“You realize she’s stubborn as the day is long.”
Ford’s lips twitched, and he nodded. “I do.”
“And that she’s determined to make a go of this program of hers? Are you willing to support her all the way?”
“More’n willing. I’ll give both hands, my strong back and any funds I have to help her be a success.”
“You aren’t from Paradise Valley. Will you take her back home to your parts?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been offered a plot of land on the family ranch. It’s not much but I will do my best to make Susannah happy.”
The steely glint in Mr. Ryan’s eyes softened at the news his daughter, if she took Ford’s proposal, wouldn’t be far from her family ties. He stuck out his hand, and Ford took it, clasping it hard.
To his shock, Mr. Ryan pulled him into an embrace. “She couldn’t ask for better. I give my blessing.”
There were several thumps on the back exchanged, and then the sheriff drove away with the thief and the makeshift posse started to disband, riding off toward home.
Ford went too, spurring his horse hard and fast, needing to set eyes on his little blonde country girl and break the news about owning the acres.
And to officially ask for her hand.
* * * * *
Susannah turned at the throb of hoofbeats and she dropped the grooming brush she was holding. Taking off running toward the center of the yard, she skidded to a stop just as Ford threw a leg over his mount.
She ran into his arms. He dragged her against him and held tight. She buried her nose against his neck and breathed in the manly scents she loved.
“You’re shaking,” he said gruffly.
“I was afraid of what could happen to you.” Admitting it aloud brought tears to her eyes.
He drew back enough to look deeply into her eyes. “We were in no danger, not when there were so many of us.”
“The thief’s been arrested?”
He nodded. “Carted off by the sheriff. Susannah, he was at your open house. Seems he came and saw what you had on offer and made his plan from there.”
“Oh my God.” She felt faint at the danger she may have put her family in, not to mention all the Daltons and their loved ones. “This is all my fault.”
“No. It’s not on you. But next time you have an open house, I’ll have better security on our land.”
She blinked at him in confusion. “I don’t understand.”
He cradled her face in one broad palm. The blue of his eyes seemed to smolder like fire, and the pit of her stomach warmed. “We’re moving your program to my place. That is, if you’ll agree.”
More perplexed, she shook her head. “What are you talking about? Your land?”
“The land my family has granted me in Paradise Valley.”
Her jaw dropped. “Here?” A cry of joy rose up, but she was afraid to hope, worried her mind might be too foggy after the events of the day to understand fully.
“Sweetness, I’ve got twenty acres to put a house on. Will you ride up and see it with me?”
“Oh my God! Yes!” She swung to look at the corral. “I just have to finish grooming the mare.”
“It looks cooled down to me. Let her graze while we’re away.” He caught her hand and led her to his mount. He put her up before him and then wrapped his forearm around her, snugly drawing her to his chest as they cut across field after field.
When they arrived on the spot, he stopped and looked out. “The view’s better than I recalled and the land’s as fertile as every other spot in Paradise Valley.”
He pointed out the boundaries. “I’m sure my memory’s not perfect, but I think this would be the property line. It’s enough for a house, maybe here, best for the views. And for a barn for your program, along with paddocks and fenced area. Maybe an indoor ring to get out of the heat.”
She twisted in the saddle to look at him. “Ford, what are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything, but I’m asking. Susannah, will you be my wife and build a life here with me? I’ll work hard for you with the Daltons, and I’ll buy you as many horses as you need to keep your program running. I’ll be here to help with your clients and with the babies.”
Her heart tumbled. “The babies!”
His grin was crooked, and damn if her body wasn’t reacting to it. “As many babies as you want, sweetness. After the wedding, I’d like to get started right away.”
“You said you were asking, but you haven’t asked yet.” The sass was loud and clear in her tone.
He chuckled. “Your daddy warned me of this.”
Great—they were in cahoots now?
She batted at Ford’s shoulder. “If you’re proposing, you’d better do it right, Ford Dalton.”
With that, he slid out of the saddle and towed her off with him. He sank to one knee and looked up into her eyes. Taking both hands in his grasp, he spoke the words. “Susannah Ryan, I love you more than anything. Would you be my wife?”
Her sob caught her off-guard. She dropped to her knees and threw her arms around him. He swept her to his chest and crushed his lips over hers. Between deep passes of his tongue, she said, “Yes,” over and over.
Then he found the hem of her top and she found his belt buckle, which occupied them for a long time.
Epilogue
When Susannah peeked out at the crowd of attendees at her wedding, she saw not only all her loved ones on both her mother’s and father’s sides, and Ford’s family and the Daltons taking up most of the chairs set up in the yard of the Ryan Ranch but clusters of her clients as well.
Ahead of her, the older Dalton boys dragged the little ones in wagons and the more grown-up girls carried bouquets down the blue strip of fabric leading to Susannah’s groom.
Her heart caught in her throat as her gaze slid over the man of her dreams. The man who was the center of her world.
Ford’s jeans and white shirt were accented by a bright blue bowtie that matched the color scheme of the wedding. Each of his brothers stood by him, all dressed the same except their bowties were blue plaid. And Charlotte and Shelby, her partners in finding the horse rustler and now her dearest friends, wore dresses that accented each of their figures, primped and holding bouquets of peach flowers
with sprigs of gold accents.
The entire wedding was beautiful—but her groom stole her breath.
“Ready, punkin?” Her daddy’s drawl startled her from ogling her future husband. A flush crept up her cheeks. If her father knew she was mentally undressing Ford, he’d be shocked.
“I’m ready.” The confidence in her voice said it all—she was doing the right thing. Each day that came after would only get better. Even the tough ones would be spent with the man she loved and who adored her.
The bridal march rang out, and she took her daddy’s arm to walk down the aisle. Ford was smiling at her.
THE END
Em Petrova
Em Petrova was raised by hippies in the wilds of Pennsylvania but told her parents at the age of four she wanted to be a gypsy when she grew up. She has a soft spot for babies, puppies and 90s Grunge music and believes in Bigfoot and aliens. She started writing at the age of twelve and prides herself on making her characters larger than life and her sex scenes hotter than hot.
She burst into the world of publishing in 2010 after having five beautiful bambinos and figuring they were old enough to get their own snacks while she pounds away at the keys. In her not-so-spare time, she is fur-mommy to a Labradoodle named Daisy Hasselhoff and works as editor with USA Today and New York Times bestselling authors.
Find Em Petrova:
Website
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
FB Fan Page
Twitter
Instagram
SUBSCRIBE
Bookbub
Other Indie Titles by Em Petrova
Knight Ops Series
ALL KNIGHTER
HEAT OF THE KNIGHT
HOT LOUISIANA KNIGHT
AFTER MIDKNIGHT Coming Aug 2018
KNIGHT SHIFT Coming Sept 2018
ANGEL OF THE KNIGHT Coming Nov 2018
KNIGHT OF THE MOON Coming Dec 2018
Wild West Series
SOMETHING ABOUT A LAWMAN
SOMETHING ABOUT A SHERIFF
SOMETHING ABOUT A BOUNTY HUNTER
SOMETHING ABOUT A MOUNTAIN MAN
Operation Cowboy Series
KICKIN’ UP DUST
SPURS & SURRENDER
The Boot Knockers Ranch Series
PUSHIN’ BUTTONS
BODY LANGUAGE
REINING MEN
ROPIN’ HEARTS
ROPE BURN
COWBOY NOT INCLUDED
The Boot Knockers Ranch Montana
COWBOY BY CANDLELIGHT
THE BOOT KNOCKER’S BABY
ROPIN’ A ROMEO
Country Fever Series
HARD RIDIN’
LIP LOCK
UNBROKEN
SOMETHIN’ DIRTY
Rope ‘n Ride Series
BUCK
RYDER
RIDGE
WEST
LANE
WYNONNA
Rope ‘n Ride On Series
JINGLE BOOTS
DOUBLE DIPPIN’
LICKS AND PROMISES
A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS
LIPSTICK ‘N LEAD
The Dalton Boys
COWBOY CRAZY Hank’s story
COWBOY BARGAIN Cash’s story
COWBOY CRUSHIN’ Witt’s story
COWBOY SECRET Beck’s story
COWBOY RUSH Kade’s Story
COWBOY MISTLETOE a Christmas novella
COWBOY FLIRTATION
COWBOY TEMPTATION Coming Oct 2018
COWBOY SURPRISE Coming Jan 2019
Single Titles and Boxes
STRANDED AND STRADDLED
LASSO MY HEART
SINFUL HEARTS
BLOWN DOWN
FALLEN
FEVERED HEARTS
WRONG SIDE OF LOVE
Firehouse 5 Series
ONE FIERY NIGHT
CONTROLLED BURN
SMOLDERING HEARTS
Club Ties Series
LOVE TIES
HEART TIES
MARKED AS HIS
SOUL TIES
ACE’S WILD
The Quick and the Hot Series
DALLAS NIGHTS
SLICK RIDER
SPURRED ON
Also, look for traditionally published works on her website.